SUFFERING IN SILENCE?

MEMORY VERSE: And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. Exodus 12:41

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Samuel 16-20

There is a time for ‘everything’ under the heavens (Ecclesiastes 3:1). According to Ecclesiastes 3:2-8, there is a time to be born and there is a time die. There is a time to keep silent, and a time to speak and so on. This brings us to this question, ‘who controls time?’ God. Daniel 2:21 says, “And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:” The Most High God decides when one faces his or her trial of faith. Matthew 4:1 says, “Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” Trails of faith have so many advantages. For instance, they are opportunity for spiritual maturity (James 1:3). Not only that, you will never know the great things that God has deposited inside you until you face some challenges. David never knew he had the potential to kill a lion and bear with his bare hands until a bear and lion tried to steal his sheep (1 Samuel 17:34). The Lord determines how long the trial of faith will last for. Genesis 15:13 says, “And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.” He determines when one's waiting period comes to an end. In Genesis 18, during God’s visit to Abraham, He told Sarah that her waiting period was over. Verse 14 says, “Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”

One may ask, ‘how about when something evil happens, does God decide that?’ God does not do evil. Job 34:12 says, “Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.” Although God does not do evil, nothing happens except He allows it and He will not allow something He cannot use. In His infinite wisdom, He allows some things so as to bring a testimony out of it. Although God cannot be stopped, when He wants to work in our lives He expects our cooperation. God’s initial plan was that the children of Israel will spend 400 years in Egypt but they spent 430 years. Exodus 12:41 says, “And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt.” Why? When the children of Israel were supposed to cry to God for deliverance, they kept quiet. Matthew 7:7-8 says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and you shall find; knock, and it shall be given you: for every one that asketh recieveth: and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Even when Pharaoh was killing all their male children, they just kept quiet. It is baffling that people can be suffering to the point of losing their children and still keep quiet. Not until they cried to God, their situation did not change. Are you suffering in silence? There is nothing spiritual in people taking advantage of you and you keep quiet. No! It is time to cry to God to fight your cause! It is time to cry to God to defend you! It is time to cry to God to fight your battle for you! As far as one keeps quiet, things will not change.

NOTE: Stop asking God if He can’t see what you are going through. Report the matter to Him!

PRAYER POINT: Father, fight for me today.

twitter@BroOluwatoki

Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.