Victory over Adversity

Introduction

As we begin this book, we want to emphasize that most of this Introduction and all of the first two chapters are negative in nature. We believe that very difficult times are coming on the world and on the United States in particular. However, we want to explain now that this book is a book of victory that will encourage you. This book is not a book of gloom and doom.

You will learn facts from the holy Scriptures that will assure you that Jesus Christ has won a total, complete and absolute victory over the evil in the world. Believers must learn how to live in a world where evil is rampant and sometimes celebrated. You will learn from God's Word exactly what your Father has instructed you to do to walk in the victory that Jesus has won for you.

We want to put this positive explanation at the beginning of this book so that you can keep this in mind as you read all of the negative information in the remainder of this Introduction and the first two chapters. We must define the problem so that you can decide for yourself whether you also believe that difficult times will be coming upon us, if they are not already here by the time you read this book.

We believe that a problem well defined is half solved. You must know what problems you face before you can solve these problems. We hope that you will read the first two chapters thoughtfully and carefully to decide for yourself whether you agree that difficult times are coming.

We believe that we live in the last days before Jesus Christ returns. In the first chapter we will comment on several passages of Scripture that warn you to prepare for the end times. In the second chapter we will present many facts pertaining to the world today to help you decide whether you should be preparing now to face severe adversity in the future.

The Bible is God’s love letter to His children. We want to emphasize that you cannot understand the scriptural principles in this book if you have not received Jesus Christ as your Savior. If Jesus Christ is not your Savior, we recommend that you turn now to the Appendix at the end of this book.

In this Appendix you will see many facts from the Bible that will tell you exactly why you need to receive eternal salvation through Jesus Christ. You also will read many verses of Scripture that explain why you will be able to understand the scriptural contents of this book after receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior when you could not understand these scriptural principles before receiving Jesus.

Coping with adversity during your life on earth is important, but anything you will face on earth pales into insignificance in comparison with the importance of where you will go when you die. Many people focus primarily on the seventy, eighty or ninety years that they expect to live on earth and pay little or no attention to where they will live throughout eternity. Every person on earth will live throughout eternity in the splendor of heaven or the horror of hell. You decide where you will live eternally.

We pray that you will understand your vital need to receive eternal salvation through Jesus Christ and that you will receive Him as your Savior based on the scriptural facts in the Appendix. We pray that you will use your newly found ability to understand the Bible to carefully study and meditate on the scriptural facts in this book that explain the victory Jesus Christ has won for you.

We pray that you will learn and obey the specific instructions God has given to you that will enable you to cope with adversity. We pray that your faith in God will increase steadily so that you will be absolutely certain that your Father will do exactly what He promises to do in the numerous scriptural promises that are contained in this book.

We want to emphasize now that we purposely have used a great deal of repetition in this book. God is our example in every area of life. God uses massive repetition throughout the Bible. God uses repetition for the purpose of emphasis. We have used repetition for the same purpose.

We choose to provide many verses of Scripture that explain the same truth. Our desire is to connect you with your Father, God, through His Word, the Bible. We will present to you hundreds of specific instructions and promises from your Father that will show you exactly what you should do to cope with adversity.

We recommend that you read this book with a highlighter or a pen. Highlight or underline scriptural facts that are meaningful to you. Write notes in the margins and at the top and bottom of pages pertaining to information that you want to retain.

You will see the phrase please highlight or underline used many times throughout this book. We use this phrase to recommend key words from whatever passage of Scripture we are studying.

When you decide to highlight or underline the words that we recommend (and to write notes in the margins), you will be prepared for Scripture meditation. God has instructed you to study the Bible daily (see II Corinthians 4:6 and Ephesians 4:22-24). God also has instructed you to meditate day and night on His Word (see Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:2-3).

You will study Scripture as you read this book and highlight or underline the words from many passages of Scripture. You then will be prepared to meditate on these passages of Scripture by utilizing the highlighting and underlining or any notes that you write.

By highlighting or underlining and making notes as you read, you will tailor-make this book for yourself. You will be able to focus on exactly what you must focus on to prepare to cope with any adversity that you will ever face based upon specific instructions from the Bible.

Chapter 1

What Does the Bible Say about the Last Days?

Many Christians believe that we live in the last days before Jesus Christ returns to earth. If you agree that our generation does live in the final days before the return of Jesus Christ, you should give careful thought to the following verse of Scripture. …in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. (II Timothy 3:1 amp)

Please highlight or underline the words perilous times of great stress and trouble in this verse of Scripture. The generation that lives in the last days before Jesus Christ returns will experience tremendous stress and great trouble. The amplification in this verse of Scripture says that these difficult times will be hard to deal with and hard to bear.

