Bad Things Happen To Good People

Bad Things Happen To Bad Things Happen To Good PeopleGood People

Good Things Happen To Good Things Happen To Bad People!Bad People!

The god of this worldThe god of this worldIn the valley of temptationIn the valley of temptation

In the valley of deathIn the valley of deathIn the valley of despairIn the valley of despair

The plains of CompromiseThe plains of CompromiseFeel we are forsakenFeel we are forsaken

Mountaintop of Mountaintop of GloryGlory

Hebrews 12:22-28Hebrews 12:22-28Colossians 1:13Colossians 1:13

1 Corinthians 15:24-281 Corinthians 15:24-28Whatever life throws Whatever life throws at us, we Can Stand at us, we Can Stand

Victorious on the Victorious on the Mountaintop of GloryMountaintop of Glory

““If God is for If God is for us, who can us, who can be against be against

us?”us?”Romans 8:31Romans 8:31

Cannot Separate us From The Cannot Separate us From The Love of Christ – Romans 8:35Love of Christ – Romans 8:35

TribulatioTribulationn

DistressDistress

Persecutio

Persecutionn

FamineFamine

Nakedness

Nakedness

PerilPeril

SwordSword

Death, Life, Angels, Death, Life, Angels, Principalities, Principalities,

Powers, Things Powers, Things Present, To Come, Present, To Come, Height, Depth, Any Height, Depth, Any

Created ThingsCreated Things

None able to

None able to

separate us from

separate us from

the Love of God

the Love of God

which is In Christ

which is In Christ

Jesus Our Lord!

Jesus Our Lord!

What What Does It Does It

Mean To Mean To BeBe

??

““We are pre-eminently We are pre-eminently conquerors.”conquerors.”

““we not only conquer in we not only conquer in spite of them; we spite of them; we

conquer all the more conquer all the more because of them.” because of them.”

Romans 5:3Romans 5:3Lit. “keep on being Lit. “keep on being conquerors to a greater conquerors to a greater

degree.”degree.”

James 1:2-4James 1:2-4•““the testing of your faith the testing of your faith

produces patience”produces patience”• Patience = Staying Patience = Staying

PowerPower• Testing = ProofTesting = Proof

• Romans 5:3,4Romans 5:3,4• James 1:12James 1:12

Difference Between Difference Between Viewpoint of God & Viewpoint of God &

MenMenThe World, Persecutors & The World, Persecutors &

Oppressors Seen as ConquerorsOppressors Seen as ConquerorsGod, Oppressed & Persecuted are God, Oppressed & Persecuted are

Viewed as ConquerorsViewed as ConquerorsServants of Him Who said, “Be of Servants of Him Who said, “Be of

good cheer, I have overcome the good cheer, I have overcome the world.”world.”

How is the Christian How is the Christian Victorious?Victorious?

•Death is Swallowed up in Death is Swallowed up in Victory-Victory-

–1 Corinthians 15:54-571 Corinthians 15:54-57–““God Who gives us the God Who gives us the Victory Through our Lord Victory Through our Lord

Jesus Christ.”Jesus Christ.”–Revelation 1:18; Hebrews Revelation 1:18; Hebrews

2:152:15

How is the Christian How is the Christian Victorious?Victorious?

•Victory That Has Victory That Has Overcome The WorldOvercome The World

–1 John 5:41 John 5:4–Jude 3; Acts 6:7Jude 3; Acts 6:7–1 John 5:1,2,51 John 5:1,2,5–John 16:33John 16:33

How is the Christian How is the Christian Victorious?Victorious?

• 1 John 4:3,41 John 4:3,4– ““He Who is in you is He Who is in you is greater than he who is greater than he who is

in the world.”in the world.”•Either Overcome The Either Overcome The World OR Be Overcome World OR Be Overcome

By The WorldBy The World

John 16:33John 16:33““in the world you will have in the world you will have tribulation; but be of good tribulation; but be of good

cheer, cheer, I have cheer, cheer, I have overcome the world.”overcome the world.”

Whatever the World throws Whatever the World throws at us, we can Still Have at us, we can Still Have

Peace & Be Of Good CheerPeace & Be Of Good Cheer

1 Peter 5:71 Peter 5:7““cast all your care upon cast all your care upon

Him, for He cares for Him, for He cares for you.”you.”

Psalm 37:25Psalm 37:251 Corinthians 10:131 Corinthians 10:13How can we claim How can we claim

VICTORYVICTORY when at times when at times it seems we are WORSE it seems we are WORSE OFF than the most OFF than the most UNGODLY in the world?UNGODLY in the world?

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11Ecclesiastes 2:1-11• ““all is vanity”all is vanity”

• Job 10:3; Ecclesiastes Job 10:3; Ecclesiastes 9:1,29:1,2

2 Corinthians 4:172 Corinthians 4:17• ““light affliction”light affliction”

• ““but for a moment”but for a moment”• ““far more exceeding & far more exceeding & eternal weight of glory.”eternal weight of glory.”

What is this Eternal What is this Eternal Weight of Glory?Weight of Glory?

Romans 8:18Romans 8:181 Peter 5:101 Peter 5:10Called Us To Called Us To

Eternal Glory By Eternal Glory By Christ JesusChrist Jesus

SufferingSufferingServes to:Serves to:Perfect - put all parts Perfect - put all parts

in right relationin right relationEstablish-God keeping Establish-God keeping

them firmthem firmStrengthen- God Strengthen- God

giving strengthgiving strengthSettle us- found on Settle us- found on

firm foundationfirm foundation

More Than More Than ConquerorsConquerorsWith Little LossWith Little Loss - the - the dross gold loses in dross gold loses in the furnace - a body the furnace - a body of the earthof the earth

With Great GainWith Great Gain - - glory, honor, peace glory, honor, peace & an unfading crown & an unfading crown of Righteousnessof Righteousness

No External Force Can No External Force Can Separate Us From The Separate Us From The

Love of God Which is In Love of God Which is In Christ JesusChrist Jesus

We Can Choose to We Can Choose to Separate Ourselves Separate Ourselves

When We Turn a Deaf When We Turn a Deaf Ear to GOD & Refuse Ear to GOD & Refuse

to Obey His Will!to Obey His Will!2 Thessalonians 1:7-92 Thessalonians 1:7-9

No True Victory No True Victory Without Christ!Without Christ!

With Christ We With Christ We Can Stand Tall on Can Stand Tall on The Mountaintop The Mountaintop

of Glory-of Glory-Declared to be Declared to be

MORE THAN MORE THAN CONQURORSCONQURORS