Pastor’s corner - Serving a God bigger than any storm

A person approached me not too long ago and asked, “Pastor, why do bad things happen to good people?” I knew there had to be more than idle curiosity in the question and as we conversed I learned of the seemingly endless difficulties this person faced.

As I shared the nature of this fallen world we are living in and that Jesus had a much better plan for each one of us, I realized this person needed encouragement more than an answer to their question.

We know that we do not serve a vindictive God who is looking for reasons to punish us and cause us pain and discomfort, but sometimes it can feel that way.

That is when we need to go to God’s Word, the Bible, and seek out His true plan for us and see His true love for us.

Friends, our lives are the battle ground for a spiritual war that is going on. It is a spiritual war between God and Satan. We cannot see the war, much like the wind, but we can see and experience the effect of this war, much like we can see and experience the effect of wind.

There are two key passages of scripture we need to keep in mind as we face this spiritual war taking place all around us.

The first is found in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 6:12-13 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day...” This battle that our lives are the battle ground for is not our battle.

We just need to protect ourselves from the effects of it.

If you continue on in Ephesians chapter 6 you will read about what that armor is.

This armor protects us from the very real attacks of the devil and his demons.

Without this armor, it would be like being out in a driving rainstorm without wet gear or out in a blizzard without a coat or boots.

We need to put on the armor of God each day to resist the attacks of the devil.

Do you find yourself asking, “But Pastor, what if my armor isn’t strong enough? What if the spiritual war is tougher than my armor can withstand?” That’s where the second piece of scripture we need to commit to memory comes in.

We need to look to the Prophet Isaiah.

Isaiah 54:17 says, “‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.

This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me.’, says the LORD.” This is a piece of encouragement for every believer in the Living God, for everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.

It is our heritage after being adopted into the family of God.

I’m reminded of stories about my wife and her brother. Her brother would pick on her relentlessly. However, none of his friends were allowed to pick on her or anyone else for that matter because she was his sister. Family was more important and he would go after anyone who thought about picking on his sister. We are adopted into the family of God. We are co-heirs alongside Christ Jesus. God sent His Son to pay the price for us so we could be adopted into the family. Isaiah is telling us that part of our heritage is the ability to withstand any attack from the devil. There is no weapon that has been or will be formed that can stand against us.

So here’s your encouraging word. Don’t worry about the stuff of this world. Don’t sweat about the attacks directed toward you. Don’t worry about who has been elected and who hasn’t. Nothing can come against us and prosper (or win) when we are in the family of God and living our lives in right relationship with Him. We serve a God who is bigger than any storm, any trial, any gossip or rumor, or anything else that can come our way. Trust in God, my friends, trust in God.

Pastor Brian E. Conklin, Sr.

Garfield Community Church

of the Assemblies of God