I sent this to a friend who is having a hard time in his walk right now. It may also be of help to anyone finding life a struggle.
Philippians 4:12-13
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
Everyday we face struggles… everyday!
Things come up to prevent us from even wanting to go on. All of our efforts seem to be of no effect, without meaning. It is when we reach the end of all our ability that we can find the hand of God! His strength is there to carry the load that we have no power to bear.
1 Corinthians 4:2
“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
We won’t always see the workings of the Holy Spirit. It is our faith in His power and ability to get the job done, that we cling to. The LORD works in ways that sometimes are not clear to our understanding. No matter what, trust Him.
Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
The best of our plans, the most labored of our work, what ever effort that we put forth, still does not compair to the perfect work of our Father in Heaven. If we place our trust in God and resolve to keep Him as the master of our lives, what can go wrong?
2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith. We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Always remember that the battle is not ours, it’s the LORD’S. Every effort we make we make according to his purpose.
Philippians 1:6
“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Without this firmly in our understanding, we will loose hope. If we endure till the end, however, we know that the battle is already won. To the victor goes the crown.
I pray for your strength and for the peace of your spirit… you will fight the good fight, In the name of Jesus. AMEN!
Your Brother in Christ,
Matt.
In the Spirit 
Good timing Matt.
I think some times we get drained and
need a word of encouragement to pull us though.
I needed to read your post.
Praise God that you are sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
God Bless you brother…Chuck
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GOOD ENCOURAGMENT FOR THE WORD!! TY MY BROTHER! (((HUGGZZ))
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FROM I MEAN…LOL
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One accord….Speaking this very same Word this morning as I was talking with my mother over the telephone. To God Be The Glory.
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We all need encouragement in our christian walk at different times. Very good post, it is very straightforward and does not need a lot of interpretation. God bless you, Brother.
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Funny….was just ministering to my supervisor about this at work last night. God is definitely forcing us to see our struggles, wanting us to be honest about our struggles and letting us know that he can and will deliver/heal us from our struggles.
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Thankyou 🙂 That is a great blog for the day…and is a great blessing for me 😀 Lord bless you Matt!
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Matthew
So many people are hurting right now. I am surrounded by friends reaching out and in need of someone, I myself go through a few changes during each day but in all things we need to encouraged one another and this post is quite encouraging for those of us who are believers.
Keep up the good work Matt
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I belive everyone has experienced tuff times, difficult times and yes we do need to be reminded or encouraged. The best way to help someone else to know that u understand is by experience and of course His Word. One day I was going through a situation where I was so uncomfortable with my living situation to the point where I began to cry and began to say to myself it has got to get better than this. The next minute I find myself thanking God for where I am living. It may not be much but I have a roof over my head and I just began to thank Him. When I went to church the next day, Sunday, one of the mothers of my church home said to me that yesterday my face flashed before her and she began to tell me what the Lord said concerning me. Part of that Word was that whatever I have been asking for he is going to do it and He is going to wipe all the tears from my eyes.
My point here is that God is faithful and even though we don’t see the things he has planned for us and the blessing, just have fatih to know that he is putting it all in the working. I don’t know who this is for, but let God show you things in the spirit, ask for spriritual eyes. “Eyes have not seen,nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of men the things that He has prepared for them that love Him.”
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What an encouraging Word, Amen. Michele
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Those are some great words of encouragement.
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Wonderful post, thanks !!
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Good selection of Scripture verses. But what many in the USA and Europe call struggles would be considered very minor problems or even blessings by many Christians in the Third World countries. Self pity is a sin. But I still have compassion for those who still have such problems, especially for those who can’t let go of the bad of their pasts.
