We tend to view our problems as weapons in the hand of the enemy to be used against us. Our problems are actually weapons in the hand of God to be used for us not against us!
The devil can never curse what God has blessed and every effort of the enemy is met with a more powerful expression of God’s grace in our lives.
AW Tozer "When I understand that everything happening to me is to make me more Christ like, it resolves a great deal of anxiety."
1 John 4:4 You are (sons and daughters of God) and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. NAS
We would only know David as a shepherd boy if it weren’t for Goliath. God could have moved on King Saul’s heart to promote David, but instead demonstrated for all to see – the power of problems in the hand of God!
Israel was paralyzed with fear over the problem of Goliath. He intimidated them declaring he was going to defeat them. David shows up and because he fought Goliath, he became a National Hero in one day.
STOP LETTING GOLIATH DISCOURAGE YOU! He's not there to defeat you. He’s there to promote you.
Problems have the power to turn our attention toward God. Clearly we can see how the Israelites faced problems that turned their attention toward God over and over. Four times in this one chapter we see this cycle revealed.
Psalm 107:6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. (NIV)
Psalm 107:13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. (NIV)
Psalm 107:19 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. (NIV)
Psalm 107:28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. (NIV)
When I was young my mom prepared a meal and having just taken a large casserole dish out of the oven she placed it in the middle of the table saying, “Be careful this is hot so don’t touch it.” In my hunger, I neglected what she said and immediately reached out to pull it closer so I could put some on my plate. “Ouch!”, I shouted. Had I listened I would have learned, but since I didn’t learn by instruction I had to learn by correction. How many times do we allow our appetite to drive us into a place of neglecting that God has revealed?
We can learn the principles of God’s Kingdom by instruction or we can learn them by correction. It is inevitable that the character and the nature of God be learned in our lives over time.
God’s intention for us is to learn to walk in such awareness of His presence that we don’t have to face a constant cycle of pain or problems to keep our focus on him.
Seeking God when times are bad communicates how you need Him. Seeking God when times are good communicates how you want him!
Problems have the power to turn our attention toward God. Prayer has the power to turn our affection toward God.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
All week long practice rehearsing your God to your mountain instead of rehearsing your mountain to your God.
We are in the season of THE ROARING 20’s!
Amos 3:7-8 Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. The lion has roared-- who will not fear? The Sovereign LORD has spoken-- who can but prophesy?
Isaiah 31:4 speaks of the lion’s “growl” which is the same Hebrew word that translates “meditate”.
As we meditate on God’s Word the roar of God is awakened within us even in the face of problems – especially in the face of problems!
Discussion Guide for Community Leaders
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
THE ROARING LION: THE POWER OF PROBLEMS
Amos 3:7-8 Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets. The lion has roared-- who will not fear? The Sovereign LORD has spoken-- who can but prophesy?
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: We have entered into unprecedented days for the church. God is not taken off guard so we must be intentional about moving from being on our heels to being on our toes. Our mission hasn’t changed. Love is our agenda and making disciples is our focus. God is speaking to His sons and daughters and it is important that we all take the time to hear his voice.
We’ve been starting our groups with the first and primary question that we want to continue even more specifically during this season:
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
We tend to view our problems as weapons in the hand of the enemy to be used against us.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
2. How can God take our problems when we turn them over to him and use them for our good as He
promises to do in Romans 8:28?
Problems have the power to turn our attention toward God. This was the case throughout the Old Testament with the Children of Israel. Psalms 107 makes this clear.
Ps 107:6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. (NIV)
Ps 107:13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. (NIV)
Ps 107:19 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. (NIV)
Ps 107:28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. (NIV)
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
3. Share a time when you learned by correction because you didn’t pay attention to instruction.
Seeking God when times are bad communicates how you need Him. Seeking God when times are good communicates how you want him!
Problems have the power to turn our attention toward God. Prayer has the power to turn our affection toward God.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
All week-long practice rehearsing your God to your mountain instead of rehearsing your mountain to your God.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
4. Conclude by praying for each individual asking people to share prayer needs.