Does it seem as though the world is getting darker, spiritually speaking? I would say, “yes”. There are forces moving in the world today that oppose God and the things of God.
If you turn on the news or scroll social media, you will see examples of great spiritual darkness.
There has always been opposition to Christians throughout history, but there is an increase of hostility towards Christians today…even in countries where Christians traditionally have enjoyed freedoms.
You may be facing something that seems like Christians have never faced before, but the truth is that the Scriptures are full of stories of God’s people facing hardship, opposition, and persecution. Regardless of how dire your situation, you can read time and time again about how God brought great victory out of great hardship.
One of those times is found in the book of Exodus. God’s people had suffered greatly as slaves in Egypt and saw God’s power at work in delivering them from captivity. Now free from Egypt’s grasp, Moses’s father-in-law Jethro came to visit:
“Moses told his father-in-law the story of all that God had done to Pharaoh and Egypt in helping Israel, all the trouble they had experienced on the journey, and how God had delivered them.
Jethro was delighted in all the good that God had done for Israel in delivering them from Egyptian oppression. Jethro said, ‘Blessed be God who has delivered you from the power of Egypt and Pharaoh, who has delivered his people from the oppression of Egypt. Now I know that God is greater than all gods because he’s done this to all those who treated Israel arrogantly.’” (Exodus 18:8-11)
God’s people were oppressed, persecuted, and treated harshly in Egypt. That final verse says there were those who treated Israel arrogantly. Arrogantly means haughtily and showing no respect for the views of others. In its origin, it means “to do the opposite of.”
Doesn’t this describe what’s happening in our world today? This is exactly what many in politics and positions of authority are doing right now. They are treating Christians arrogantly. They are treating godly principles arrogantly.
But God is not going to continue to tolerate it – He has a plan!
It’s like what Paul said about Satan taking Jesus to the cross, “…had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8).
If Satan had known what God had planned, he would not have taken Jesus to the cross – he was about to experience his greatest defeat! And Paul goes on to say in verse 9, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love him.”
GOD HAS SOME GREAT THINGS IN STORE!
He didn’t allow the children of Israel to be destroyed, He didn’t allow the early Church to be destroyed, and furthermore, He’s not going to allow His Church today to be destroyed!
Don’t ever allow anyone, including the news media, to convince you otherwise! Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “…I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Jesus is still building, and the Church is still victorious!
Now, going back to Exodus 18, Moses told Jethro about all the hardships that the Israelites had endured under Pharaoh’s reign. Moses gave him a complete and thorough narrative about all they had been through stating, “All the travail that had come upon them” (Exodus 18:8).
Another translation says, “All the weariness.” Weariness means uneasiness, fatigue, disappointed expectations, and exhausted patience. Sounds like what many people are experiencing today.
But notice once again how God responded… with an outpouring of His goodness! This is a pattern with God; He always comes to the aid of His people with an outpouring of His goodness.
Later in Scripture, we read about David and all the adversity that he endured and the battles in which he was thrust into. Eventually, after experiencing victory, you hear David say concerning God, “And now, O Lord God, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant” (2 Samuel 7:28).
Notice that every battle that was won, every blessing, and every breakthrough that had come into his life, he was attributing it to the goodness of God.
This is the same God that you and I are serving today, and you will have this same testimony!
Don’t ever think for one minute that “it’s all over.” No, God will have the final say! It’s all through the Bible, every time God’s people experienced adversity, eventually there is an outpouring of the goodness of God.
God is about to pour out His goodness in an unprecedented way! Begin to expect it. Begin to declare it.
David explained, “I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13).
I’m here to help you keep your faith strong. You should be watching for and expecting to see an unprecedented outpouring of God’s goodness in the days to come. Don’t get caught up in all the bad and negative things that are happening in our world today. Stay focused on what God has promised!
I know that I’m believing, and I’m expecting to see it in my life and ministry! And I’m linking my faith with yours to see the unprecedented goodness of God overtake you!
I want you to go deeper into the revelation of the unprecedented goodness of God. That’s why this month’s teaching resource is my recent audio message, Get Ready for the Unprecedented Outpouring of God’s Goodness. As you give this month, I’ve asked my team to send you this message as my thank you for your faithful support. In this teaching, I reveal the pattern of God sending His goodness and why you can expect it today like never before.
As you give this month, I’ve asked my team to send you my recent message, Abundant Overflow, as my thank you. You can give securely and conveniently online at www.jsmiaustralia.org/offering or by calling +61 7 5576 5534 and be sure to check the relevant box to receive your CD or MP3.
Let me leave you with this encouragement: “Keep your eyes open for God, watch for His works, be alert for signs of His presence” (Psalm 105:4-5 Message). In other words, get ready for the unprecedented outpouring of God’s goodness!
I love you and I’m praying for you!
In Him,
Jerry Savelle
P.S. Even though you’ve experienced God’s goodness time and time again in the past, you’re about to experience it like never before! I declare Jeremiah 31:14 over you saying, “…and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the Lord.” I’m praying for you and hope to hear from you soon.
