It was Peter who was commended by Jesus for receiving the revelation from the Father that Jesus was the Son of the Living God. Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." 1 John 5:4-5 1 Kings 19:11-13. Someone from the Bible who faced similar difficulties is Paul, who lost his freedom and was imprisoned multiple times throughout his ministry. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. If God tells you that youre an overcomer!, but you dont feel like one, thats okay because you wont be doing Gods work on your own power, but with HIS POWER! She refused initially, as speaking up would mean risking the death penalty. And the Lord showed him a piece of wood, He threw it in the water, and the water became fit to drink (Exodus 15:25). We are here for you when you are ready. In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.Job 1:20-22 (NIV). Even though King David struggled mightily with his faith, he never remained in this state for long, as he still concludes every psalm praising God and giving Him glory. He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city. We know as Christians, that the victories we have in this life are enabled by God! The Hebrew word here is full of meaning. As such, they were even able to forgive the driver responsible for the accident and had peace in their hearts. Jesus answered with evidence so John could hold fast to his profession of faith. 3.) God uses hard situations and difficulties in our life to build our character. "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. Was it not You who dried up the sea,The waters of the great deep;Who made the depths of the sea a pathwayFor the redeemed to cross over? So what did Moses do? Jonah wrestled with his faith because he knew God was going to be gracious and compassionate to those he felt didnt deserve it. In Philippi, Paul was accused of anti-Roman teachings and got thrown in prison. Yet, the Bible character remained a devoted servant: She believed in God and followed His instructions. While queen Esther was Jewish, she had been hiding her identity. Even though it would have been safer to prioritise himself and stay quiet, Paul focused on bringing people to God even while imprisoned. Wrestling with your faith isnt a sign of weakness, but evidence of your humanity. During this time, he actively preached the word of God to the people who visited him. We read in Judges 13-16 that Samsons life was plagued by trouble and mistakes. Noah got drunk. But soon enough, problems occurred: three days had passed and they could not find drinkable water. Here are five of these individuals, and some takeaways we can learn from them. Judges 6:1-6 (KJV) 1 And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years. It molds us as if we were clay. Obviously, Peter was devastated when he realized what hed done. 1 John 5:4-5 (AMP) And, any other 'overcoming' that we dowhether in spiritual victory over sin, or just reaching a goal in lifewe do through Christ, who gave His life so we could be reconciled to God. Yet no matter his efforts, the tide of disbelief . Your people will be my people and your God my God. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORDs, and he will give all of you into our hands. When we feel scared or uncertain, we can turn to Scripture and the Lord for guidance and strength. He was the hero who defeated Goliath, successful in war and had the love of the people. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them.". There, Paul sang to God in worship, until a violent earthquake occurred. He was unjustly accused, imprisoned, and finally, after many years, he became second-in-command to Pharaoh. And time and time again, he had the chance to kill Saul, but he didn't because his heart was good. But we can take comfort from the stories of these five Bible characters: with God, nothing is impossible to overcome. And yet, we all know the story of what happens it occurs just as Jesus said it would. Once again, the overcoming didnt happen because of human strength or ability, but because God made it so! They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord. He is with you. Yet, despite how weighed down they felt due to their dread, they remained strong enough to push through and emerge transformation as a result. He declared,it is finished! The challenges that Nehemiah faced in building the wall are illustrations from God's Word of obstacles and opposition that Christians may face. Have you ever felt like God called you to do something, and youre like, surely you have the wrong person?!. I myself know the consequences of compromising. She left him in the sanctuary to worship Jehovah all the years of his lifetime, according to 1 Samuel 1:11. And, I have seen and I testify that this is Gods Chosen One.. Job lost his animals, his children, and even his health, and yet Job didnt curse God. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. To tell the truth the "secret" to overcoming obstacles and trials is a character trait that anyone can develop if they want to. Deborah - The female warrior in the Bible. Magdalene. Photo by Alex Gindin on Unsplash. So Pharaoh said to Joseph, I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt. Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Josephs finger. When Mary and the accompanying women including the 12- decided to follow Christ, they were incurring significant risk. She was a new queen who lived comfortably with the love of the king. Yet not as I will, but as you will.Matthew 26:36-39 (NIV). Background to the Story of Gideon. Bible Characters Who Overcame Obstacles. Many of the psalms highlight David's cries to God and his struggles, such as Psalm 142:1-2, which says, "I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. John sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the one. An overcomer is not sinless, but holds fast to faith in Christ until the end. Some may be struggling with an exam season, others may be going through a painful breakup. These overcomers choose to make a way around obstacles. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.Daniel 6:10 (NIV), And even though that earned him a one-way trip to the lions den, God had other plans! 2. Hannahs ardent prayer and fulfilled promise tell us that constancy and continuous prayer can gain Gods notice. Mother Teresa once said, "I'm a little pencil in the hand of a writing God, who is sending a love letter to the world.". But, God still called me to be a Christian blogger (and, to start a YouTube channel too!). Gideon was sure that God had the wrong person. But in Biblical times, a young person such as Timothy wouldve been looked down upon or even disrespected, because they supposedly werent old enough or wise enough to be leading the people. Abigail - a strong woman of the Bible. Day 1: The Grumbling Begins. 