Dust Shaker
Last Call Ministries
Sometimes God has to tear down in order to build up.
At the time of the drought in the days of Ahab , king of Judah, God sent the ravens to feed Elijah and also told Elijah to live near a brook and to drink from that brook. After a period of time the brook dried up. (1st Kings 17:1-7) Elijah had to move on to the next miracle.
In Acts 8:3-4 we read, "As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word." The devil came against the church and Jesus turned the cursing into a blessing. Every time the devil came against the church, the church would grow and miracles would take place. God brought Good out of Evil.
Sometimes things happen in your life and you wonder why? I believe there are times that we need to endure things in order to grow in our relationship with Jesus. Not that the Lord has afflicted you with evil, the devil is the one who tries your faith. Your faith will be tried like gold in the fire. In 1st Peter 7 we read, "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might (will) be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."
In Matthew 10:16 Jesus says, "Behold I send you forth as sheep among wolves: be you therefore as wise as serpents, and as harmless as doves. But beware of men : for they will deliver you up to the councils and they will scourge you (Assault and harass you) in their synagogues (Churches); you will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour (that very moment) what you shall speak. For it is not you that speaks but the Spirit of your Father which speaks in you. And the brother shall deliver the brother to death and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And you shall be hated of all men for my namesake : but he who endures to the end (completion) shall be saved. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master., and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Be-el-ze-bub (the devil) how much more shall they call them of his household."
The promises of God are for those who will rise to the occasion. Their faith is not put off by troubles. Rather they are like "Job". When Job lost all he had in this world, the devil came against him by way of his wife saying, "Curse God and die" Job responded, "Naked I came into this world and Naked I'll go out, Blessed be the name of the Lord." The end result was that God gave Job back twice as much as he had before. Job was a "Dust Shaker", He learned to shake off his troubles and go on with God Amen! I said Amen!!!
Be a "Dust Shaker", shake off your troubles! Tell the devil, I'm going on! And blessed be the name of the Lord Jesus! Hey listen, your in a battle. You've got to rise above the rejection, the persecution, as a seasoned soldier, enduring to the end.
In Ephesians 6:13-14 Paul says, "Take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day (The time of trouble or testing) and having done all to stand, stand therefore." Stand therefore like a warrior in the battle, not being moved by the fiery trial. Victory will be yours because Jesus is on your side. It's not always "Glory hallelujah on the mountaintop joy". But after you've been in the trenches and endured some of the bumps and bruises, Jesus delivers you, and leads you from victory to victory. Hallelujah ! After a while you learn, just like Paul learned, "If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things. "(Romans 9:31-32)
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we are killed (endure) all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay (No), in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35-39)
While enduring the battle you learn to be persuaded, you learn to be a "Dust Shaker. Shake off the disappoinments of Life and go on. There's a victory waiting for you. Jesus has reserved it in your name. "
Paul knew what he was saying. When Paul declared Jesus to the people in the Gentile nations, the devil came to do battle with him. The devil came against him through people. In Acts 14:19-20 certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium persuaded the unbelievers to stone Paul. After they stoned him they carried his body out of the city, supposing he had been dead. But the disciples stood around him and he revived. I believe Paul was dead and that Jesus raised him up from the dead.
You would think Paul would have had enough or had given up after this experience, but no, he returned again to that city. He was concerned for the new believers and the fearful thoughts they must have experienced seeing Paul stoned for the faith. He wanted to show them that the Lord Jesus had delivered him and to urge them to continue in the faith. I'm sure some said, "I don't know about this Paul. I mean they want to stone people who believe what you say!" Paul responded in Acts 14:22 "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."
Paul was saying, "You're in a battle" and when you go on with Jesus, the devil will come against you. There will be times that you will have to endure trouble. Not that you accept it as if is God's will for your life, but as a "Dust Shaking Saint" rise above the "Why Me Attitude" and say, bless God, I'm going on! When you can praise Jesus and continue on regardless of your circumstances you will be delivered from your trouble.
Many times when you go through your trial, you'll have to do it alone (Jesus and you). Don't look for support from the brethren. The brethren many times will give you false council, saying, "You must be out of God's will. You must have some secret sin." Since they're not walking in your shoes, they never realize that you're being a good soldier in the army of the Lord Jesus Christ. Good soldiers receive their promotion.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all. (Psalms 34:19)
Lord Jesus, strengthen your people. Amen.
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