What is a crisis?
A time of great disagreement, confusion, experiencing a time of great difficulty, danger, or suffering.
- When we go through a crisis, the devil will come alongside us.
Satan’s primary purpose is to tempt us to doubt God. Satan’s supreme goal is to get us to disobey God, to destroy our fellowship with God, and to steal our destiny & blessings.
During a crisis we will be tempted to give up and doubt the integrity of God’s Word. It’s a time when we become confused, frustrated, irritable, and angry… we move from thoughts of faith to thoughts of doubt.
Satan’s Strategies
- Satan lies, and is the father of lies. John 8:44 (ESV) You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
- Satan steals the word of God out of people’s hearts and leads them into unbelieve.
Mark 4:15 Living Bible (TLB) The hard pathway, where some of the seed fell, represents the hard hearts of some of those who hear God’s message; Satan comes at once to try to make them forget it.
- Satan accuses us.
Revelation 12:10 (ESV) “for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.”
Satan Will Not Win
1 John 3:8b (ESV) “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
Colossians 2:15 (BSB) “And having disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
Resist the Devil!
1Peter 5:8 (CEV) “Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack”
1 Peter 5:9 (ESV) Resist him, firm in your faith,
Ephesians 4:27 (ESV) “and give no opportunity to the devil”
How to you defeat Satan?
Fully trusted the Word of God. We cannot afford to respond with fear, doubt, worry, and unbelief…because when we do it only gives Satan a foothold in our lives. As we speak the Word over our situations and circumstances, and affirm the truth over and over again, it will ultimately settle peacefully in our souls, thus renewing our confidence that everything is truly working for our good and for God’s glory
Yvonne Carson says, “When we experience God’s peace our enemy is completely dumbfounded; it silences him; he simply can’t understand how we can praise and worship God in the midst of trial and difficulty.
The only way to resist the devil is with God’s Word — you fight lies with truth.
- A crisis is a place where God is.
Going through hard times may seem like a low point in life, but God will use these times to build our trust in Him. Trials strengthen our faith. James put it this way:
James 1:2-3 “When troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.”
Hosea 2:14-20 (NLT) “But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. 15 I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope.”
Psalm 107:28 (NLT) “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. 29 He calmed the storm to a whisper and stilled the waves. 30 What a blessing was that stillness as he brought them safely into harbor! 31 Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. 32 Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation and before the leaders of the nation.
Psalm 34:19 (ESV)- The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
- When you find yourself in a crisis “accept the fact” that you are in a crisis
By accepting the fact that we in a crisis, it gives you the ability to do something about it. Denial is a sign of fear and ignorance of our crisis. The only way that you are going to get through a crisis is to work through it. Make a list of the this you can control if any, and start working on it. When we do the natural, God will do the supernatural.
James 2:18-23 (NKJV)
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was [e]accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.
- Focus on the goodness of God.
When you in a crisis, focus on the goodness of God. The more you focus on the goodness of God the smaller your crisis becomes. Remember God is greater than any crisis you may have.
Nahum 1:7 “The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him.”
Psalm 34:8 “O taste and see that the LORD is good; How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!”
Psalm 100:5 “For the LORD is good; His loving kindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.”
1 Chronicles 16:11-12 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows,”.
Ps. 31:19-20 says, “How great is Your goodness that You have stored up for those who fear You, and accomplished in the sight of everyone for those who take refuge in You. You hide them in the protection of Your presence; You conceal them in a shelter from the schemes of men, from quarrelsome tongues.” God has great goodness stored up for you. Take your refuge in Him. Rest there. He is up to more than you know, and has hidden help that only comes when you give it up to Him.