Where Is God When Bad Things Happen?

The thief (Satan) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I (Jesus) am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (John 10:10 KJV)

God is not the one who causes terrible things to happen in this world. Many confuse the Old Covenant Law (where Jesus had not yet come and the Holy Spirit had not yet been given), with the New Covenant of Grace (in which God has poured out His wrath upon Jesus on the cross, given us His Holy Spirit, and a better covenant with better promises). God does not kill anyone, especially children. He doesn't fly planes into buildings, and He doesn't devastate populations with famine, drought, hurricanes, or tornadoes. When we understand that God is loving and compassionate toward us because of what Jesus has done,  we will run to Him instead of from Him, and stop blaming Him for the things Satan does.

     We gave away our dominion, domination, rule, power, reign, authority, control...,or however you want to say it,  of this world in the Garden of Eden (Gen.3).  Ever since that time Satan has been in control of this world, and still will be until Jesus disposes of Him (Rev. 20:10 KJV). God didn't give him this authority...we did. God gave it to us, we gave it to Satan. Remember God looks upon the seed; in other words, when He looks upon a person He either sees the seed of Adam (corrupted, unholy, a child of Satan) or He sees the seed of Jesus (redeemed by putting faith in the grace extended to us through the precious blood of Christ). 

     God spent the time from the fall of man (Gen.3) till now, making and providing a way for us back into relationship with Himself. He has provided that way through His Son Jesus Christ. He (the Father), along with Jesus, and the Holy Spirit conspired (Acts 2:23) to achieve the greatest legal and military victory ever conceived...spoiling death, hell, and the grave.

"Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—" (Hebrews 2:14 NIV)

      But it is only by choice that we become children of God. He will not force us. So either we accept Him and His Son Jesus as ruler of our lives and as our eternal God and Savior, or we choose to remain children of Satan and spend eternity separated from the love of God. 

     When the church teaches, as many do, that God - in His sovereignty - is in control of everything that happens, either bad or good, they are deceived and teaching a doctrine that Satan loves ("And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.. 2 Corinthians 11:14 NIV). But this teaching does many things that hurt God's children, two of which are; it makes them angry at God when bad things happen (which Satan is responsible for), and it keeps them feeling helpless and victimized, when in reality they have been given authority in Christ to rebuke the Devil in the name of Jesus, speaking the word of God with all boldness and authority commanding evil, sickness, poverty, depression, etc. to flee. (**see note below)

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7 NIV)
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV)

Note **As believers in Christ we do have authority over the Devil, but do not fall into the trap of spending more time focusing on and speaking to the Devil than you do Jesus. This will open unwanted doors in the spiritual realm. A simple command proclaiming the truth of God's word over a bad situation or illness is sufficient, and as your faith muscles grow it will become easier to stand believing, because God will establish a track record of faithfulness to His Word in your life. Here is a simple example of one prayer to rebuke the Devil. Notice I speak way more to the Father than to the enemy: 

"Father, I thank you that Jesus bore my sickness and disease upon His body on the cross, and by His stripes I am healed. I thank you Father for the authority you have given me, in Christ, to use His name, and "that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth," (Philippians 2:10 NIV). Father I thank you that you have told me to speak to my mountains in faith and they would be removed - (Matthew 21:21 NIV). Now I turn to my physical body and I command sickness (or be more specific and call it by name; cancer, hernia, infection, etc.) to leave this body and never to return. I command this in the name of Jesus Christ. Now that I am cleansed of this fowl, unclean spirit, I command you body to be completely healed, restored and made whole as God intended. All damage be undone. I command every cell to be restored. Body I call you healed, healthy, restored, and made whole...in Jesus name, it is done! 

"Father, thank you for loving me so much. Thank you that it is your will that I be in good health, and prosper, and that you would never put sickness upon me as punishment. You are a good Father. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. Bless you Father, Bless you Jesus, Bless you Holy Spirit...my God in whom I trust...Amen.

This is not a magic prayer, it is simply the way I speak to a loving Father who has charged me with the responsibility of interacting with Him through His Word and the Power of the Holy Spirit, in faith, as the way to obtain all the good things He has provided for me through Jesus perfect sacrifice on my behalf, and on yours. As these truths of God's goodness and His Word become revelation in your heart, use your own words and scriptures He has illuminated for you, in your conversations with the Lord.

