Trust in the Lord God During Temptation and Tribulation

By Archdeacon Habib Guirgus

Do not be defeated or give in to a trial or temptation feeling that the enemy overpowered you, as long as you are with God, God will be with you for He subdued the power of the devil and conquered his authority.

If the enemy appears to be a fierce lion and an offensive 'hero', he is such for those who are cowards and weak and are not opposing him, and those who do not have refuge in the Lord during their struggles.

The truth about the devil is that he is a despised dog, and a sneaky coward for those who do not listen to him, and have put their trust in the Lord, and put their hope in Christ and His hope.

The devil cannot attack us by his trials unless we bring it upon ourselves. He acts as an advisor only, and we carry it out, but as we oppose him and fight back, he flees, leaving us fast. When he came to the Savior as a 'Tempter', he told the Lord to 'throw Himself' but the Lord defeated him saying; "You shall not tempt the Lord, your God" (Matthew 4:7).

Following in the Lord Jesus' footsteps will guarantee you victory, so the devil cannot throw you from 'above'. Scold him and fight him courageously to defeat him, and trust that the Lord, Who is Omnipresent, is with you, watching you as you are struggling, so He may grant you victory over your enemies, and will send His angels to encompass you, so you will not fall or stumble.

If you believe and trust in that, you will be strengthened and stand firm, and your heart will be filled with courage, and come out of the arena victorious and conqueror; "for the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him" (II Chronicles 16:9).

"I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices" (Psalm 16:8, 9).

"But the Lord is with me as a might, awesome one. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten" (Jeremiah 20:11).

The Lord said to St. Paul; "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness" (II Corinthians 12:9, 10). "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

The Lord said; "I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by their arms; but they did not know that I healed them. I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love, and I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck. I stopped and fed them" (Hosea 11:3, 4).

"The Lord your God, who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and the wilderness where you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a man carries his son, in all the way that you went" (Deuteronomy 1:30, 31).

"He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of the eye" (Deuteronomy 32:10).

"It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places. For you have armed me with strength for the battle. You have subdued under me those who rose against me" (Psalm 18:32-33, 39).

"We will rejoice in your salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners! Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They have bowed down and fallen; but we have risen and stand upright" (Psalm 20:5, 7, 8).

"Our help is in the name of the Lord, Who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 124:8).

"He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint" (Isaiah 40:29-31).

The Lord says to you; "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you for I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior" (Isaiah 43:1-3).

"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear or be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6).

"I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron" (Isaiah 45:2).

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Behold, all those who were incensed against you shall be ashamed and disgraced; they shall be as nothing, and those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them-those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing. For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you: Fear not, I will help you" (Isaiah 41:10-13).

Trust in the Lord, always, and do not be shaken, for the Mighty is with you, and shall not leave you. By nature, you are weak, but when the right hand of God supports you, you become an unshaken pillar of brass, unconquerable. And when the grace of God visits you, you will be able to tread on serpents by your feet.

The One Who saved Daniel from the lion's den, and preserved the three young men from the furnace of fire, and protected Jonah in the whale's belly, can protect you and save you.

"Who will rise up against the evildoers? Who will stand up against the workers of iniquity? Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul would soon have settled in silence. If I say; 'My foot slips', Your mercy, O Lord, will hold me up. In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul" (Psalm 94:16-19).