Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
DAILY READING: Matthew 18:21-35; Numbers 7-8; Ecclesiastes 6
In his youth, Tyler Perry was poor, abused, homeless, and suicidal. However, in 20 years, the actor, writer, and producer went from living in a car to living in a Beverly Hills mansion. Today, he’s worth at least $400 million and credits all of his success to God. How he made the leap from poverty to fortune is a testament to God’s grace.
His life got off to a rocky start. One of four children, he grew up poor in a house in New Orleans. As a young boy, he suffered abuse severally from people around him. Perry even attempted suicide as a teenager. However in the midst of his pain, he found God and continued to hold on to Him. In 1991, he heard something on Television that encouraged him to start writing. Perry put pen to paper and filled a journal with letters to himself, writing down his feelings of pain and rejection. Those journal entries turned into plays. They grew into his first play, ‘I Know I’ve Been Changed,’ about survivors of child abuse. That script was the start of Perry’s career, but it took years to come to fruition. When he lost all of his money on the show, he had to live on the streets. The play would go on to help make Perry a millionaire. Now his career spans theater, movies, books, television, and a film studio. Perry made it purely by God’s grace. His story shows that with the right mindset, anyone can overcome daunting obstacles to find success. It is not what happens to you that determine how far you go in life, but what you do with what happens to you.
It has been said that great people are ordinary people with extraordinary amounts of determination. Despite the obstacles on their path they persevere by the grace of God, and press on to truly become winners and achievers. Even in the scriptures, we find that most of those greatly used by God were those who first passed through fire.
Joseph, for example, went through slavery and imprisonment before mounting the throne of Egypt. For David, most of his Psalms were written in very difficult times. Apostle Paul wrote most of the Epistles from prisons. Even today, most of the present-day great men and women of faith, have had to pass through various physical and spiritual oppositions. Therefore, today, no matter the resistance against the fulfilment of God’s word in your life or the delay, do not be discouraged, Keep pressing forward.
Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
Indeed God is at work in us, performing His plan and purpose. The believer’s life is an overcomer’s life. It is a life of continually triumphing over challenges and moving from victory to victory. And our victory comes through the faith imparted to our heart by God’s Word. This is why in times of trials, we do not focus on the negative things; rather we focus on Christ Jesus. No matter the trial, we keep ‘looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.’
Serving God does not mean you will never have challenges; rather, it means that despite the tribulations in the world, through Christ you will always have the victory. You may fear the Lord, be serving Him, and still sometimes find yourself in a difficult situation. Daniel found himself in this kind of situation when thrown into the lions’ den. But then, did his trial change his confession? No! He still believed God, still trusted God through the trial, and God saw him through and gave him victory in the end. Therefore if challenges come, we must learn to hold on to God’s Word to overcome. Even when it seems you cannot see your way, walk by the light imparted to your heart by the Word of God. We do not walk by sight, we walk by faith. Listen to the voice of The Holy Spirit within you and walk by the instructions He gives. Indeed, they that put their trust in the Lord shall never be ashamed. It doesn’t matter what it may look like now, God will surely see you through. He will make a way for you. He will lift you up. He will turn your mourning into dancing. He will put off your sackcloth and gird you with gladness. He will turn your test into your testimony and put a new song in your mouth. Therefore, keep praising God even in the midst of trials. God will surely come through for you. Despite the roaring of the storm, you will survive, you will thrive. Through it all, God will give you a resounding testimony.
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to always know that You are at work in my situation. Indeed with You, nothing is impossible. Help me never to limit You in my thinking but to understand that You can do exceedingly above all I could ever ask or imagine, in Jesus’ name.
QUOTE: When God is on your side, anything is possible. – WORDBITE 201