GLORY IN TRIBULATIONS 1

3 AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE ALSO GLORY IN TRIBULATIONS, knowing that TRIBULATION PRODUCES PERSEVERANCE;
4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope."
Romans 5:3,4 (NKJV)

3 WE CAN REJOICE, TOO, WHEN WE RUN INTO PROBLEMS AND TRIALS, FOR WE KNOW THAT THEY HELP US DEVELOP ENDURANCE.
4 AND ENDURANCE DEVELOPS STRENGTH OF CHARACTER, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation."
Romans 5:3,4 (NLT)

• God always permits character building circumstances in the life of His children.

• The truth is, a believer who craves or desires to walk with God intimately would be allowed to go through tribulations—for him or her to learn perseverance or endurance.
• It is endurance that produces character, godly character—approved character (Romans 5:3,4).
• God cannot but allow tribulations in a believer's life because without it, a believer would not be able to grow character-wise. Thus, for you to have approved character as a believer in Christ Jesus, It would start with tribulations.

• Tribulations should not be a cause for concern, God always permits tribulations to develop or build character in a believer's life (Romans 5:3,4; James 1:2-4).

• When a believer runs into problems or trials which are not expected, he or she tends to be concerned, bothered and worried (1 Peter 4:12)
• Instead of being bothered at such a time, the believer needs to look into his or her life in the light of the Word of God; in order to know the things which the Holy Spirit might be calling his or her attention to correct in their life.
• God at times may withdraw His presence from a believer that he or she may run back to Him: "I WILL RETURN AGAIN TO MY PLACE TILL THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR OFFENSE. THEN THEY WILL SEEK MY FACE; IN THEIR AFFLICTION THEY WILL EARNESTLY SEEK ME"" (Hosea 5:15 (NKJV).
• God does this to whoever belongs to Him because He loves the believer and would not want him or her to perish or be unfulfilled in life (Hebrews 12:5,6).

• Whenever the Israelites offended God, He always withdrew His presence and allowed their enemies to deal with them; for them to return to their senses and run back to Him (Hosea 5:14,15).

• God would withdraw His presence, allow tribulations, to get your attention; whenever you erred or derailed from Him—from the instructions or commands given to you.
• When you acknowledged your mistakes or offences and returned to God, He will pardon you and receive you back: "BUT IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS TO HIM, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST TO FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND TO CLEANSE US FROM ALL WICKEDNESS" (1 John 1:9 NLT).
• When you find yourself in such a situation, being frowned at by God; It is not the time to run or withdraw from God, but the time to move closer to Him. God's expectation at such a time is that you should come to Him, then He would tell you where you have missed it or gone wrong:
  1 COME, AND LET US RETURN TO THE LORD; FOR HE HAS TORN, BUT HE WILL HEAL US; HE HAS STRICKEN, BUT HE WILL BIND US UP. 2 AFTER TWO DAYS HE WILL REVIVE US; ON THE THIRD DAY HE WILL RAISE US UP, THAT WE MAY LIVE IN HIS SIGHT. 3 LET US KNOW, LET US PURSUE THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD. HIS GOING FORTH IS ESTABLISHED AS THE MORNING; HE WILL COME TO US LIKE THE RAIN, LIKE THE LATTER AND FORMER RAIN TO THE EARTH" (Hosea 6:1-3 NKJV).

• Remember, His goal in allowing tribulations—problems and trials—is to build perseverance or endurance, and endurance to godly character (Romans 5:3,4).

• God will not relent until His goal to build an approved character in your life is fully accomplished.
• God is usually not the cause of whatever problem or challenge being used as a rod of correction, but the problem is permitted by Him:
  13 AND REMEMBER, WHEN YOU ARE BEING TEMPTED, DO NOT SAY, “GOD IS TEMPTING ME.” GOD IS NEVER TEMPTED TO DO WRONG, AND HE NEVER TEMPTS ANYONE ELSE. 14 TEMPTATION COMES FROM OUR OWN DESIRES, WHICH ENTICE US AND DRAG US AWAY. 15 THESE DESIRES GIVE BIRTH TO SINFUL ACTIONS. AND WHEN SIN IS ALLOWED TO GROW, IT GIVES BIRTH TO DEATH" (James 1:13-15 NLT).

• Whatever the wrong thing in your life is, It came as a result of the sin of disobedience, apathy, or one sin or another. The sin would give the devil an opportunity to oppress or afflict you—although God will not leave you alone in the problem but He would want you to run back to Him.

• God wants you to straighten things up in your life that you might move up character-wise. It is when you have an approved character that He can use you for His intended purpose (2 Timothy 2:20,21).
• You cannot be whatever God wanted you to be until you allowed Him to mould or shape or groom you to suit His purpose.
• God does not just use any kind of vessel, He uses the vessels He had worked on—the vessels that yielded themselves to be worked on and refined:
  20 BUT IN A GREAT HOUSE THERE ARE NOT ONLY VESSELS OF GOLD AND SILVER, BUT ALSO OF WOOD AND CLAY, SOME FOR HONOUR AND SOME FOR DISHONOUR. 21 THEREFORE IF ANYONE CLEANSES HIMSELF FROM THE LATTER, HE WILL BE A VESSEL FOR HONOUR, SANCTIFIED AND USEFUL FOR THE MASTER, PREPARED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK" (2 Timothy 2:20,21 NKJV).

• Therefore believers are to glory in tribulations. In other words, they should rejoice when they run into trials or problems; they should understand that such challenges are meant to help them develop perseverance or endurance:
2 DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WHEN TROUBLES OF ANY KIND COME YOUR WAY, CONSIDER IT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GREAT JOY [an opportunity for spiritual development]. 3 FOR YOU KNOW THAT WHEN YOUR FAITH IS TESTED, YOUR ENDURANCE HAS A CHANCE TO GROW. 4 SO LET IT GROW, FOR WHEN YOUR ENDURANCE IS FULLY DEVELOPED, YOU WILL BE PERFECT [mature] AND COMPLETE, NEEDING NOTHING" (James 1:2-4 NLT).
READ: Romans 5:3

• You will not be a waste in Jesus' name.

• Whatever is not of God in your body that is working against your health and wellness is completely uprooted in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.
• You live in health as from now onward and the affiction will never rise again in Jesus' name.
  Peace!
  TO BE CONTINUED

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. As you took the steps A and B your name is written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, congratulations, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based church in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peace.