Many people will be overwhelmed by the severity of the problems that will occur during the last days before Jesus returns. Jesus said, …upon the earth [there will be] distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity [without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn]… (Luke 21:25 amp)

Jesus said that people will be bewildered and perplexed in the last days before He returns. They will not know how to cope with the tremendous changes that will take place in the world. Please highlight or underline the amplification in this verse of Scripture that speaks of people being without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn.

If this amplification is accurate, many people will be financially destitute. They will not know what to do or which way to turn when worldly sources of security that they had trusted in are no longer available.

We believe that many people will be devastated by the changes that will take place in the world. They will have no frame of reference to deal with anything of this magnitude. When Jesus explained what will happen during the last days before His return, He spoke of …men swooning away or expiring with fear and dread and apprehension and expectation of the things that are coming on the world… (Luke 21:26 amp)

Please highlight or underline the words swooning away or expiring in this verse of Scripture. These words mean that some people will faint and that some people actually will die because of their extreme fear, dread and apprehension about what is happening in the world and what they are afraid will happen in the future.

You have just read some very sobering words from the holy Scriptures. When Jesus was asked by His disciples what the world would be like during the last days before His return, He said, When you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away. Then he said to them: ‘Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. (Luke 21:9-11 niv)

Jesus spoke of the increase in war that will take place during the end times. World War II was fought between 1941-1946. The Korean Conflict took place from 1950 to 1953. American involvement in the war in Vietnam took place from 1963 to 1975.

Our generation was relatively free from war between the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 to the terrorist attacks that took place September 11, 2001. For almost thirty years, our generation did not experience war of any significance.

Isolated terrorist attacks in the 1990s gave an indication of what was coming. However, many Americans who were basking in prosperity virtually ignored the increase in terrorist attacks that mostly occurred in other countries.

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 caused great concern for all Americans. Church attendance increased tremendously for approximately three months after these attacks. However, by early 2002 church attendance had declined to approximately the same level where it was before September 11.

In 1998 US President Clinton ordered missile strikes against targets in Afghanistan in an effort to hit Osama bin Laden. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 apparently were in retaliation against the United States for those attacks.

In 2001 the United States invaded Afghanistan. The stated purpose of the invasion of Afghanistan was to capture Osama bin Ladin, to destroy Al-Qaeda and to remove the Taliban regime. This war in Afghanistan has since expanded to Iraq. At the time this book is written, there are almost 250,000 American military personnel serving in the Middle East.

After many years that were relatively free of war, the United States has been engaged in warfare against terrorists for approximately ten years as this book is written. Many other parts of the world are experiencing increased warfare. Israel, Bosnia and other countries are experiencing civil war. The increase in war that Jesus spoke of is occurring.

Jesus also spoke about the powerful earthquakes that will occur during the final years before His return. The 2004 tsunami earthquake in Indonesia killed more than 230,000 people. Almost 70,000 people were killed by an earthquake in China in 2008. There is no question that the severity of earthquakes in recent years has been quite high.

Because the United States has not experienced a major earthquake for many years, many US citizens are relatively complacent because they have not had first hand experience with earthquakes. If an earthquake of the magnitude of the 2004 tsunami disaster or the 2008 earthquake in China occurred in the United States, the reaction would be overwhelming. The United States certainly could experience a severe earthquake on the California fault line or in other places that are prone to earthquakes.

With several large earthquakes occurring in the last decade, the earthquakes that Jesus spoke of seem to be taking place. Also, massive hurricanes have occurred in the United States in recent years. Hurricane Katrina caused enormous damage in New Orleans, Louisiana and surrounding areas in 2005. Several hurricanes since then have caused significant property damage and some loss of life.

Jesus also spoke of famine occurring in various places during the final years before His return. Famine is incomprehensible to many well-fed Americans. However, the fact is that more than 500 million people now are living in absolute poverty in Asian, African and Latin American countries.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Committee recently stated that 1 in 12 people worldwide is malnourished. Even though most Americans have no experience with famine, there is no question that famine is being experienced in the world today.

Even homeless people and people on welfare in the United States are fed much better than the more than 800 million people in the world today who go to bed hungry every night. Most Americans cannot comprehend how quickly famine could increase in many countries if successive droughts occur or if very cold winters or other weather-related conditions have a widespread effect on crops.

Please give careful thought to the following words that were written more than nineteen hundred years ago explaining exactly what people would be like during the last days before Jesus Christ returns. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. (II Timothy 3:2-4 niv)

We believe that these anointed words that were written long ago by the apostle Paul give an accurate description of many people today. Our generation has been referred to as the Me generation since the 1980s. There is no question that people on the whole are much more selfish and money-oriented than they were when your parents and grandparents were your age.

