I. SURELY, YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE!
A. The Bible promised it, "Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble." Job 14:1.
B. The Psalmist promised it, "The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." Ps. 90:10.
C. Jesus promised it! John 16:33, "In the world ye shall have tribulation…" You’re going to have trouble!
D. Even preachers, have troubles! That’s what Paul said, in our text!
E. Something everybody has that nobody wants is troubles! Everyone has troubles! Some of us have just come through some troubles. Others are in trouble right now. Some are headed for trouble! But, I’m glad I can take you to the second point of this message…
F. Defeat is an attitude and Joy is a Decision
1. You might give me a bruise, but I’m not going to lose
2. I might be broke, but I’m not going to choke
3. I might feel pain, but in the end there’ll be gain
II. SURELY, GOD WILL DELIVER YOU FROM TROUBLE!
A. Ps. 91:1-3. v. 3, "Surely, He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler," WHO IS THE FOWLER? The devil! And he is always trying to fowl things up! He wants to foul up the plans God has for your life, your family, your health!
B. But, thank God, we have the promise, "SURELY, HE SHALL DELIVER THEE FROM TROUBLE!"
C. The Psalmist said our troubles will soon be cut off, and we will fly away!
D. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but God delivereth him out of them all!"
E. While Jesus said, "In the world, ye shall have tribulation," He didn’t stop there! He said, "But be of good cheer, I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD!" And, thank God we will too!
F. WE MAY BE PRESSED ON ALL SIDES, BUT WE WILL NOT BE CRUSHED!
G. NO MATTER WHAT YOU’RE GOING THROUGH, just remember, YOU ARE GOING THROUGH!
H. An Attitude of Perseverance
Two frogs fell into a can of cream, or so I’ve heard it told.
The sides of the can were shiny and steep, the cream was deep and cold.
"Oh, what’s the use?" said No.1, "tis fate - no help’s around -
"Goodbye, my frog-friend! Goodbye sad world!" and weeping still he drowned.
But Number two, of sterner stuff, dog-paddled in surprise.
Then while he wiped his creamy face and dried his creamy eyes,
"I’ll swim awhile at least," he said, "and try to keep my head.
"It wouldn’t really help the world if one more frog was dead."
An hour or two he kicked and swam. Not once he stopped to mutter.
But kicked and swam and swam and kicked then hopped out, via ... butter!
I. If you want to be distressed - look within. If you want to be defeated - look back. If you want to be distracted - look around. If you want to be dismayed - look ahead. If you want to be delivered - look up!"
J. Instead of feeling defeated, seeing distractions, hearing destruction, and talking dismally, TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND LEAN NOT TO YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING.
1. Too Blessed To be Depressed
2. Too Saved To be Enslaved
3. Too Happy To be all Sappy
4. Too Taught To be Bought
5. Too Anointed To be Disjointed
6. Too Almost Through To become All Unglued
7. Too Sealed To be Killed
8. Too Inspired To Get Tired
9. Too Empowered To be a Coward
10. Too Late in Time To Change My Mind
11. Too Much Fun To Leave the Son
12. Too Much Story Not to Chase God’s Glory
13. Too Free To Get off my Knee
14. Too Alive Not to Thrive
15. Too Aglow Not to Grow
16. Too On Fire To believe that Liar
17. Too Much Testimony To Believe that Bologna
III. SURELY, YOU’LL COME OUT OF YOUR TROUBLES BETTER THAN BEFORE!
A. Yes, Surely, you’ll have trouble…Surely, God will deliver you from trouble, but lastly the Bible promises…
B. Just ask Brother Job! You can get depressed reading about all his troubles. But listen to the rest of the story…Job 42:10,12 The Bible says, "So the Lord blessed the later end of Job more than his beginning!"
C. Just ask Brother Joseph! He was forsaken and falsely accused by family and friends. But, he kept the right attitude. He kept the right perspective when he told his brothers, in Gen. 50:20, "Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good!"
D. The Apostle Paul, in our text, said it right, "WE ARE PRESSED ON ALL SIDES, BUT NOT CRUSHED!" You can’t keep a good man down! Surely, you’ll come out of your troubles better than before!
E. Read the rest of our text, II Cor. 4:15-18. "For which cause," Paul says, that is, knowing that we’re going to come out of our troubles better than before…"WE FAINT NOT!"
F. We may get knocked down by troubles, but, thank God WE DON’T GET KNOCKED OUT!
