For many of us, the roughest seasons of our lives are the times that we rather not think about. We don't want to think about those periods and are happy to act like they never existed. However, how many of us have sat down to look back at the tough moments we experienced? Was there anything you learned? And was it possible to acknowledge that the trial was for your own good?
I've had to look back at some of the saddest times of my life and have learned that those situations contained valuable lessons for my future. Mistakes I could never afford to repeat. Taking the time to think about these things hurt. However, God always held my hand. He also allowed enough time to pass whereby the sting of those memories wasn't too acute. I wish I could have learned the lessons in a less painful way, but I now know that I needed to go through it to get through it, if you know what I mean.
Those experiences, as bitter as they tasted, were for my own good. After all, the Lord has promised that His plans for me are not evil but to bring me into His expected and blessed plan (Jeremiah 29:11). Plus having been through the rough patches, I can declare that affliction will not arise again in accordance with Nahum 1:9. Finally, like King Hezekiah, I can also say, It was for my own good that I had such hard times. But your love protected me from doom in the deep pit, and you turned your eyes away from my sins (Isaiah 38:17 CEV).
Listen, none of us want to go through tough times but God is our Father and He knows best. As much as folks aim for that 'soft life', it is God's responsibility to train us for the non-soft life because it will surely come. Sometimes, the challenge is God's way of preparing His own, other times it arrives because satan's objective is to create difficulties for people. Whatever the case, if we hold God's hand through it all, we would have endured the tough season and become spiritually stronger.
A physical trainer is paid to push a person beyond their perceived limit in order to achieve desired fitness goals. God does the same thing, though we don't pay Him in physical coin. Once we call Him to come into our lives, He has to make sure we have the spiritual conditioning we will need for the trials we will encounter. We don't know what those will be but He does, and we should be grateful He takes the time to prepare us for them. This is why He wakes us up to pray, to praise, and to read our Bible. It is why we have a conviction to fast on issues not only for ourselves but for others. All of this is to build our spiritual muscle.
The training season is undoubtedly tough and while in it, we struggle to see past the pain and discomfort. Yet, a 'trophy' awaits. That trophy is the victory over situations that would have previously broken us. That victory gives us the capacity to use our experience to encourage someone else in a similar position. We might think the training is so tough that we won't make it through but King Hezzy said, "your love protected me." God's love will keep us going when we want to give up because He's right by our side through it all. And, those who wait on Him shall renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31).
You will get through the turbulent waters of life, for they will not sweep you away. You will pass through rivers and they will not overcome you. You will walk through fire itself and it will not set you ablaze (Isaiah 43:2). At the end of it all, you will not look like what you've been through, IJMN, Amen.
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Well said. I am a testimony to this message. God hand in hand with me protected n guided me through my divorce, covid and parent sick, my family falling apart due to trying to manage our mothers health, tension at work and being fired but what he has brought me through to the other side where blessings. Healing myself, forgiveness of pain caused by others n I, joy, peace, understanding my lessons, trusting my God, understanding him more and in gratitude for his love over me.
He will never ever fail us.
From DNAD - HalleluYah, Father God in the MIGHTY NAME OF JESUS, we THANK YOU as we come BOLDLY before Your THRONE of GRACE for HELP for everyone searching today for YOUR PERFECT WILL in their lives so that THE KINGDOM OF GOD will be in FULL CONTROL over the 'works of the devil' in their lives. Therefore, IN THE NAME OF JESUS, IN THAT NAME THAT HAS ALL POWER OVER & ABOVE EVERY OTHER NAME ...IN THE HEAVENS, ON THE EARTH AND UNDER THE EARTH, AND ...IN THIS WORLD AND IN THE WORLD THAT IS COMING, we Forbid, Rebuke and 'Shut down' Satan and the powers of darkness in their lives. May they be FULLY CONVINCED that GOD LOVES THEM. We are CONVINCED that GOD HAS ALL OF THE POWER TO MAKE IT HAPPEN FOR THEM on earth as it is in Heaven. ... because YOU watch over YOUR WORD to make sure that YOUR WORD performs what YOU Sent IT to do. GREAT is YOUR Faithfulness to Your Promises/WORD. May YOUR WORD be A LAMP to GUIDE & give them GOD'S WISDOM in their decisions and may YOUR WORD be LIGHT the WAY that YOU lead them into the path of Righteousness for Your Name Sake...For the Praise of Your Glory, Your Honor, Your Loving Kindness in the Mighty Name of LORD JESUS as their Savior and their LORD, their Peace and Provider, their Healer and their Deliverer, the Lifter of their heads, their Shield and their Protector, their Wisdom and Strengthen and that THE JOY OF THE LORD IS THEIR STRENGTH. Amen...