Paul spoke of people in the end times generation loving pleasure more than they love God. We live in a hedonistic society where the pursuit of pleasure is the primary goal of many people. Our generation gives tremendous honor to professional athletes, movie stars and other entertainers. The enormous financial income that these people receive is a clear indication of the distorted value system of our culture.

Many people in our generation are contemptuous of the teachings of the Bible. They are completely ignorant of the forthcoming return of Jesus Christ. When they hear someone say that we live in the last days before Jesus returns, they react with disdain. …you must know and understand this, that scoffers (mockers) will come in the last days with scoffing, [people who] walk after their own fleshly desires. (II Peter 3:3 amp)

Please highlight or underline the words people who walk after their own fleshly desires in the amplification of this verse of Scripture. All over the word today people are consumed with their selfish desires. These people have no concept whatsoever of what is taking place in the spiritual realm.

Many people who hear talk of our generation living in the last days before Jesus Christ returns take this talk lightly. They think that everything will continue just as it has been. They have blind faith in this respect. Their faith is in worldly systems, not in God.

The moral climate in our generation is similar to the moral climate that existed in Sodom, Gomorrah and other cities that God destroyed because of their wickedness. Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities located on the Dead Sea. God rained fire and brimstone from heaven on Sodom and Gomorrah as He destroyed these cities.

The following description of Sodom is similar to what II Timothy 3:24 says about the world in general and the United States in particular today. Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, overabundance of food, prosperous ease, and idleness were hers and her daughters'; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abominable offenses before Me; therefore I removed them when I saw it and I saw fit. (Ezekiel 16:49-50 amp)

God also reached the end of His patience with the world during the time when Noah lived. The moral climate in our generation is similar to the moral climate that existed before God destroyed mankind leaving only Noah, his family and a large number of animals to start over again. Jesus said, As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (Matthew 24:37-39 niv)

Many people today are primarily interested in eating, drinking and partying. They live very superficial lives that are primarily devoted to the pursuit of worldly pleasures. They have no concept whatsoever of what is coming upon the world.

We must understand that God’s judgment will come against the world. We do not know when God’s judgment will take place. The following words that God spoke through the angel Gabriel to the high priest Zechariah apply to us today. Only God knows when the full manifestation of the prophetic words concerning the last days will take place. …my words are of a kind which will be fulfilled in the appointed and proper time. (Luke 1:20 amp)

Out of all of the generations of people who have lived since the Bible was written, there is one generation that will be alive during the last days before Jesus Christ returns. We believe that our generation is this generation. Jesus said, …I say to you, this generation (the whole multitude of people living at that one time) positively will not perish or pass away before all these things take place. (Mark 13:30 amp)

Everything that you have been reading about will occur before Jesus returns. Your Father has given you specific instructions pertaining to the last days before the return of Jesus Christ. The holy Scriptures …were written to admonish and fit us for right action by good instruction, we in whose days the ages have reached their climax (their consummation and concluding period). (I Corinthians 10:11 amp)

Please highlight or underline the words we in whose days the ages have reached their climax in this verse of Scripture. These words refer to the generation that will live on earth during the last days before Jesus returns.

Your Father has provided good instruction for you during these last days. God will raise up many anointed preachers and teachers to guide our generation to the spiritual maturity that will be absolutely essential during these difficult times. God said, …I will give you [spiritual] shepherds after My own heart [in the final time], who will feed you with knowledge and understanding and judgment. (Jeremiah 3:15 amp)

At the same time that God will provide scriptural instruction, Satan will attempt to deceive many people in the world. …the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils (I Timothy 4:1 kjv)

We believe that the time is near when many people will pay a severe price if they have ignored the specific instructions God has provided. The Holy Spirit Who lives in the heart of each person who has received Jesus Christ as his or her Savior can and will guide all Christians during the difficult times that are coming. In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people… (Acts 2:17 niv)

You should not be discouraged by all of the negative facts we have explained at the beginning of this book. These facts have been provided to alert you to prepare for the difficult times that are coming or may already be here when you read this book. When you are in tribulation and all these things come upon you, in the latter days you will turn to the Lord your God and be obedient to His voice. For the Lord your God is a merciful God; He will not fail you or destroy you or forget the covenant of your fathers, which He swore to them. (Deuteronomy 4:30-31 amp)

Please highlight or underline the words turn to the Lord your God and be obedient to His voice in this passage of Scripture. If there ever was a time when people need to draw closer to God, the time is now.

You must learn and obey the specific instructions that God has given to you. You must learn and believe wholeheartedly in God’s promises. You must grow in your relationship with God. There is no other way to survive the difficult times that are coming.