The Apostle Paul wrote the Epistle to the Philippians just before he was beheaded for teaching about the resurrected Jesus Christ, yet he mentioned rejoice and joy over 30 times. He knew that Philippians 4:4-8 can be done in all circumstances, even when in prison and facing death. He was thankful that God allowed him to stay alive 2-3 years after he had gone to Jerusalem to die for Christianity. No matter what kind of situation we are in, we can always find something to be thankful for and also know that things could always be worse (and probably are for many others). Selfishness is in every sin, and true Christians need to become more and more unselfish as they stive to become more and more Christ-like. Our focus should be on God’s promises, loving Him, and caring for others (at least via intercessory prayer). Being Heaven-bound should excite us no matter what is happening around us or against us. We should react to testing situations in a different way than normal. Most who were killed being burned at the stake in Europe, quoted Scripture or sang hymns as they died.
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Awesome post!
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I love those Scriptures ,the are so good to repeat over & over , get them deep into Your Spirit .. ppl have alot of problems , Broken hearts , Don’t know where there next meal will come from ect, reading & meditating on this Does so much to Give Hope & a Sound mind …
Thanks Matt
God Bless You
Patty
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GOD BLESS YOU MATT, THIS WAS SURLY A WORD FOR ME FROM OUR FATHER.I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH SINCE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER IN APRIL. ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER. MY LATEST CHALLENGE IS TO FIND SOME PLACE FOR ME AND MY DAUGHTER AND 2 GRANDCHILDREN TO LIVE IN LESS THAN 30 DAYS. MY LANDLORD THREW ME A CURVE. BUT I’M NOT ANGRY YOU SEE LAST YEAR THIS TIME GOD GAVE ME THIS APARTMENT FOR 200.00 LESS THEN SHE SAYS SHE CAN GET FOR IT. SO IN MY LIFE I SAY OK GOD WHAT IS IT YOU WANT ME TO DO OR LEARN. AND I KNOW SOME OF THIS IS TO SHOW MY DAUGHTER HOW A SEASON CHRISTIAN STAND FIRM IN THE LORD AND HAVE FAITH THAT GOD WILL BRING US THROUGH. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH MUCH WORST THEN THIS SO I KNOW THE POWER OF GOD AND THAT HE CAN DO ANY THING BUT FAIL. MY FAVORITE SCRIPTURE AT THIS TRIAL IS PROVERBS 3:5,6 TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL THINE HEART AND LEAN NOT UNTO THINE OWN UNDERSTANDING. IN ALL THY WAYS ACKOWLEDGE HIM AND HE SHALL DIRECT THY PATHS. SO I KNOW IF I DONT WAVER HE WILL DIRECT ME IN THE WAY HE WANTS US TO GO. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMES YOU DON’T JUST SUFFER FOR YOURSELF BUT , LIKE I SAID MY DAUGHTER IS WATCHING ME AND THIS IS A PERFECT SITUATION TO SHOW A NEW CHRISTIAN HOW HER MOTHER THAT ALWAYS TELLS HER TO HAVE FAITH AND TRUST IN THE LORD LIVE WHAT I PREACH.AND I FIND MY PEACE IN HELPING OTHERS AND ENCOURAGING OTHERS THROUGH THIER TRIALS AND GOING BEFORE THE ALTER TO PRAISE AND THANK GOD FOR WHAT HE HAS ALREADY DONE IN OUR LIVES. OUT OF FOUR CHILDREN SHE IS THE ONLY ONE SO FAR THAT IS GOING TO HAVE A COLLAGE EDUCATION SHE WANTS TO BE A SOCIAL WORKER AND I STAY HOME AND TAKE CARE OF HER CHILDREN. THIS IS A BLESSING IN IT’S SELF. THANK YOU FOR BEING THE WILLING VESSEL GOD CHOSE TO ENCOURAGE ME.
I RECIVE EVERY WORD IN JESUS NAME
GOD BLESS YOU MY BROTHER I ALWAYS FEEL BETTER AFTER I SPEND TIME WITH YOU , A FAITHFUL MAN OF GOD
TO GOD BE THE GLORY
I LOVE YOU , PATRICIA
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AMEN! This word is very encouraging for me as well. A lot of times it’s not my faith that waivers through different trials, but it’s getting my emotions to line up with what I KNOW BY FAITH. Praise be to God that encouragement helps to line up your emotions with what God has spoken about your situation whether through his word or a servant. May God continue to bless and have his way in your life.
