TEXT:
2 SAM 9:1-13
TOPIC:
MY STRUGGLE HAS ENDED (FULL)
The lesson is broken into five sections
viz:
Background to the study
Meanings
Forewords
Why Christian struggle
My struggle has ended how?
Background
Jonathan
loved David as himself this led to the bonding of their souls (this can be best
described as God at work because it would not have been possible for David to
survive in the palace without this bonding) 1 Sam 18:1 says and it came to pass when he had made an end of speaking
unto Saul that the Saul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David and
Jonathan loved him as his own soul. This led to a covenant stated at least
two times 1 Sam 20:16-17 & 1 Sam
18:1.
God
reminded David of this and he yielded and was used of God to bring Mephiboseth
and his lineage out of struggle. May God send men to us and send us to men to
end all struggles in Jesus Mighty name.
Henry’s
commentary of the bible divided this chapter (our text) into three namely:
Verses
1-4 enquiry
Verses
5-8 reception
Verses
9-13 provision.
Foreword
·
All being has a struggle of one form or
the other
·
Not all struggle are from God or godly.
Meanings
Struggle
according to oxford advanced learners dictionary eight edition (international
students’ version) verb means the following (a) to fight against
somebody/something (b) to try very hard to do something.
Why Christian struggle
These amongst
other reasons are why Christians struggle/suffer:
Ø For
Gods glory: John 9:3 says Jesus answered neither hath this man sinned nor his
parents but that the works of God should be made manifest.
This man had been blind since birth and had not been
able to do anything by himself and the all-knowing God said this is for the
glory of God, we can go through unpalatable things because of the glory of God.
Mephiboseth was going through a whole lot which negates his royalty status but
the end of the story awesomely brings glory to God as unveiled in our text.
Ø To mature us:
we learn more from: failure than success, sickness than from good health, and
times of scarcity than plenty. (Maturity
is not learnt in school but by experience(s) and encounters. Gbenga Aluko) We
grow through what we go through anonymous. Romans 5:3-4 More than that, we rejoice in
our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance produces character,
and character produces hope. James 1:2-3 says count it all joy, my brothers,
when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your
faith produces steadfastness.
Ø Our ignorance/slackness/Sin:
God did not package or create us (man) for struggle but sin did but thank God
for Jesus. Romans 5:12 says wherefore as
by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon
all men for that all have sinned.
Ignorance is one of the most dangerous
and neglected weapon of the devil against us in this generation Hosea 4:6a my people are destroyed for lack
of knowledge.
Luke 18:38-40 tells of a blind man who was blind but
got the information that Jesus is passing cried with a loud voice even after
being cautioned he cried the more and got his sight via his doggedness and
resilience he caught the mercy, there is a dimension of being alert, determined
and decided backed up with concrete steps required to stem some struggling.
Sin is a source of most struggles in life
Ø To make us seek God:
it is natural that when a child comes in contact with something beyond him/her,
he/she naturally comes to the father/mother/guardian, the children of Israel
would always remember God in their different travails and struggle. Exodus 3:7 says And the Lord said, I have
surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their
cry by reason of their taskmaster for I know their sorrows. .At times God permits struggle to get our
attention or get us to focus and seek him.
Ø It’s a requirement for success:
“The way up is down” there is usually a period of struggle preceding real,
godly and lasting success. Success isn’t picked on the floor it is worked for
and worked out and the period for work may be termed as a period of struggle.
Even Jesus while on earth did not break this principle, Phil 2:8-9 says and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.9.Wherefore God
also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name.
Ø Not in the place God intends :
when one is occupying a place outside of God ordained programme for our life
struggle is a sure event, Isaac’s world famous fruitfulness easily quoted by
all in Gen 26:12 which says then Isaac
sowed in that land and received in the same year an hundredfold and the Lord blessed him
was made possible as a result of the direction received and followed earlier in
the same chapter Gen 26:2 And the Lord appeared unto him and said go not down into Egypt
dwell in the land which I will tell thee of. God created us, knows and sees
all things just like He created fish and placed them in water any other
environment will make fish suffer and eventually die. Same applies to us May we
be teachable for God in Jesus name.
Ø Lack of depth/spiritual insight/eyes:
being human with limitations and thresholds, at times we allow our situation,
experiences, expectations among other parameter becloud our senses, at other
times our limitations as human may make us not see what is supposed to aid our
success or some things that are needed for us to soar are just beyond us. It
took the intervention of God for Hagar’s son not to have died of thirst when
there is water around the spot where the son would have died. Gen 21:19 says And God opened her eyes and
she saw a well of water and she went and filled the bottle with water and gave
the lad drink.
My struggle has ended how?
v Struggles /sufferings are but for a
moment: 1 Pet 1:6, 1 Cor 4:17 says our light affliction/heaviness through
manifold temptations is only permitted for a season. (Paraphrased).when
a child of God goes through any issue it is just for a moment and that moment
is expired now in Jesus name. Amen.
v Because God answers prayers: God
always has good thoughts towards his people (Jer 29:11) even when going through
a struggle or suffering, Isaiah 43:2
says when thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the
rivers they shall not overflow thee when thou walkest through the fire thou
shall not be burned neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Most time he waits for us to cooperate with
His thought and eternal plan in the place of prayer to bring to reality His
glorious and lofty plans. Jer 29:12 says
then ye shall call upon me and ye shall go and pray unto me and I will hearken
unto you.
v He bore our sufferings: Prophet
Isaiah saw the vision clearly Jesus bore all our maladies Isaiah 53:4 which
says surely he hath borne our griefs,
and carried our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and
afflicted. He bore all our curses hence
Gal 3; 13, we are to experience bliss the better part of our lives as Christ
has fully paid the price.
v Because God says so: God
your and my maker sent me to tell you that your suffering /struggle is over in
Jesus mighty name Amen .This is however in consonance with His word Is 3:10
which says say to the righteous that it
shall be well with him for he shall eat the fruit of their doings. The God
who created the heaven and the earth sent me to tell you and myself that our
struggle is over in Jesus mighty name.
SHALOM.
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