Progression

Whatever external struggle you're facing, if viewed in agreement with God, is allowed to give you victory in the internal struggle.

The Christian life is one of progression...deep to deep. Jesus is a gate into the kingdom of God, but He is also the way. He showed us the way deeper in...safer in the middle.

External tribulation is good for a believer...not so we accept every negative thing as "God's will"...but so that as we wrestle with it...resist the enemy and deny the flesh...our heart grows.

Romans 5:3-5 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Paul was saying "tribulation is good incentive to draw on the Spirit inside of me." God resides in us if we belong to the kingdom. That mean there is no external trouble more powerful than the internal power in the believer. For that reason, tribulation produces a bigger heart IF responded to correctly. If mishandled, or not handled at all, tribulation is very bad. The Spirit is ever present and ready to help, if drawn on, but will not force His way in.

Jesus is returning to a pure and spotless Bride who has made herself ready THROUGH the great tribulation...the hardest time the earth has ever seen. If tribulation is good for believers, Great Tribulation is GREAT! It WILL produce a pure and spotless Bride in those who respond rightly...those who get ready.

To get ready, you gotta get real about what is happening around you. The fact we are seeing trouble increase is incentive to turn off the distractions and study the wedding plans.

I can hear the music starting already.... which God are we going to bow to? If you humble yourself and bow to the Groom now, you will not bow to the false groom when this happens globally:

Daniel 3:5-6 that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego...those boys fasted and prayed to get ready for that moment. Daniel told them, and they believed the plan. They didn't live like everyone else. They embraced tribulation and won their souls from the world.

This is the story of the Bible...always...the only difference between us and them is we have God on the inside...they had to wait to see if God would meet them in the fire...WE take God into the fire with us! To whom much is given, much is required:

Luke 12:42-48 And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

Revelation 19:7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

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