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Thank you. At times I have a difficult time getting through days or some nights, but God waits for me to catch up.He is always there waiting patiently. God’s love is more than I can understand sometimes.But I know He loves me and will protect me and let me grow to be more like Him.
Renee
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God is amazing Matt. Struggles are something we all have to go through I know I am right now. Thanks for the post I needed it and I have been talking with my mom about this for about a day or two now.
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Thanks brother for encouraging me with your post. Sometimes we need reminders of Gods working every day when struggles seem to much to bear. May God bless you abundantly with encouragement for your tough times. Thanks for sowing the seed of encouragement!!!
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Our God is an awesome God. We all at one time or another need some encouragement and it’s amazing that we do with so much we have to be thankful for. I have been asking myself why do we need so much encouragement!!!! Each and everytime I am challenged with yet another dilemma and think I just can’t take anymore….. How much more Lord do I have to bear is always the question that comes to my mind, but how blessed we are to wake up just one more day when someone else didn’t. That although we complain when we drive and are stuck in traffic, there’s someone that doesn’t have a car. I need more money to do some of the things I want to do, when there’s someone who is unable to pay a bill that is due or even food to eat…….I used to grumble and complain when I went shopping and couldn’t find a parking space close enough. Why? when there is someone who doesn’t have legs to walk. We have so much to be thankful for as a child of God but we still need encouragement. It’s funny but also so sad. Holy Spirit help us………..Thanks Matt for the encouragement we do need it from time to time but why?
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hey matt i was typing something just know on this subject..but i accidentally erased it…so (you could say i am struggling with the computer). Anyway struggling to find answers to the test in life….to know the answer so we may do what is right……sometimes we come to places where we cant truly answer ….which way to go
I have even said prayers from time to time…..”God I am going this direction, if its wrong please i ask you to stop me…I dont want to fail you”.
struggle to find answers…..God has been working on me today with this…….
What if the struggle wasnt actually the test….but life and the living of it was?? What if sometimes the answer was just taking those things God has taught us….and walking forward…..the only right answer…is using the experiences of God…..by the leadership of His Spirit…that would make those times when answers just dont seem to fit and put a different light on them
We get so wrapped up in the doing of those hard questions we may forget living life with God as our guide, book, teacher, companion, friend, father….is the only true answer He seeks
I am extremely tired and if i am rambling i reserve the right to deny all I have typed….be blessed
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Praise God For Your Obedience of God’s Word Brother Matthew~
It Is not My Will,But The Will Of My Heavenly Father That We Must Go Thru Those Test And Trials for God To Make Us Into The Warrior For His Kingdom~
I Want All What The Lord Has For Me But In His Time,But We Must Go Thru The Fire Gold isnt Finished And Polished or Refined Because If Taken Out To Soon The Shine Wont Be as Great And You Must Start Over,So Dont Ask The Lord To Take You Out Ask Him To Take You Thru,For Pain Endureth For A Night But Joy Cometh In The Morning~
Be Blessed
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Wonderful words of encouragement. Truly this is something we all have to learn “secret of being content in any and every situation”. This is so profound if only we can come to a full understanding of its application. THanks for sharing.
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the struggle continues, and we must continue to reach out for each other and lift each other up. It is always nice to stop by Matt’s Place here to get a WORD. thanks Matt
peace~love~kayak
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WOW! That came through LOUD and CLEAR. Thanks, Matt for being a river and not a pond.
Isn’t it exciting to be involved in His work?!
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Always love to come here and hear the word. Such encouragement. A great well thought out post, and spirit led. Thanks for sharing Matt. God bless you and yours. Wanda
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