BEAUTY FOR ASHES – HELP FOR A HURTING WIFE
DAY 5 – God Has Promised to Restore and Strengthen You
1 PETER 5v8 9 10 – Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
Don’t be Afraid of Satan’s Roar!
Unfortunately we can’t hide or avoid this spiritual battle against the forces of evil. As Christians, Satan is seeking to destroy us and one of the ways he tries this is through our marriages. He is the source of the fiery trials that we endure. This first verse describes the devil as a roaring lion seeking to devour us. The lion roars just before pouncing on its prey to startle and frighten the poor creature and take it by surprise. Don’t be afraid of Satan’s roar, we need to stay alert so we can see him coming before he catches us off-guard. Lions are strong, frightening animals, but they do not have much endurance, so when the prey withstands the initial “roar”, the lion will leave it alone or “flee” from it. It is the same with the devil. We have to withstand his initial roar, and he will eventually leave us alone, the Bible says he will flee from us.
Don’t Try to Do This Alone
Personally, I don’t believe we should be telling our marriage problems to everyone and anyone who comes our way, but I do believe we need to talk to someone like a Pastor or another trustworthy Christian, preferably one who has been through the same experience and understands your situation. I say this because the battle is not for you alone. Jesus is the good shepherd and He will lead His sheep, we are the flock, but unfortunately the devil is prowling in the hills like that lion mentioned before, looking for that solitary sheep which has somehow wandered off from the flock and is vulnerable, discouraged and weak. This makes it easy prey for the devil. It is important to have someone come alongside you at times like this, so call someone now and talk to them, don’t try to fight this alone. God has given us good Christian friends in the body of Christ who will help protect us from the enemy. They will pray for you and encourage you.
You Are Not Alone
In the last study, we talked about how God comforts us so that we can comfort others going through the same experiences as we do. Peter also assures us in 1 Peter 5 9 that we are not alone in our suffering and that God will deliver us. Another great promise from our caring Abba Father! Remember, your fellow-Christians are going through the same things! God has been and always will be faithful to His Church in the midst of suffering. So why is God allowing family problems that torment us? Why does God allow us to suffer sickness and disease? He is doing with you as he did with Jesus. He is bringing you through suffering and into glory. The path we walk as Christians is not an easy one, but it has to be none other than that of Jesus Christ.
Take Courage!
The all-seeing, all-powerful, all-loving, all-gracious God cares deeply for you. He loves you. People may speak evil of you, or do evil to you. Trials and temptations attack on every side. God sees everything and He feels your pain. Remember to cast your cares onto Him, knowing that when you do this, He will never let you be shaken. Trust Him, tell Him you love Him. Your steadfast faith in your sufferings shows what your relationship is with God. If we are Christ’s, then whatever we face is for His glory and for our good.
Stand Firm
You are not alone, you have sisters-in-Christ all over the world, who are suffering the same as you. God has promised to deliver you like He has done for me and for many of them. So stand firm, trust Him to do what He says He will do!
Beauty for Ashes
GEN3X – Help for wives of men involved in pornography