STRESS!!!!! @%^&#@%&^@@$ (Part 2).

2. Paul's response

a. “Three different times I begged the Lord...”

b. Paul BEGGED the Lord, he not only prays, but begged (pleaded) the Lord to take this thorn away.

c. After he begged the Lord three times and………………nothing happen.

d. WHAT??!! Nothing happen!

e. But let’s look into the Book of Acts:

i. 19:11-12 God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When the handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.

ii. At Paul’s times, he had to travel from town to town to preach the Gospel by only WALKING.

iii. Throughout spring, summer, autumn and winter, and less chance to bath, can you imagine the conditions of his handkerchief after come into contact with sweat, dust, mucus and dirty things?

iv. Yet......God gives his handkerchief to have the power of healing! Simply because he is obedient and faithful to God.

v. Acts 20: 9-12 whereby apostles Paul raised a man who fall at a height of three stories and continue preaching to the Gentiles.

f. God has given Paul the power to perform miracles but when he pleaded God for three times and nothing happen! So how??

3. Paul's solution

a. When he had experienced all this, he CHANGE HIS PERSPECTIVE and no longer look at the thorns.

b. Instead, he delights in his weaknesses when God reply his prayer.

c. In verse 9, we can see how Paul change

i. First, he looks at his struggle at a different perspective and grows bigger.

ii. Second, he boasts about his weaknesses so that the power of Christ can be made perfect in him.

d. Why does God say His power is made perfect in our weaknesses?

e. Who will need God’s healing power? If you are healthy physically, will you need a doctor?

f. Who will need God’s provision? You will experience it when you are in need.

g. If you are stress, you can solve it by

i. Removing the source of stress- you can always quit a job when stress come from you career. BUT…..what if your wife and children are your source of stress? So we need the other solution.

ii. GROW bigger than you stress!

h. God sometimes may place stress over your level so that you can come to Him, UPGRADE your processor so that you can GROW to higher level than your stress.

i. Romans 12:2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Conclusion:

When you’re stress,

· Pray and bring your problems to God

· Hear and listen to Him, yes, he may not able to solve your problem, but absolutely he will help you to overcome.

· Think and look at your struggle, problems at a different perspective.

· Obey and do what God tells you.

my dear brother and sister and whoever read this post, i do hope to encourage u all with this post. Hope you continue to grow in Christ, depend on Him more and love more (if you're a believer). If you aren't, i hope that you can change your perspective on your current problem if you found no way out, indeed, you can grow BIGGER than you problem.