Your Father is merciful. Please highlight or underline the words "He will not fail you or destroy you" in this verse of Scripture. Trust God completely to be with you throughout every minute of every hour of every day (see Genesis 28:15, Isaiah 43:2-3, Joshua 1:9 and Matthew 28:20). Know that God will help you when you face adversity (see Isaiah 41:13, Hebrews 4:16 and Hebrews 13:6).

Chapter 2

World Conditions That Give Cause for Concern

We would like to look again at a verse of Scripture that we used at the beginning of Chapter 1. This time we will focus even more on this verse from the perspective of exactly what is taking place in the world as this book is written. Jesus said, …upon the earth [there will be] distress (trouble and anguish) of nations in bewilderment and perplexity [without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn]… (Luke 21:25 amp)

Although other versions of the Bible do not specifically emphasize in this verse of Scripture that economic problems will be a concern in the last days before Jesus Christ returns, we once again suggest that you highlight or underline the words in the amplification of this verse of Scripture that say without resources, left wanting, embarrassed, in doubt, not knowing which way to turn.

These words were included by a group of scholars that spent more than twenty thousand hours writing The Amplified Bible. The words without resources and left wanting indicate that these scholars believe that economic concerns will be part of the problems people will face during the last days before Jesus Christ returns.

We are not trained economists. However, we will list several financial concerns that are occurring as this book is written. There is no question that the world, and particularly the United States, faces severe economic challenges at this time.

As we briefly explain the possible reasons for economic concerns, we want to point out that many of our comments apply to the United States where we live. Parts of this chapter will apply to the entire world. Some parts will apply only to the United States.

The economy of the United States has been fueled by borrowed money for many years. This practice does not conform to the instructions of God Who said, …keep out of debt. (Romans 13:8 amp)

The United States has been living far beyond its means. This country has the largest national debt in the history of the world. The United States also operates at an enormous annual deficit. Our country is far from having a balanced budget as this book is written. If individuals or businesses operated in this way, they would be headed for disaster.

As this book is written, the economy in the United States is in a recession. This recession originally was fueled by falling home prices and a massive number of mortgage foreclosures. Many of these foreclosures were caused by people borrowing money to buy real estate that they could not afford.

Many mortgage lenders lent money to people who should not have qualified for the loans they were given. The result of these loans has been that many mortgage payments were in default, many properties were foreclosed and many people owed much more on their homes than the property was worth.

In addition, many people have made home equity loans against their homes. Home equity loans have skyrocketed in recent years. Many people have refinanced their mortgages.

Selling real estate in the United States is very difficult at the time this book is written. Mortgage lenders have written off billions of dollars in uncollected loans. Loss of expected income from these mortgages has crippled many of these firms.

The United States government has taken unprecedented action to infuse money into the economy. Our government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars in an effort to bail out large financial firms that were on the brink of bankruptcy and to stimulate the economy.

Several large investment and lending firms have declared bankruptcy or been purchased at rock bottom prices by their competitors. Many major corporations are burdened with tremendous debt. Some banks have failed and many other banks are in poor financial condition.

The Dow Jones Average has dropped by almost 40% in one year as this book is written. More than eight trillion dollars of assets have been wiped out. Some people have lost 50% or more of their assets. Many of these people are in a state of panic.

Unemployment has risen by almost one million jobs in the last year. General Motors has announced plans to cut a large number of jobs and to stop production at several assembly plants. The major automobile dealers in the United States have received billions of dollars of bail-out money from the federal government. As this book is written, the incoming presidential administration and Congress reportedly are planning an enormous public stimulus package of up to one trillion dollars to get the economy moving again.

Will our economy turn around? We hope and pray that it will. The long term history of the stock market in the United States is a cause for optimism. Cycles in the stock market have occurred for many years. Periods of declining value in stocks always have been followed by periods of growth.

The average increase in the Standard & Poor 500 Index was over 11% during the last twenty years. During this period of time, the S&P Index dropped by at least 15% eighteen times. In every case the value of the market was increased within one year. Stock market optimists point out that the history of the stock market indicates that investors should not allow short term fluctuations to cause panic.

Once again, we want to emphasize that that we are students of the Bible, not trained economists. We do not know if our economy is about to fail or if it will turn around. We do know that economic conditions in the world today definitely are a potential problem. God could use economic problems as part of His judgment on the world.

In Chapter 1 we shared several passages of Scripture pertaining to God’s judgment on the world during the last days before Jesus Christ returns. In addition to the economy, there are other areas that could precipitate God’s judgment.

Many Christians believe that the moral decay in the United States will bring the judgment of God upon our country. The Amplified Bible version of II Timothy 3:3 says that