FINAL MESSAGE
I hope you enjoyed Praise & Pray today. I know I feel refreshed and ready for whatever might come my way. Only because the Lion of the Tribe of Judah stands before me and is all around me.
I pray you feel the same. If for some reason you feel down, please remember Zephaniah 3:17 - The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.
Know that you can't rely on yourself and you don't have to. Cry out to the Lord! Play worship music, pray, read your Bible, do anything to put that spirit of unease at bay.
And please remember 2 Timothy 1:7 - For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Also, may the Lord bless you this Pentecost weekend. I pray you have a fresh encounter and that you receive tongues of fire on your head as those early believers received in the Upper Room (Acts 2). Jesus told them to wait for a special gift and that gift was the Holy Spirit. May you be filled and made drunk with Him, IJMN, Amen.
SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY
How has God been faithful to you? It's time to share so others are encouraged. That way their hope in the Lord will not dim.
We are instructed to share our testimony as believers. In fact, doing so allows us to overcome satan according to Revelation 12:11 - _They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death_.
Be sure to share testimony right on this site in the Testimony Gala Thread - Testimony Gala | The Miracle Alley - https://www.themiraclealley.com/forum/general-discussion/testimony-gala
CLOSING PRAYER
Father, thank You for bringing us to the end of another week of Praise & Pray.
Lord, we are grateful for the chance to commune with you in this way. Glory be unto Your Holy Name.
As we part ways, we know Lord that You will walk with each of us wherever we might go. We know that You will be our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).
Remember us for honoring You as we have. May our worship and petitions rise as a sweet-smelling incense to You. Lord, please remember our hidden desires and unspoken prayers. May they be fulfilled to Your glory and by Your grace. Proverbs 15:29 - The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.
Mighty One, we thank You for letting us spend time with You.
Praise be to Your Holy Name!!!
LAST 10 MINUTES
Have you ever taken a moment to look back at a trial you experienced and did you let the Lord highlight the lessons He wanted you to learn?
Our tough seasons are for our own good. Yes, I know many don't want to hear this - they've been through so much disappointment and pain that this statement will sound ludicrous to them.
And that's okay.
But, if you understand that God can allow us to experience challenges to better us and strengthen us, then take this moment to tell Him thanks. Ask Him to tell you what the lessons were from seasons past. So you walk into your present and your future well armed in your spirit man.
God is intentional in everything He does. And particularly with us - His children, whom He loves and made in His image. His goal is to build us up and not tear us down. His methods may not be palatable but there is always a reason. And once you understand the reason, everything else makes sense.
Let us pray,
Lord, I have gone through some really tough moments and I confess, I've wondered why. I've questioned why You would let me go through those experiences. Today, God, I want to say that although they hurt terribly and continue to hurt, thank You for what I've been through. Please, give me understanding of what I need to learn about those situations. Show me how You were right at my side when I went through them. Also grant me Your comfort and take away the pain, giving me clarity, peace, and rest round about, IJMN, Amen.
I pray for each of us that God will help us to understand our past and free us from all associated trauma and pain. I pray that we will submit the sadness and hurt to Him so we can be free of the shackles of our unpleasant past and receive God's healing touch whereby we can thank Him for everything, good and bad, IJMN, Amen.
Abba I thank You for Your Spirit that is helping the kids at KA. You are faithful. Thank You for watching over Your word to make it good.
Lord, I lift up the nations of the world before You.
Psalm 125:3 - The wicked will not rule the land of the godly, for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong (NLT).
Lord, I know that satan encourages people to sin, only to then stand in accusation of them. But, I thank You, good God, for Your purpose shall always prevail, no matter what the objectives and schemes of the devil are.
And so, I call on You wise God, to remember the godly in the nations of the world. For their sake and in accordance with Your word, I call on You to drag out, pull down and replace the wicked leaders (Isaiah 19). Father, for the sake of the righteous, uphold the land (Proverbs 11:11). Raise more godly across the lands, God of the harvest, send out more workers into the harvest field to accomplish the work. That the godly rise in number and give You glory, IJMN, Amen.
"Arise O Lord! Let Your enemies be scattered. Let all who hate You flee from Your presence."
Mighty Man of War! I exalt You and lift up honor that is due to Your name.
My God, I cry out to You to remember the enemies that try to oppose Your works. They hunt the souls of Your people like birds (Ezekiel 13:20). They ambush the helpless and murder the innocent (Psalm 10). Lord, they do this because they think You do not see.
"Do not slay them, lest my people forget; Scatter them by Your power, And bring them down, O Lord our shield." (Psalm 59:11).
