Overcoming Tribulations in Serving Jesus

 

When we serve God, it is not always going to be fun or comfortable or glamorous. It is many times difficult and uncomfortable and laborious.

 

John writes in Revelation 1:9, “I, John your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”

 

John experienced tribulation as he worked to build God’s kingdom. He had to have patient endurance because he had been exiled to the island of Patmos because he was proclaiming the word of God and testifying about Jesus as the Son of God.

 

How do we have patient endurance in the face of tribulation because we are serving God and proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God?

 

Matthew 14:28-30

And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to You on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”

 

Focus on Jesus not the problem or the difficult situation.

 

If we focus on the problem or the situation, then it becomes all that we see. If we focus on Jesus, then He is who we see.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is not focusing on the difficult situation that you are facing but focusing on Jesus.

 

Revelation 1:12-13

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.

 

Change your perspective.

 

John was facing one way and heard a voice and turned and saw the awesome image of Jesus among the seven lampstands. When we are looking at a situation in one way and Jesus calls out to us, we must turn and look at it from His perspective.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is changing our perspective to see things through Jesus’ perspective.

 

Matthew 10:30

But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

 

Jesus knows you.

 

Jesus knows everything about us, and He knows when we are struggling with difficult situations. He knows when we want to quit and give up. He faced every temptation and every struggle that we face, and He overcame them all and will give us victory over them.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is trusting Jesus because we know that Jesus knows us intimately and loves us.

 

Hebrews 12:2

Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

Take our eyes off people and put them on Jesus.   

 

When we look to or depend on people instead of Jesus, we will get disappointed. If we make a habit of depending on people instead of Jesus, we become frustrated and angry. When we depend on Jesus, we will experience peace and joy.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is always depending on Jesus and not looking to people to complete us.

 

Luke 1:37

For nothing will be impossible with God.

 

When Jesus is present anything can happen.

 

Jesus healed people of many different illnesses.

Jesus fed multitudes of people with truly little food.

Jesus stilled storms.

Jesus raised people from the dead.

 

Jesus is the God of the Possible, no matter what.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is believing Jesus can and will do what seems to be to us as humans impossible.

 

Serving God will never be easy in a fallen world but serving God can be possible and fulfilling as we trust God and obey Him.

 

In Jesus Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

Joe