Turn it Around — Triumphant
Beyond a shadow of any doubt regardless of what you go through, regardless of how many hardships or problems, God is able to see you through whatever you face. In John 16:33 Jesus said, “In this life, you will have trials, frustrations, hardships, and distress. But be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.” God wants to lead you into a life of triumph. To accomplish that, God will turn what the devil meant for evil into good for you.
2 Corinthians 2:14 NKJVNow thanks be to God Who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
Just before Jesus ascended back to the Father, He told believers they would receive power to be His witnesses. This would happen when the Holy Spirit came upon them. Shortly after the Holy Spirit fell on them, this letter was written to the Corinthians about this triumphant life. It was written to believers who were facing all kinds of trials and tests in life.
There is a particular quality of life that diffuses the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ in every place.
This is the quality of life in Christ that God has planned for us. The Apostle Paul was showing how God is going to lead us into this triumph in Christ. In his testimony, Paul disclosed the weakness of his flesh and the struggles he faced in life. It is interesting that he freely spoke of those things. Most of us have stories to tell of the weaknesses and struggles we have faced in life. Just before this verse, Paul said: “I had no rest in my spirit.”
How can we live in triumph in Christ and face all of these kinds of issues?
Have you ever got low in spirit?
This is what Paul was saying. He spoke about it in several of his epistles. In 2 Corinthians 7:6, he said he was downcast. In 2 Corinthians 7:13, he needed comforting. In 2 Timothy 4:10, he was forsaken by fellow workers.
We are looking at the secret to a life of triumph in Christ that does not depend on our circumstances or situations.
We see this happening throughout the Bible. Whenever you face difficulties, God can turn it around and give you triumph. It is amazing to watch God bring His people into triumph.
- He brought Noah through the flood when everyone else drowned.
- He accomplished His plan in Joseph and his family.
- He brought Moses through the Red Sea but Egypt’s armies were destroyed.
- He brought Daniel through the lion’s den and the three Hebrew boys through the fiery furnace. What looked like certain death and defeat could not touch them.
God always leads us in triumph in Christ.
Pay attention to how God turns things around into triumph.
When the world was ready to be destroyed, ‘Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD’ Genesis 6:8
The words ‘Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD’ are full of help and power for his life. Noah’s story illustrates how God leads us into triumph in difficult times. In Genesis 6, the extent of human wickedness was so great that they only thought or imagined evil continually. God said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever,” and he was sorry He had ever made them and put them on earth. You know things are bad when God is so grieved that He is ready to destroy what He made.
Genesis 6:8 — “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”
Consider how God made a difference in the circumstances in Noah’s life.
Look at the circumstances he faced everyday of his life.
How did Noah live a triumphant life in the middle of his circumstances?
Most people want to make a difference in life but they are just tired of all of the things they are facing. Sometimes our situations are so intense that we feel we cannot come out of them in triumph.
Have you ever felt like you were just barely holding on?
Sometimes circumstances make us feel like we are blessed to just exist. Deep down you are drained and have no rest in your spirit. You may even feel surprised that you survived another day. Have you said: “I think I can make it if nothing else happens?” As sure as you say that, something else happens.
How did God turn things around for Noah?
Consider what Noah had to confront.
Everyday he faced challenges from his circumstances. Everyone was against what Noah was trying to do. He had no peers to encourage him. He was alone with His God. He had to learn to stand on his own.
From Noah, we learn four things that help us turn it around into triumph.
First, difficult circumstances can be turned around by being true to God’s Word.
Can you imagine what it would be like if everyone you dealt with was only evil? The malignant growth of evil was widespread and unchecked. Everyone around him had inward, continual, and habitual sin. They were so utterly corrupt that their imagination was only evil. Imagination means creativity, ingenuity, resourcefulness.
Noah was different from everyone else in the world.
He was like a light in a dark world. The world hated Noah because he was different and they constantly harassed him.
How could Noah handle the pressure?
This seems to be more than one individual could handle. Many people find it hard to live for God in this world. It appears that our world is getting darker every day. We all still know many people who fully and freely serve God.
