God Likes Challenges (1)

**fennywest** Sat 29 May 2010, 11:59 am

Ac:9:1: And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

Ac:9:2: And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

Ac:9:3: And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

Ac:9:4: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

Ac:9:5: And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Ac:9:6: And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.

Ac:9:7: And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man.

Ac:9:8: And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.

Ac:9:9: And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.

Those who oppose God’s people
Should know they oppose God;
And those who oppose God,
Will certainly bite the dust.

Paul was bold breathing out violence
Murder, causing havoc against the church
But each opposition brought him closer to God
Until the day he bowed the knee. Acts9

Pharaoh wanted to enslave the Jews
Disobeyed the Word: ‘Let my people go!’
He was adamant: ‘I won’t let go!’
Until God taught him a lesson he’ll never forget. Ex.3

Nebuchadnezzar built an image of gold
Commanded even God’s children to worship
They refuse and were thrown into a fiery furnace.
God sent His Son to protect them
The fire worked for them, loosed their bonds.
The king’s decree was reversed
Because he had to eat his words. Dan. 3
Those who opposed the children of God lost.
They all had to bow the knee to God.

Belshazzar brazenly desecrated the vessels
He saw the worst of his nightmares:
A finger writing on the wall,
‘Thou art weighed and found wanting’. Dan.5:25

Daniel’s detractors conspired against him
Determined to ruin his reputation
Snuff out his light for theirs to shine
God delivered Daniel from the lion’s den
But those who opposed him were fed to the lions. Dan.6

Elijah’s fame pervaded the whole land
So the prophet of Baal were in opposition
There was a contest to know which God is real.
The Living God won and they were slaughtered. 1Kings18

Joseph had a dream- a vision from God,
But his brothers rose up against the dream
Slavery and imprisonment were also in opposition.
But it was all a set up for a lift up.
Gen37,39,41

Wicked Harman plotted against the Jews
He connived to wipe them out one day
He built gallows to hang Mordecai
He was forced to honour Mordecai
But he and his sons were hung on those gallows. Esther4,5,6,8,9

Nebuchadnezzar thought he was invincible
King of kings, all-knowing, all-powerful
He boasted about his kingdom and power
God reduced him to an animal until he came back to his senses. Dan4:19-37

Therefore those who oppose the redeemed need to watch out.
All they do is reach out to touch the apple of God’s eye.
He is sovereign and has the last word
In the end, only His will will prevail and assail.

De:32:10: He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

Re:1:8: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Re:21:6: And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

Re:22:13: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.