Topic: ADVANCE GOD’S KINGDOM THROUGH YOUR TRIALS  [Church of God Mission International] Above Only Daily Devotional 16 December 2021

Click HERE for Previous Above Only

ABOVE ONLY DEVOTIONAL

BY: ARCHBISHOP M. E. BENSON IDAHOSA

THURSDAY DECEMBER, 16

ADVANCE GOD’S KINGDOM THROUGH YOUR TRIALS

Philippians 1:12-14a& 20 (GNB) I want you to know, my friends, that the things that have happened to me have really helped the progress of the gospel. As a result, the whole palace guard and all the others here know that I am in prison because I am a servant of Christ. And my being in prison has given most of the believers more confidence in the Lord….*My deep desire and hope is that I shall never fail in my duty, but that at all times, and especially right now, I shall be full of courage, so that with my whole being I shall bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die.

Also Read: Open Heaven 16 December 2021 –Topic: CHALLENGES AS STEPPING STONES 

There was a time that Jesus was on His way to Galilee and the Bible says He had to go through Samaria, (John 4:3-4). He could have passed through some other way to Galilee, but somehow He had to go through Samaria so that He could come in contact with the woman by the well and minister to her. After He ministered to her, she eventually brought her entire city to come and encounter Jesus for themselves, (John 4:39-41). You and I will also have to go through certain things and certain places so that in the process of our experience, God can touch lives and bless people.

Whatever you are going through will surely work out together for your good so what you should be asking yourself is how you can take advantage of what you are going through to bring glory to God and advance His Kingdom. This kind of attitude and mindset can make us victorious and able to turn even seemingly adversities into advantages for the kingdom of God. Just because of the beating and imprisonment of Paul and Silas in Acts 16:22-34, the jailer and his entire household eventually received the gospel of Christ and got saved.

The mindset Apostle Paul had in our text above is one that we need to increase in every single day. We need to be so full of courage and we need to be resolute about doing the will of God and preaching the gospel, no matter what we are going through. We need to be ready to honour Christ with our whole being whether it will cost us our lives or not. Revelation 12:11 says they overcame the devil by loving not their lives unto death. They overcame the devil because they were not afraid of losing their lives for God.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, please help me to bless the lives of others and advance your kingdom even when I am going through trials.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR READING PLAN
Micah 5:1-7:20, Revelation 7:1-17, Psalm 135:1-21, Proverbs 30:5-6