Encouragement

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Righteousness is a message that is preached by few in this present age. Even a large percentage of the few that preach it, I can say, preach it wrongly.
I have overheard many people talk of righteousness as the pointer to a problem-free life. But my reservation is that is there really a problem-free life?
Before I expatiate my point here, let me quickly bring to your notice that there has never been and will never be a life free of afflictions.
It is quite necessary and compulsory that you must be righteous. In fact, it is one of the two things Jesus prioritize for everyone. The Bible says, seek first the kingdom of God, and his RIGHTEOUSNESS..... Righteousness is a seed that when it grows in anyone's life, such will enjoy the plenitude of God in all ramifications. When righteousness gets its space in one's life, mercy and grace are very much certain.

However, as important and useful righteousness could be to everyone, may I let you know that it doesn't drive away afflictions from one's life.

Psalms 34:19 says;
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the LORD delivers him out of them all.

This particular scripture says that, many are the afflictions of the righteous.
I would like us to note few things about this bible verse.
Firstly, it says many, and I will like to lay emphasis on that. Many...it's not one or few. That tells us that the afflictions are innumerable. They are plenteous. And I want to inform you that that is exactly how it is. The afflictions of life are not few, they are many. The challenges of life are uncountable.
Secondly, I would also like you to note that these afflictions are not for the ungodly as you might want to think. No. It is for the "righteous"!
Therefore, don't have it in mind that the righteous have no problems.
Isaiah 43:2 says;
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.

God did not say " when you're about to..", He says when you pass through waters....
This simply means you are going to pass through waters of life, you're going to pass through the rivers of life, and definitely you are going to walk through fire.
Don't let anyone decieve you with sugarcoated words. Do you remember the three Hebrews in Babylon? Have you ever thought of it that God could have saved them before they were thrown into that fire at all? Yes, He had the power to have made them escape before they were thrown into the fire, but He allowed them to be thrown there. Were they ungodly? They were very much righteous, courageous, and vibrant for Him, yet He allowed them to pass through fire.
Job, another example, is one of the few, if not the only one, God himself testified to as an upright man and a man without blemish, yet all what the righteous and upright Job went through was even far more than a fire to me. Have you read about what the chosen, anointed, holy ghost filled, passion and love for God driven disciples of Christ passed through?
Therefore, don't ever think that because you're righteous, you're free from afflictions. And don't think that because you're facing afflictions is a signal that you've missed God either. Though, at times, afflictions could come because of our evil ways, but it's not so all the time; the righteous are also afflicted.

The good news however, is that the LORD delivers the righteous from them all.
God is a merciful God, He will never forsake the righteous. The scripture says, He himself delivers him from all afflictions. Not one, not few, not some, He delivers him from ALL.
I may not know what you're are passing through today, I may not know the waters of life you're passing through or the fire you're walking through, but I know for sure that God is able to deliver His people. He promised that and He will never fail His promises.
No wonder, when the three Hebrew men passed through fire, He was with them and they never got burnt.
What is that affliction that is shaking you seriously and seems unsurmountable for you? One thing I would advice you is to keep calm, remain firm in faith and trust wholly in Him.
The Bible says those who trust in God are like mount Zion, they can never be moved. No problem or affliction can move you once your trust is in Him only. He has promised to deliver you, and He will surely do that.
However, if you're not upright with Him, you have a way out too. What I would advice you to do is to continously cry for mercy. May I let you know that God does not answer prayers based on our righteous deeds, but by His great mercy. So even the righteous needs mercy!
Mercy is all you need. Jesus has done the work on the cross. You can now approach the throne of grace with all boldness that you may obtain mercy and find grace.
God is able to deliver you, it's only your sin that is causing a barricade between you and God. It's your evil ways that is driving you away from where you can access his mercy and grace.
2Chronicles 7:14 says, if my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

God is always ready to forgive your sins and have mercy on you, but you have your part to play. You must humble yourself, you must acknowledge you're not right with him, you must pray and seek His face and finally turn away from your sins.

Will you humble yourself and cry for mercy now, that the Lord may deliver you from ALL your afflictions.
I pray as you humble yourself and approach Him, He will show you mercy and grace, and deliver you from all your afflictions in Jesus name.

You're blessed!

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