"Break the arm of the wicked man; call the evildoer to account for his wickedness that would not otherwise be found out." (Psalm 10)
And for the souls that belong to You, for those You have rescued from the hand of the enemy: "May You bless them, so the ends of the earth will fear You (Psalm 67:7)
Oh Heavenly Father. Thank You for being Jehovah Rapha. You are the God who heals and I worship You for this greatness. Glory be to Your Holy Name!
Lord, Your word states in Jeremiah 30:17 - But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,’ declares the LORD, ‘because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.’ Your word also states in Isaiah 38:16 - Your words and your deeds bring life to everyone, including me. Please make me healthy and strong again (CEV).
Good God, we know that the enemy wants Your children to fear but Your grace is sufficient to cast down such imaginations and thoughts. And when armed with Your word, we are armed with Your promise, a covenant You cannot break for You are He who cannot lie.
I speak Your word over @S, Ms. S's friend in Colorado, and others in this group looking to You for healing. Lord, You have promised to restore Your people to health and to heal their wounds. As Your people call on You to make them healthy and strong again, I say thank You in advance for Your healing grace upon their lives. Good Lord, You alone shall get the glory for what You have done for them, IJMN, Amen.
*From BI* - Lord, I Lift up to You those struggling to pay off debts. Lord, silver and gold belongs to You and You are the great provider. I pray that You intervene in Your children’s financial situations. Grant them the wisdom to better manage their finances. I pray against the spirit of financial humiliation and embarrassment in the lives of Your children. I pray every yoke and chain of debt holding Your children hostage is broken. Lord, relieve Your children of this burden and bless them according to Your glorious riches in Jesus Name Amen.
Father, I would like to lift up the P&P participants from the beginning to now unto You. Lord, meet them at their point of need (Philippians 4:19). Be their Provider as You have proven Yourself as Jireh (Genesis 22:14).
God, You know what pinches them. Create breathing room and in fact abundance and blessings on the issues that seek to constrain them (2 Corinthians 9:8). Please do this to Your glory and exaltation. That the world we say You are the greatest and only true God!
Hallelujah and in Jesus name I pray, Amen.
PRAYER TIME
Let us turn our attention to prayer and cover others via petition and intercession.
Please remember to put your prayer needs to the side and pickup the issues of others. Please pray fervently.
Share who you are praying for. If unsure, lift up the hungry, the homeless, the oppressed, the weary, the wrongfully imprisoned, the orphan and widow, amongst others.
We live in a world where there is more than enough for us to pray about because so many are struggling. Our role as children of God isn't merely to ask for blessings upon ourselves. One of our most important roles is to take the power God has given us in prayer and use it for the good of others to His glory.
Please, let us come together and pray on these and so much more, believing that where 2 or more are gathered, the Lord is with us (Matthew 18:20). And where the Lord is, there is freedom from whatever we pray against (2 Corinthians 3:17).
It is time to intercede.
*From T1983* - Thank you God for everything you have done continue to do!!!! Thank you for drawing me closer to you each and every day!! May you calm our fellow sister in this thread,calm her fear as she prepares for her surgery next week.. (sorry I’m not good at tagging names)lol… Thank you in advance for healing her!!!
*From AO* - I’m grateful for all blessings from on high. I’m grateful for the privilege to love the LORD. I pray that GOD continues to give me strength and wisdom and that He order my steps in all that I do. Amen!
Lord, thank You for the blessing of joy. The Bible tells me that it is You who gives joy and makes hearts cheerful.
Thank You for making this provision available to me and mine.
On behalf of us all, I want to tell You, we are grateful!!!
*From BI* - Thank You Heavenly King for showing forth Your Power and Glory in my life. I thank You Lord for Your wonders and protection, Your mercy, grace and favour. Thank You for beauty for ashes, oil of joy for mourning and garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Take all the glory, honour and adoration my Lord and King.
Nawa this kind God ooo
- God I thank You for sis T1983's testimonies! As mentioned in today's P&P post: "Your love protected me from doom" (Isaiah 38:17)
- Faithful Friend, I thank You in advance for sis S's successful surgery! She has nothing to fear, because You are near
- Jehovah Rapha thank You for giving me rest and causing me to feel much better than yesterday -- I am healed IJN!
- Thank You Lord for the awesome treats that I am looking forward to!
Thank You Lord for Your hand is upon us. Thank You Father! For the wicked, Your hand is heavy on them but for us, Your beloveds - it is a sweet caress. Glory be to You!
Luke 4:18-19 - “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Thank You for that caress beckons us to intercede for others with petitions that we pray pleases Your ears and serves as a sweet-smelling incense to the lover of our souls.
*From M22* - Thank you Abba for bringing us together to fellowship in behalf of others. We glorify your name. Amen