 Faith released, retrieves Grace already provided. God is good all the time :)

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. (3 John 1:2 KJV)

Be Blessed, 

Will Brocker 

Victory Over Bitterness

Two sinners hung on crosses to the left and right of Jesus. One stayed bitter, the other got better. One is in hell today, one is with Jesus. Life is hard in this fallen world and people are always going to do evil. Understanding that you alone are responsible for how you react to the things they do and say to you, and that you have a choice gives you freedom. Without that choice to change and control yourself (the only one you can control) you would be in bondage to your environment, other people, and situations. If you don't feel you have any control over your emotions, then you need Jesus. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and during His darkest hour as He hung suspended between heaven and earth, He was loving and merciful to the thief who called out to Him. He will also free you from the bondage of sin and empower you by His Holy Spirit to walk in love, forgiveness, peace...victory. If you already have excepted Jesus and still feel you have no power over your emotions, then you need to renew your mind in the Word. The Word of God is the only truth we have to counter all of the negative and erroneous darkness and philosophy of this fallen world. 

"if we endure hardship, we will reign with him. If we deny him, he will deny us." (2 Timothy 2:12 NLT)

 "He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly." (1 Peter 2:23 NLT)

 "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." (Romans 12:2 NIV)

Victory Over Sickness & Disease

"That evening many demon-possessed people were brought to Jesus. He cast out the evil spirits with a simple command, and he healed all the sick." (Matthew 8:16 NLT)

     I like the way the New Living Translation words this scripture. Jesus cast out these evil spirits with just His words, a "simple command". Brothers and Sisters as the scripture says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit." (Proverbs 18:21) We do not have to deny that a sickness or disease is trying to come against us, but as Christians we are not to stop there, as the scripture says, "for we walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Corinth. 5:7).
     There are seventeen times in the Gospels that Jesus healed all the sick who were present.
(Mt 4:23-24, 8:16-17, 9:35, 12:15, 14:14, 34-36, 15:30-31, 19:2, 21:14; Mr 1:32-34, 39, 6:56; Lu 4:40, 6:17-19, 7:21, 9:11; and 17:12-17). 
     There are forty-seven other times where He healed one or two people at a time (Mt 8:1-4, 5-13, 14-15, 28-34, 9:1-8, 20-33, 12:10-13, 22-23, 15:21-28, 17:14-18, 20:30-34; Mr 1:21-31, 40-45, 2:1-12, 3:1-5, 5:1-20, 25-43, 7:24-37, 8:22-26, 9:14-29, 10:46-52; Lu 4:33-39, 5:12-15, 17-26, 6:6-10, 7:1-17, 8:27-39, 43-56, 9:37-42, 11:14, 13:11-17, 14:1-5, 18:35-43, 22:51; Joh 4:46-54, 5:2-15, 9:6-7, and 11:43-44) 
     And there was even a time in His hometown when He could not heal many because of their doubt and unbelief spawned by their familiarity and contempt for Him (Mark 6:4); but even in this case it was Jesus' desire to heal them all. 
     Jesus said that He could do nothing of Himself but only what He saw the Father do (John 5:19 and 8:28-29). So in light of the fact that Jesus never once refused to heal anyone, we must conclude that it is always God's will to heal. In fact, as the scripture says, "by whose stripes you were healed" (1 Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53:5) -past tense- meaning all of our healing has already been provided for through Christ by grace, and now we are to obtain it by faith. This starts with being born-again, allowing our minds to be renewed by His Word, using our imagination as God intended to see the promises of His word being fulfilled in our lives, and speaking words of faith and not doubt or unbelief.

   Brothers and sisters, begin to strengthen your faith muscles by believing God for healing in your body. As you begin to walk in victory over sickness and disease, your trust in the Lord will increase and He will show you more and more as the scripture says, "call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known" (Jeremiah 33:3 ESV). There is no greater adventure than knowing  God and walking in relationship with Jesus by the power of His Holy Spirit. It starts now...have fun...be blessed...He loves you more than you know.

