1. The Way It Is

2. First law: He is God, and we are not. Second law: God doesn’t need us, but we desperately need Him. Third law: What God demands, He supplies. Fourth law: What you seek, you find. Fifth law: Active faith releases God’s power. Sixth law: There is no growth without struggle. The Way It Is

3. The Way It Is: There is No Growth Without Struggle John 16:33 – “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

4. The Way It Is: There is No Growth Without Struggle What is my struggle? Galatians 5:17 – “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: And these are contrary the one to the other: So that ye cannot do the things that ye would.”

5. What is my struggle? The flesh vs. The Spirit - We are engaged in spiritual warfare! II Corinthians 10:4 The flesh and the Spirit are opposite. Gal. 5:17 The conflict between the flesh and the Spirit is continual and inevitable. Hebrews 3:13 This conflict produces different desires in the believer. Matthew 26:41 The Way It Is: There is No Growth Without Struggle

6. What is my struggle? With the mouth we curse God and bless God. James 3:10 With the same heart we hate people and love people. I John 4:20 With the same hands we steal and serve. Jer. 7:9 With the same mouth we lie to our friends, we proclaim Christ. James 1:26 The Way It Is: There is No Growth Without Struggle

7. Why Am I Struggling? Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” The Way It Is: There is No Growth Without Struggle

8. Why Am I Struggling? What is God trying to do when He allows me to struggle? Purify our hearts – Isaiah 1:16 Test our faith – II Corinthians 13:5 Humble us – I Chronicles 16:11 Prepare us to minister to others – Phil. 2:3,4

9. How am I to respond in my struggles? Remind yourself of the promises of God. Isaiah 62:6 Search for opportunities to be thankful. Col. 3:17 Refuse to give in to bitterness to God or others. Ephesians 4:31 Choose to believe God. Psalm 119:30 The Way It Is: There is No Growth Without Struggle

10. How am I to respond in my struggles? Philippians 3:13 – “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.” Law of spiritual progress: “I can’t go back, I can’t stay here, I must go forward!” The Way It Is: There is No Growth Without Struggle

11. Four principles that help us think clearly about our struggles: 1)Because we live in a fallen world, bad things happen to all of us. Job 14:1 2)We have no control over many things that happen to us or to those around us. Proverbs 19:21 The Way It Is: There is No Growth Without Struggle

12. Four principles that help us think clearly about our struggles: 3) We do have complete control over how we respond to those things. Proverbs 12:16 4) Our response to our trials largely determines our spiritual growth—or lack thereof. Romans 5:3,4

13. The Way It Is: There is No Growth Without Struggle What Should I Do? Pray: Seek God’s face and listen for His voice. Stay: Wait, be patient, don’t rush God, and refuse to run away. II Peter 3:18 – “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”