Noah was able to turn it around into triumph because he listened to God and obeyed His Word.
Noah was true to God’s Word. He was not forced to do this, he still had options. He could have turned against God, but he chose to listen to and obey God’s Word. He wanted what God wanted. It seemed unimportant to him that he was the only one that was listening to God.
He was willing to enjoy the privileges and accept the responsibilities of following God.
For almost 120 years no one but Noah listened to God’s Word. Noah continued to believe God and do the right thing.
If you want to turn your circumstances around into triumph, you need to listen to God’s Word and do it.
Second, you can turn difficult circumstances around into triumph by following God’s lead.
After Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, he was given instructions on how to build and equip the ark.
Genesis 6:22 “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”
Noah was triumphant in difficult circumstances because he obeyed the Lord and did everything just as God commanded.
It still pays to trust and obey God’s Word!
In Luke 6:46 NKJV Jesus said: “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?
When your task gets long and your spirit is weary, do you ever want to quit?
Noah faced constant ridicule and criticism from everyone around him. Do you think Noah ever wanted to quit?
Nothing can bring you as much joy as being exactly in the center of God’s plan for your life.
You can have constant joy even when the circumstances of your life do not change. Nothing can compare with being right with God. Noah was able to maintain a triumphant attitude. He had heard from God and was ready to do what God said.
If you want to have a triumphant life in difficult circumstances, you must follow God’s leadership.
Third, you turn it around into triumph by looking past the negative circumstances and seeing God.
Many people have trouble trusting God because all they can see is their circumstances.
It is not that they see too much… they see too little.
Noah had the capacity to see God.
He knew God was on his side and was working to make him triumphant. God was doing something wonderful in his life. He heard God and was not going to give up what He said.
You need to know that God is always working in your life.
In your darkest moments, God is working. When we can’t see or hear Him, God is still working. When your days are long and dark, God is still working. When your days are happy and filled with joy, God is still working.
Elisha’s servant had difficulty with this when the days were evil.
All he could see was the King of Syria and his huge army. In 2 Kings 6:15, everything looked bad and he said, “Oh, my lord, what shall we do?” Have you been through a dark time when everything looked bad and you said, “What shall we do?”
How could Elisha be calm in the midst of the conflict?
2 Kings 6:16-17 NKJV He said, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
And Elisha prayed, and said, “Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
When all you can see is trouble, can you believe that God is involved in your circumstances?
Have you ever seen the handiwork of God in your life? God has not failed you now. He is still here in your life in the middle of your circumstances.
Noah was convinced that “God is for me and will give me triumph.”
1 John 4:4 NKJV You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
Can you see God in your circumstances?
Do you think everyone in the Bible felt like they were going to be strong enough to do their assignment?
Sometimes they felt alone in their circumstance. They had more against them than for them.
If you feel that way, you need to put your trust in God.
When circumstances challenge you, put your trust in God. God is able to turn it around and make you more than a conqueror. He knows how to make you triumph.
What is going on in your life? Are you threatened by your circumstances? Has evil become too strong all around you?
When you don’t know what to do, turn it over to Jesus. He knows how to turn it around and bring you into triumph.
The Bible says, “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”
God’s grace was sufficient to get Noah through and out of a terrible situation. Noah turned His life over to the God Who was able to keep Him. God told Noah that his labors were going to bring safety to him and his family. God had prepared a future and a hope for Noah.
That same grace and help is available to you.
God’s grace is sufficient for you and He can bring you out. He has the answer for your heavy spirit. God can turn things around in your life. He can change circumstances in your family. He can change your health.
2 Chronicles 7:14 NIVIf my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
God is telling us to hear His Word and obey it. If you follow God’s lead, He will turn things around and bring you into triumph.
Get your eyes off your circumstances and look to God for your help. This is why we are going to pray. We believe God will intervene. We believe His grace is sufficient. We believe He is able to do it.
By His grace and power God will turn it around and make you triumphant.