4:12. What does God say about overcoming obstacles? We can act without fear or compromise, serving Him through every moment in our lives. They accused Job of sinning, asserting that his suffering was Gods punishment. They didn't let their obstacles get in their way of getting to Jesus. Stick with what you know. But when he found himself in jail, he questioned if Jesus was really the Messiah. The Female characters mentioned in this piece could have existed in civilizations and eras far distinct from ours, yet their experiences can offer us a shocking number. Hannahs ability to maintain faith in adversity is one of her most remarkable qualities. Whenever I know my pastors are going through difficult times, seeing them continue to preach Gods word boldly encourages me that God can give us grace to go on. But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on meand not without results. Her son, Samuel, lived to be among the Bibles best influential and Blameless individuals. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.Daniel 6:22 (NIV). Their brother became sick while Jesus was out of town and they sent for him. Next up in our examples of overcomers in the Bible, is Job. We need to possess the same desire. But then there was a slight problem: No water to drink. Take a page from Davids book, and place your absolute trust and faith in Gods sovereign power to deliver you (not your own ability). He wanted to always do things the right way. Why wait? David wrestled with his faith after Nabal treated his men improperly. Daniel is one of those noble overcomers like Joseph he was so diligent in doing what was right, even at great personal risk! Jobs story reminds me of this testimony I heard about a Christian couple who lost their children in a traffic accident. The answer may surprise you! 2.) I know I fall short as a writer, wife, or mother, and this pains me. And while all of these people exemplified that all-important characteristic of FAITH, several of these stories are also simply about overcoming obstacles. Joshua captured all these kings and their lands at one time, because the. Like a child reaches for a parent when theyre scared, we can choose to reach for God through prayer and worship reminding ourselves Hes bigger than our opponent. Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.Exodus 4:10-12 (NIV). When your faith is being challenged, the questions cause us to wrestle with keeping our trust where we put it. There's no better way to solve our problems or confront our fears than to be assured of God's presence and power! Obstacles have destroyed many people's faith because they gave up and turned their focus away from the Lord. But God had mercy on him. ", 4 Things the Old Testament Teaches about Suffering, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Certainly, all of us are going through the current COVID-19 pandemic. . All who are prudent act with knowledge, but fools expose their folly.". Only God made Abraham and Sarah have kids at such a time. Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? Ephesians 6:12 MSG. Faced with temptations? Questions arise and cause us to wrestle with what we believe. There's no doubt, that the Bible is full of Bible verses about struggle and perseverance. 2. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.1 Corinthians 15:10 (NLT). Our time on this earth is the process of proving our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; a These Bible characters and their examples of faith can help you to build your own faith and draw closer to God. 1. If God is real, why doesnt He end our suffering? However, we often experience several decisive times when we are called upon to place biblical value ahead of individual gain. Job faced greater obstacles than any other biblical figure. There are so many great stories of overcoming, both in the Old and New Testaments. H annah a persistent woman. And, any other overcoming that we dowhether in spiritual victory over sin, or just reaching a goal in lifewe do through Christ, who gave His life so we could be reconciled to God. We learn from their experiences that we cant have a fearless lifestyle. This is something we can learn: to not compromise when faced with solutions which we know are wrong. The moral of Job's story is: It's okay to question God or the reasons for why something is happening, but there's no need for us to stay there. Who in the Bible struggled with their faith? A. When King Darius went to check on Daniel the next morning, he found quite the surprise, as Daniel explained to him how he was still alive, My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. The Bible tells us that because he believed God, he was made righteous. Her first book Emerging With Wings: A True Story of Lies, Pain, And The LOVE that Heals has ushered many to emotional and spiritual freedom. The LORD turned to him and said, Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midians hand. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. And Ruth couldve stayed behind in her native Moab, and easily found a new husband. Hi! 2021 The Revelation Media. Or the tree of slowing down and being still in the midst of a crazy life, to hear Gods still, small voice. Some people love to overcome challenges.". Here is a father with a son whos mute and has seizures. Sarah, Abraham's wife. Here are 20 Bible characters who wrestled with their faith and won. "You can't do anything right.". If Jesus had to endure them, so do we. Hannah devoted her newborn Samuel to the Gods. As a consequence, this female character was among the earliest to proclaim the resurrection of Jesus. Like the verses below state, it is through our continuing, persistent FAITH that we overcome the world. Dont just knock on the door once, and go away sad because God didnt answer right away! He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. Gideon was wrestling with his faith with questions similar to those we deal with. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble.". God wanted him to defeat the Midianites, but he thought he was too weak for the job. When Joseph innocently told his brothers his dream, they ripped him apart verbally and sold him as a slave, calling him a "dreamer," in a negative sense. They are you and me, having persevered through life, and held tightly to our faith! Did you manage to tweak your budget, just enough to squeak by and pay your bills? 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