What to Do When Trouble Comes Your Way
By Kenneth W. Hagin
It’s been said there are only two things in life that are certain: death and taxes. I believe that
“Trouble” can also be added to this list. Trouble is something that visits everyone—young and old, rich and poor. It does not matter your background or where you reside. If you live very long on this earth, one day trouble will knock on your door.
I believe you must deal with trouble both naturally and spiritually whenever it raises its ugly head. Let’s first look at some natural ways of dealing with trouble.
Natural Ways Out:
Number One: Get Rid of All of Your Excuses
It’s easy to put the blame on others. You’ve probably heard someone say, “It’s not my fault; it’s So-and-so’s fault.” But if you made the decision to do or not do something, then the blame should rest squarely on your shoulders. Stop making excuses for why you can’t be a success in life. Instead, start putting action to your dreams. If God is for you, who can be against you? You and God make a successful team!
Number Two: Don’t Look Back; Your Answer Is Not Behind You
You cannot change the past; it’s history. If the answers to your problems were behind you, you wouldn’t be where you are now. You can’t change your yesterdays. But you can change your future. Your tomorrows can be changed because your answer is in front of you.
Number Three: Quit Comparing Yourself to Others
Comparing yourself to others will eat you up like a cancer. When God gave you dreams and plans for the future, He knew exactly who you were. He knew your shortcomings, and He knew where you could excel. Quit comparing yourself to others. It only hinders you from turning your dreams into realities.
Number Four: Don’t Second-Guess Yourself; Make a Decision and Live With It
Many years ago, I received some good advice: “When making a decision, look at all of the issues and then make a decision you can live with.” People often make decisions based on emotions. Then, they later realize their decisions are impossible to live with. Take the necessary time to analyze a situation. Once you make a decision, stick with it.
People often make decisions based on emotions. Then, they later realize their decisions are impossible to live with.
Number Five: Learn to Say ‘I Don’t Know’
You can’t know everything, and you can’t be everything to everyone. It’s okay to say, “I don’t know.” Don’t allow yourself to become intimidated if you don’t know the answer to someone’s question. If you don’t know something, just say so. Then tell the person you will find out and get back with him or her.
Number r Six: Know Your Own Limits
Have a realistic evaluation of your abilities. Too many people believe they can accomplish tasks beyond their natural capabilities. You can’t expect more out of yourself than you have the ability to achieve.
The library and the Internet, however, are places where you can get more knowledge on any subject. After studying in a certain area, then you will have the ability and confidence to accomplish what was once beyond your abilities.
Number Seven: Give Clear Communication
No matter who you are talking to, clear communication is essential. We get into a lot of trouble—in relationships and on the job—just from a lack of clear communication. People aren’t mind readers, and a lot of misunderstandings can be avoided by making sure the other person understands what you are saying.
We’ve studied seven ways to deal with trouble in the natural realm. Now, we’ll take a look at how we can tackle trouble through the spiritual realm. I have often said, “When the natural and the supernatural come together, they make an explosive force for God.” When we come at a situation from both sides, we are sure to see changes.
Spiritual Ways Out:
Number One: Remember That God Is With You and Wants to Help You
In Psalm 91:15, the Lord says, “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him.” This verse does not say that God will only be with you in the good times. No. He will be with you in trouble—and He will deliver you out of trouble!
Number Two: Resist Fear
Fear is never liberating. It is only incapacitating. And fear hinders the supernatural from working for you. No matter how dire or impossible your situation may seem, you never have to fear when God is on your side. Find scriptures that deal with fear and those that promise freedom from fear and peace. Meditate on those scriptures, reading them and confessing them out loud whenever fear tries to come upon you.
Number Three: Realize That God Always Has a Way Out
First Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape. . . .”
The Apostle Paul is letting you know that God will not allow you to go through tests and trials beyond what you can bear. And when you experience tribulation, God will always provide a way out. Instead of focusing on the problem, train your eyes to look for the way out!
Number Four: Always Maintain a Good Attitude
James admonishes Christians to. .count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations” (James 1:2). By doing this, you maintain a proper spiritual attitude. Too many people have what I call “stinking attitudes.” That is because they only complain and cry about the adversity they are facing instead of doing something about it.
Saying things like, “I don’t understand why I’m going through this,” won’t change your situation. But when you “count it all joy” in spite of what you are experiencing attitude of faith. And faith is what will change your situation.
Number Five: Walk in Love
The only commandment Jesus gave to believers was the commandment of love (John 13:34). And the way to fulfill this commandment is outlined in First Corinthians chapter 13. If you will be a faithful doer of the verses in First Corinthians 13, you will automatically eliminate a lot of adversity in your life.
Number Six: Use Your Faith
Use your faith to move mountain-sized trouble from your life (Mark 11:23). To move any kind of mountain, you must believe in your heart that the Word of God is able to change what looks unchangeable. This is done by believing the Word instead of what you see or feel. Scripture has to be the highest and final authority in your life.
Number Seven: Maintain the Proper Confession
Some people constantly talk about their troubles. But doing this does not help your faith. In fact, a negative tongue will get you in trouble. We’re told to “. . . hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised)” (Heb. 10:23). When we remember that the One Who promised is faithful to bring those promises to pass, we are better able to watch our tongue and speak more about the promises than we do about the problems.
As you follow the steps I have outlined, realize that people in your life might try to put pressure on you. They might try to pull you away from the Word of God. But you must be strong and stand your ground.
Psalm 34:17 says, “The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” This is God’s promise to you. He is faithful to perform His Word, and He is faithful to perform His Word in your life.
When I was in grade school, my first grade teacher, Miss Finley, always used to tell our class, “Don’t ever say you can’t do something. The words can’t do, do not exist in this class. If you really want to do something, you will always, find a way to do it.”
How true her words are. I’m sure you can look at your life and remember a time when you really wanted to do something. And even though your dream seemed impossible at the time, because you wanted it so badly, you found away to accomplish it.
You are able to achieve success when you believe you are able to achieve it. Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.”
A scripture that needs to be indelibly stamped in your spirit Philippians 4:13, which says, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength’ (NIV). Each time you find yourself in a challenging situation and people around you are saying you can’t do something, respond back to them with this verse.
If you hold firm to your faith and stand your ground against the devil, God will make the crooked way straight. He will make the valley come up, and He will bring the mountains down low so that you can walk on level ground (Isa. 40:4; Luke 3:5). The Lord will break down the gates of bronze and cut through the bars of iron that stand between you and what He’s called you to do (Isa. 452). But you must first believe that, you can do anything you set your heart to do through Him who gives you strength.
From, “Word of faith Magazine”/ Page 4-6, By Kenneth W. Hagin
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