Desperate Situations
God is faithful and will always deliver His children from desperate situations, even if it takes time and trust in His methods.
Charles E. Cowman preaches about God's miraculous deliverance in the darkest hours, citing examples from the Bible such as Peter's chains falling off in prison, Paul and Silas being freed by an earthquake, and Joseph's rise from prison to premiership. He emphasizes God's faithfulness to His promises, His resourcefulness in difficult situations, and the importance of trusting His timing and methods even in desperate circumstances.
Text
"The angel of the Lord came upon him (Peter) and a light shined in the prison; and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off" (Acts 12:7).
"And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God. . . . And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and every one's bands were loosed" (Acts 16:25, 26).
This is God's way. In the darkest hours of the night, His tread draws near across the billows. As the day of execution is breaking, the angel comes to Peter's cell. When the scaffold for Mordecai is complete, the royal sleeplessness leads to a reaction in favor of the favored race.
Ah, soul, it may have to come to the worst with thee ere thou art delivered; but thou wilt be delivered! God may keep thee waiting, but he will ever be mindful of His covenant, and will appear to fulfill His inviolable Word. --F. B. Meyer
There's a simplicity about God in working out His plans, yet a resourcefulness equal to any difficulty, and an unswerving faithfulness to His trusting child, and an unforgetting steadiness in holding to His purpose. Through a fellow-prisoner, then a dream, He lifts Joseph from a prison to a premiership. And the length of stay in the prison prevents dizziness in the premier. It's safe to trust God's methods and to go by His clock. --S. D. Gordon
Providence hath a thousand keys to open a thousand sundry doors for the deliverance of His own, when it is even come to a desperate case. Let us be faithful; and care for our own part which is to suffer for Him, and lay Christ's part on Himself, and leave it there.--George MacDonald
Difficulty is the very atmosphere of miracle--it is miracle in its first stage. If it is to be a great miracle, the condition is not difficulty but impossibility.
The clinging hand of His child makes a desperate situation a delight to Him.
Sermon Outline
- God's Deliverance in Desperate Situations
- God's Resourcefulness in Overcoming Obstacles
- Faithfulness and Trust in God's Deliverance
- The Importance of Suffering for Christ
- Leaving Our Part to God
- Trust in God's Methods
Key Quotes
“Difficulty is the very atmosphere of miracle--it is miracle in its first stage.” — Charles E. Cowman
“The clinging hand of His child makes a desperate situation a delight to Him.” — Charles E. Cowman
“It's safe to trust God's methods and to go by His clock.” — Charles E. Cowman
Application Points
- We must learn to trust God's methods and timing, even when it seems impossible or difficult.
- Faithfulness in the face of adversity is essential for our spiritual growth and development.
- Suffering for Christ is a necessary part of our faith journey, and it allows us to grow closer to God.