When Surrounded by Troubles

Fresh Manna
by Pastor Tim Burt

Of all the times I feel deep compassion for someone, one of the greatest is when they feel like they’ve had trouble coming at them from every side. A friend said it to me like this: I feel like my world is caving in.

I think that most of us at one time or another, have experienced great levels of adversity—attacks of the enemy that seem to rise up against us creating feelings of panic or overwhelming discouragement. Satan’s end goal of those attacks is to get us to give up on God, hope, and life itself. Some people become overwhelmed in their minds at times like this and this is when thoughts of despair and suicide begin to encroach their heart. I’m sure people cry out to God, God where are you in all this? If you have not spent enough time in God’s Word to know His character, His goodness, His mercy, and His deep love for you, you might be deceived into believing that He has abandoned you and left you as prey to the enemy of your soul and the circumstances of life.

David was immensely loved by God and yet we can see from these following verses that he, for a long time, was surrounded by enemies on every side that he had to resist. 1 Kings 5:3-4 NKJV says, “You know how my father David could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the wars which were fought against him on every side, until the LORD put his foes under the soles of his feet. But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor evil occurrence.”

These verses are revealing. The devil attacks God’s people. David was surrounded on every side! We know that David was a great warrior but it it God who eventually gave him rest on ever side! And truly, not just rest but great blessing!

When trouble comes, it isn’t God allowing it. We live in a world defiled by sin and it’s Satan’s playground except against those that know God is with them, for them and knows to resist and stand against the enemy in times like this! Stop and think about how the world deals with evils. There are bad people in this earth that are resisted by the police, by armies, and by government agencies of all kinds. Resisting the enemy is something the world understands. They resist and do their best to stop evil. God tells us to resist evil but He is also there to help deliver us from it! That is part or our inheritance in Christ, God with us, the hope of glory! This is something that Christians need revelation and insight on.

James 4:7 KJV says, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” When you submit yourself to God’s instruction, He’ll help you resist the devil and promises you that because of your resistance, the devil will flee! This is important when temptation or attacks from Satan come against you. That is critical to know. It is because the more you come to know and love God, and the more you become purposeful in living for Him, the greater the threat you become to the devil’s efforts. The devil would love for you to remain biblical illiterate. Hosea 4:6 (NKJV) says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…”

The Lord wants you to know who you are in Christ! He hasn’t left you defenseless. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (KJV) says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

You cast down thoughts of God not caring for you, and know that He does! You cast down every lie (and they are abundant) knowing that God has said, “…Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (NIV) Then you continue to stand in faith in the promises of God’s word and praise Him for the truth of these promises.

Psalm 27:5 KJV promises: “For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.” In this verse you see the word “hide” twice. They are two different Hebrew words. The first hide—“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me” means: to cover, protect, to deny access of the enemy to. The second hide—“in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me” means: to conceal so you can’t be found by the enemy. Read the story of Elijah. God hid him from his enemies for three years!

Resisting the devil means to resist the temptations that get us in trouble in life. It also refers to resisting the lies of the enemy that whisper God is allowing what is going on because you are a bad person or because He wants to teach you a lesson, or that He doesn’t care. We resist these lies and instead dwell on God’s love for us!

You need to know and believe that He loves you and absolutely cares! He sent Jesus to die for you, forgive you, and accept you as one of His own children. How can He care more than that? The Lord wants to help you, teach you His ways, and see you walk in the blessing of life that comes from walking in His ways!

So, when trouble comes, resist the discouragement, lies of the enemy, and doubts. Resist the lies that He doesn’t care and has abandoned you. And instead, pray and ask the Lord for help. From that moment on, refuse to believe anything less! Thank Him and shout, sing, and praise God for His promises of help like in Psalms 46:1“Lord, I thank you today that you are my refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.”

In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt

If Fresh Manna is a blessing to you, I’d love to know. Click here: FreshMannaFeedback

If your heart has been touched by God’s love through Fresh Manna, would you like to help Pastor Tim reach others also? Please prayerfully consider donating. No gift is too small.