 Will

     
   

PURSUE PEACE

When we agree we are powerful, but when we allow strife to enter into our lives (home, marriage, workplace, church...) we open a door to the enemy of our soul. If you are at odds with someone about twenty things, find the one thing you do agree on and build on that. Instead of desiring to always be right, make it your goal to always be reconciled. Give God a place to work in the relationship. You will not be sorry.
"Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." (Ephesians 4:3)
"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:3)
"The LORD said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them." (Genesis 11:6)
"Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." (Psalm 34:14)
"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work." (James 3:16)
"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." (Romans 14:19)

GOD IS SPIRIT

We can never know God through human intellect. If our relationship with God is purely academic then we have no relationship at all. ~

The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14)

God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24)

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5)

the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (John 14:17)

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. (1 Corinthians 1:21)

For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. (1 Corinthians 1:25)

I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:1)

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. (Romans 8:9)

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude 1:17-21)

One Way To God

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6)

     Jesus was a great man when He walked the earth. He is the only one who ever lived a sinless life, and He stands as a great example to all of us. But if we stop there we will never know God, and Jesus can be of no help to our eternal salvation.

I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. (John 10:9)

     Jesus claimed to be the only way, the only truth, and the only life. He didn't claim to be a gate or a point of entry to salvation. He said He is the only gate, indicating there is only one access point...and He is it. Anyone claiming to honor and have relationship with Jesus while advocating other ways to get to God, to know the truth, or to have eternal life apart from Jesus alone is deceived and deceiving others. Jesus' claims about Himself being the only means of salvation leave no room for doubt. He is either all He says He is, or He is the biggest liar in history. The fact is He was God in the flesh. Any other religions, even some claiming to be a form of Christianity, which recognize Jesus and His teachings as great examples but don't believe He is the only way to achieve salvation...are false. Quite simply they are operating under a spirit of antichrist (which is anything that doesn't recognize the precious blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ as a necessity). "and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already." (1 John 4:3 ESV)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

     John revealed to us that Jesus was the Word made flesh, the Living Word, and Jesus said He is the truth. The words written in the Bible are alive and active, they are the way for all believers to enjoy victory in all areas of life and to come to know and understand God's ways and to discover who they really are as Children of God. The Word is Christ, the Word is truth, the Word is full of faith and grace, but we cannot approach it from a merely academic standpoint.

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)

We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true--even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. (1 John 5:20)

     The Bible teaches that God is spirit, and we must worship him in spirit and truth.  The Bible (The Word of God) is a spiritual book written by men under the influence of the Holy Spirit. Perhaps better said, it is a book written by God about Himself. The Bible is God's revelation of Himself to His children. It can not be comprehended with our natural minds apart from the influence of God's Holy Spirit. This is why so many have a hard time understanding the Bible; some saying it contradicts itself, that it is a book written about God by men, claiming some parts as truth and discounting others, or even giving it their own private interpretation.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV) 

     When we read our Bible we must pray for the Holy Spirit to speak directly to our hearts. Our level of education puts no limits on God's communication with us. We must trust God, and humbly open up to His loving ways.

Jesus is the only way to God the Father.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)

      I pray He gives you the faith to believe this. If you ask Him I guarantee there is no truth regarding your life and salvation He will withhold, but He will not change and agree with you on any point in which you disagree. You must approach Him with an open heart and mind, and if on some point He shows you to be in error, just repent. Change your mind to agree with Him and move forward. He will help you if you ask, but He is a gentleman and will not impose upon you in any area of your life in which He has not been invited. Let Him in today, put your trust in Him and begin to study the Bible together with Him...He loves you more than you can imagine.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21)

Feeling Unworthy? Trust God

   As we begin to grow in our salvation it can be like a roller-coaster ride for our emotions; all the more reason to learn and meditate on the Word of God.
   When we are born again our spirit is changed immediately. No longer held captive by the spirit of Satan, our old nature is crucified with Christ and our new nature is that of our Lord Jesus. There is no dual nature as some have erroneously taught; The Spirit of God would never share a body with the unholy spirit of Satan.
   Once born again we have the power to always choose God's way... but our body and soul did not change at salvation the way our spirit did. Neither our math skills or vocabulary changed, and if we were overweight at salvation we were still overweight the next day. Our natural mind wasn't changed right away, it is our spirit that was made new.
    Since we can't see or touch our spirit, and this fallen world has taught us to believe a polar opposite of who we really are in Christ...what do we do? How do we handle this colossal identity crisis? God's Word is the only way we can find out who we really are as born-again children of God .
    Jesus said, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life." (John 6:63 ESV). We must fill our minds with the Word of God...then meditate on it until it becomes revelation to us, with the helpful illumination of the Holy Spirit. 
   Our great identity crisis and feelings of unworthiness (sometimes strengthened by religion or well meaning religious folks), will begin to diminish as our faith muscles begin developing. This happens as we begin to believe and to trust in what God's Word says happened in our spirit more than what we can see in the natural. 
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18)
"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6)