LORD, SET THINGS RIGHT FOR ME

Introduction

I am glad to worship with you today. I think today is making it two consecutive times I have been in this church for change of pulpit. I pray that our Lord will richly bless you, in Jesus’ name, amen.

Today, I want to begin by asking you questions. How are you faring in your Christian faith? Are you working hard for the growth of the kingdom of God? In your family, are things working normal? Are things working the way you want them? Is there any progress? Or are you still struggling, suffering and over laboring to eke out a living? Your children, how are they faring? Are they still struggling too? The truth is if you have done your best and no success, something is wrong some where.

No matter the years you have been in your marriage, or in your parents’ family struggling, the good news is that the Lord will set things right for you. “For I am ready to set things right, not in the distant future, but right now! Isaiah 46:13 NLT. That marriage that is not working in the plans of God, the Lord says he will set it right. That family enemies have shattered, the Lord says he will set it right. That body sickness has devastated, the Lord says he will set it right.

1. The town of Jericho had pleasant surroundings, but the water was so bad, and the land was unproductive. This shows that something is wrong in the land because nothing is working out. Instead of the people to enjoy good things as the town is with pleasant surroundings, they weep, and suffer. And they remained in this problem until they encounter a man of God. Why things are not working well is because we don’t position our lives in the way of the Lord. We have never encountered Jesus Christ in our lives, and we don’t take our problems seriously to Jesus in prayers. When the people of Jericho met the man of God, and complained of their problems, (“We have a problem, my Lord,” they told him. “This town is located in pleasant surroundings, as you can see. But the water is bad, and the land is unproductive.” 2 Kings 2:19), Elisha revised the situation and God set things right for them. Do you believe that God is ready now to set free from life challenges? It seems that nothing is working well with you. Do you feel as though you are struggling under the weight of life’s challenges? As the psalmist wrote, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all.” It seems that nothing is working well in your life. At your age, you have nothing to show for your years of toil and labor. The years that have passed you by thus far have been marked by struggle, strife, and sorrow. You look around and wonder, who will help me in these difficult times? All others seem distant and unable to lift you from your troubles. But hear me now, children of God – the same Lord who revived the dreadful water of Jericho is at work setting things right even for you in this very moment. The scripture says that God makes all things new. From this day forward, may the things that have not worked well in your life begin to work well according to God’s perfect plan and purpose. May the Lord breathe new life into your career, your business endeavors, your marriage, and your financial situation. The God who parted the Red Sea and rained manna from heaven in the wilderness has not forgotten you in your need. Lift your eyes to the hills, where your help comes from. The Lord is ready now to set you free from life’s challenges and restore all that the locusts have eaten. Place your trust fully in Him, and watch Him work mighty wonders on your behalf.
2. The passage, Nehemiah 1 verse 3 tells of a difficult time in the history of God’s chosen people, after they had returned to their homeland of Judah from decades of exile in Babylon. The scripture says that the Jews who returned complained to Nehemiah, saying “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace.” What a sorrowful lament! After so many years away from their homeland, forced to live as strangers in a foreign land, these people of God had hoped to find rest and renewal in their native soil once more. But instead, they found only trouble and disgrace. The walls of mighty Jerusalem, once a symbol of God’s protective care for his people, had been torn down – leaving the city vulnerable on every side. Even the gates, meant to stand as bastions of security and refuge, had been destroyed by the ravages of flame. No wonder these returned exiles mourned that “things are not going well”! Without walls or gates, they had no defense against enemies who would do them harm. How their plight reminds us that even in times of restoration, the people of God often face difficulties and trials. Returning to God does not guarantee an easy path or the absence of trouble. But take heart – for as long as the Eternal One is with us, no enemy can ultimately triumph over us. May we learn from Nehemiah’s example to pray for God’s strength and guidance, that he would rebuild what has been destroyed and restore our joy even in times of distress.

Our Problems – Why We Are Still Suffering

Here, I want to point out about our problems and why we continue to struggle with pain, hardship and sickness. While the Lord desires for us to walk in health, prosperity and abundant life, there are reasons why we have yet to experience the fullness of what Christ died to provide.

The first thing I must address is our failure to carry our problems to Jesus in prayer. Our Lord has called us to cast all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us. Yet how often do we neglect prayer and communion with God when challenges arise? We see in scripture that Jabez cried out to the Lord to bless and enlarge his territory. Through prayer, Jabez received favor from God. Likewise, Daniel was a man of prayer. He did not cease praying, even when forces of darkness sought to prevent his petitions from reaching heaven. And it was through prayer that the angel of the Lord came and strengthened Daniel.

My brothers and sisters, we must follow their example and take our problems to the throne of grace through prayer. But prayer requires time – time that we too often spend on other activities and distractions. When pressures come, do we run to pray or do we rely upon our own understanding? The time we are meant to pray, we waste in business dealings or idle chatter with friends. We must reorder our priorities to make prayer our first response, not our last resort.

A second issue is a lack of faith in God’s ability to take over our problems. The scriptures are filled with stories of those who were healed because of their faith. The woman with the issue of blood was made well when she believed that if she could just touch Jesus’ garment, she would be made whole. And blind Bartimaeus’ sight was restored because he cried out to Jesus, believing He had power to heal him. My brothers and sisters, do we have such believing faith in Christ? Or do we doubt His willingness and ability to work on our behalf? We will not see breakthrough until we fully trust in Him.

Finally, I must point to living in sin as another reason for ongoing struggle. Sin separates us from God and leaves openings for the enemy. If we are living disobedient lives, how can we expect God’s blessings and freedom from bondage? We must repent from sin and turn wholly to walking in His ways.

In closing, I encourage you to reflect on these things. Examine your life of prayer, your level of faith, and if any areas of sin still hold you in captivity. Then cry out to Jesus, the great deliverer, to help you remedy these issues through His Spirit. It is only by drawing near to Him that we will find the answers and help we so desperately need. May God bless you as you seek to apply these truths.