{"id":32995,"date":"2021-04-25T15:26:45","date_gmt":"2021-04-25T14:26:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/?p=32995"},"modified":"2021-04-25T15:26:45","modified_gmt":"2021-04-25T14:26:45","slug":"dont-give-up-living-because-of-troubles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/?p=32995","title":{"rendered":"Don’t give up living because of troubles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

DON\u2019T GIVE UP THE HOPE OF LIVING BECAUSE OF TROUBLES<\/strong>

By Tope Banso\u00a0<\/strong>

\u201cWe have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living\u201d (2 Corinthians 4:8 New Century Version).

Everybody faces one trouble or the other. It may be financial, health, career, marital, or any other. Pastors also face troubles, just as the members of the congregation. Leaders contend with troubles and followers also do. The only difference is in the nature of the troubles of each person. They vary. This is one reason you shouldn\u2019t envy anyone. You don\u2019t know where the shoe pinches.

The apostle Paul had his own troubles. His troubles had to do with the ministry. He was \u201csurrounded and battered\u201d by troubles. He had the option of quitting or fighting on. In\u00a02 Corinthians 4:7, he made it clear that he was not a superman. He was an ordinary person in whom God\u2019s power worked. God put His treasure in clay jars, showing that the great power of God was from Him, and not from man.

Paul had troubles just like everyone. He didn\u2019t hide this fact. He said in\u00a02 Corinthians 4:8,\u00a0\u201cWe have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living\u201d (New Century Version).\u00a0Can you relate to what he said? Are you surrounded by troubles \u2013 financial, marital, health, etc? Even if you don\u2019t know what to do, don\u2019t give up hope of living.

Paul also said in\u00a02 Corinthians 7:5-7,\u00a0\u201cFor indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more\u201d (New King James Version).\u00a0Did you see that?

Did you see Paul talk in that scripture about being troubled on every side? Have you been in such a situation before when you seemed to be sandwiched by troubles? If you look unto God, He will comfort you and use you to comfort other people. Paul described God as the God of all comfort who comforts us in all our tribulations that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God\u00a0(2 Corinthians 1:3b-4).

In\u00a02 Corinthians 2:13-14, Paul talked about when, in the course of preaching the gospel, he had no rest in his spirit. Take note that in\u00a02 Corinthians 7:5,\u00a0he said\u00a0\u201cour bodies had no rest.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Therefore, both his body and spirit had no rest. He said in\u00a02 Corinthians 2:13-14,\u00a0\u201cFurthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ\u2019s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I did not find Titus my brother; but taking my leave of them, I departed for Macedonia. Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place\u201d (New King James Version). Paul faced different kinds of troubles in the ministry but he didn\u2019t quit. He fulfilled his ministry. Be positive in your troubles and always expect God\u2019s intervention. Don\u2019t give up hope of living.

One man heard about the losses a man who wanted to rent his house had suffered and said he couldn\u2019t believe the story because the attitude and countenance of the person didn\u2019t show that he had suffered such losses. When he was finally convinced, he said if he were in the persons\u2019 shoes, he probably would have died! Why should anyone die over material things? Anyone who does that denies himself the enjoyment of better things God can still do for him. God can restore what a person has lost and increase him\/her more than before.

Psalm 126:1-3\u00a0says,\u00a0\u201cWhen the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, \u2018The LORD has done great things for them.\u2019 The LORD has done great things for us,\u00a0 and we are glad\u201d (New King James Version).\u00a0 If you have lost anything, I pray that you will enjoy restoration this season.

Dear friend, no matter the troubles surrounding you, refuse to be defeated. Don\u2019t quit. Don\u2019t give up hope of living. Don\u2019t let suicide becomes attractive to you. Keep fighting. Keep fighting for your spiritual life, ministry, health, marriage, children, business, career, etc. Don\u2019t give up hope of living, even if you don\u2019t know what to do.

According to the apostle Paul, the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ\u00a0(2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

Keep fighting. Never stop praying\u00a0(1 Thessalonians 5:17).\u00a0As you pray, the LORD will fight for you. As you pray, He may tell you what you need to do, who to talk to, or where to go. Troubles are not peculiar to you. We all have troubles; they only vary. Jesus said in the world, we will have tribulation, but we should be of good cheer; He has overcome the world\u00a0(John 16:33).\u00a0God will give you victory if you don\u2019t give up the hope of living; and if you don\u2019t give up on Him. Your faith in God will overcome all troubles\u00a0(1 John 5:4b).

If you\u2019ve given your life to Jesus, you\u2019re an overcomer. If you haven\u2019t, give your life to Jesus. Accept Him as your Lord and Savior. \u201cFor whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world \u2014 our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?\u201d (1 John 5:4-5 New King James Version).

Remain positive notwithstanding your negative experiences. Be grateful to God. Don\u2019t give up the hope of living.

TAKE ACTION!<\/strong>

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps:\u00a0*Admit you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life \u2013 your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church.\u00a0There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now:\u00a0O Lord God, I come unto you today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and resurrected the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like the palm tree and grow like the cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS<\/strong>:\u00a0Father, thank You for always leading Your children in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuse the fragrance of Your knowledge in every place. Father, no matter the troubles all around me, I shall not be defeated in the name of Jesus. Even if I don\u2019t know what to do,\u00a0 I shall not give up the hope of living. I shall look unto You. I shall overcome all troubles in Jesus\u2019 name.

\u25aa\ufe0ePastor Banso, an Abuja-based Minister, sent this via WhatsApp. More of his articles are\n available at Cedarministry.org<\/strong>

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

DON\u2019T GIVE UP THE HOPE OF LIVING BECAUSE OF TROUBLES By Tope Banso\u00a0 \u201cWe have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living\u201d (2 Corinthians 4:8 New Century Version). Everybody faces one trouble or the other. It […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":32996,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5772],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32995","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-faith"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32995","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=32995"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32995\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32995"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32995"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/everyday.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32995"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}