When God Says No

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Message Title: (Originally Bro. Steve Msg. Pt. 2)

When God Says No: Finding Purpose During Trying Times

MAY BE MY SHORTEST MESSAGE YET...BUT DON’T HOLD YOUR BREATH.

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(H) I want to BEGIN tonight by ADDRESSING what I BELIEVE is one of the BIGGEST LIES that we often believe as Christians...it is something that is PROMULGATED time and time again throughout the church and I think that it is CLOSE to the TRUTH…

although when it comes to our BELIEFS about GOD and our relationship with him we are not playing HORSESHOES or throwing HAND GRENADES...So, close doesn’t really count…

It is this… “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”

Here’s the problem...if we really believe that we can handle everything that comes at us in life, do we need God?

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How OFTEN do you let your RELATIONSHIP with GOD become LAX when your LIFE is going PERFECT ?

ANOTHER PROBLEM: DON’T LIKE ASKING for HELP (ME ESPECIALLY)

SELAH = MUCH BETTER = RECOGNIZE NEED!

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So I want to propose tonight that God will often give us more than we can handle in order for us to depend on Him and His grace.

Main text:

Background: The Apostle Paul spends CH. 11 countering “Super-Apostles”

2 Corinthians 12:1-6 ESV I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. (2) I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. (3) And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— (4) and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. (5) On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— (6) though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ESV So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. (8) Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.

He PLEADED 3 times...do you think he pleaded three times because he could handle it?

PLEAD = BEG...

(9) But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

WHAT IS GOD’S GRACE…..SUFFICIENT....

NOT MORE THAN ENOUGH/ OVER THE TOP.

Camel illustration:

FAMOUS SAYING...STRAW BROKE CAMEL’S BACK

(Q) - Do you know HOW MANY STRAWS a CAMEL back can HANDLE?

DISCLAIMER...DRINKING STRAWS VS. STRAW/HAY

I DON’T have answer...NEITHER does INTERNET...BUT GOD KNOWS.

SIMILARLY, HE KNOWS YOUR CAPABILITY TOO.

At what point is the Camel’s back sufficient? The entire time until it breaks…

I imagine that God’s grace is like a back brace for this camel.

HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING… MIND vs. BODY.

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SOMETIMES...FEEL ENTITLED...GOD GRANTING PRAYERS...

GOD IS SOVEREIGN...KNOWS MORE...WE DON’T NEED TO BE OMNIPOTENT.

Using difficulty to draw us to him...for some of us we’re so stubborn and proud the world has to end before we cry out to God!

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Transition:

DIFFICULTIES = FRUSTRATING…LOOK FOR REDEMPTIVE PURPOSE!

to help you see this I want to share an example from Paul’s life specifically.

Paul is REBUKING the GALATIAN churches because they have been LED ASTRAY into believing CIRCUMCISION was required for Christians…

In this part of his letter, PAUL is SHARING his CONCERN for THEM and he shares this INSIGHT into one of his MISSIONARY TRAVELS:

Galatians 4:13 ESV You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, (14) and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.

Same PAUL that RAISED THE DEAD...HEALED...HANDKERCHIEFS SENT OUT!!

When God didn’t immediately heal him what’s he do...goes to new region and starts churches

PAUL was on his 1ST MISSIONARY JOURNEY and was in the REGION/PROVINCE of PAMPHYLIA...it is BELIEVED he CONTRACTED his SICKNESS there...potentially MALARIA,

TRAVELS to a LESS HARSH CLIMATE...ANTIOCH IN PISIDIA...in GALATIA...

THIS IS LIKELY the REFERENCE from GALATIANS...

PAUL’S TRIAL = GALATIAN MINISTRY...SOULS SAVED...THE LETTER WE HAVE TODAY & TIMOTHY!

COULD HAVE COMPLAINED...WHY DON’T YOU HEAL ME...

GOD HAD A REDEMPTIVE PURPOSE FOR PAUL’S PAIN THAT PAUL PROBABLY COULDN’T HAVE SEEN AT THE TIME HE WAS FIRST SUFFERING. . .

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CONCLUSION:

So there’s no guarantee that life will be easy, but there is a guarantee that sometimes it will be more than we can handle. But that is ok. It should cause us to lean into our relationship with God more seriously and draw our dependence from him and his grace... not our own self-sufficiency. Then God will be glorified and we will have the strength to persevere during trying and difficult times.

I pray this message has edified your spirit tonight. God bless you.