Supposedly, these words were written on a note tacked to a bulletin board at Khe Sanh, 1968. The US Marines that endured the hellish seventy-seven day siege at Khe Sanh during the Tet Offensive did so having gained an appreciation for life that few can understand. In a similar fashion, when we endure the seemingly impossible, we develop a new depth of relationship with Jesus that cannot be fully understood by others who have yet to journey those dark valleys. However, like the old Army Airborne saying, "There are two types of paratroopers - those who have hit the trees, and those who are going to hit the trees." - there are also two types of Christians. Those who have suffered unbearably, and those who will suffer unbearably. The good news is that God has a rescue for each of us.
When we are hurting and drowning in what appear to be hopeless circumstances we often despair because there seems to be no resolution, or the way out seems too daunting. Though we can resolve or endure many of life's challenges by simply being responsible or developing personal maturity, there are despairing situations that God does allow which are in fact, far beyond our ability to overcome. These hardships must never be confused with temptations. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle. However, these temptations ARE NOT the hardships and burdens that are far beyond our ability to resolve which God does indeed allow. Granted, sometimes these hardships are consequences of our failure to avoid temptation. Yet, regardless of the cause, we need more help than what our own devises can manufacture. The death of a loved one, loss of career, loss of dreams, divorce, permanent handicaps, falling into sin, or a long-term illness are all examples of circumstances that can create a burden that is beyond our ability to handle. The accompanying heartache and fear are mind numbing and strip us of our confidence in God's love. We lose our trust in Him, our hope and faith having been choked off. All that we have believed seems as empty promises. We become bewildered and are entirely unable to even know what to do, let alone actually be able to do something. Our relationship with the Lord is strained. Thus, we despair and the love of friends and family, though helpful, is negligible in gaining true relief. It is at this juncture that God has planned a rescue for us and this rescue will launch us to new heights.
Now at this point you need to start paying careful attention! This is life changing and requires that you receive the revelation of this rescue from the Scriptures referenced below. The revelation of this truth will engage your faith, then the application of your faith will produce the results God's Word declares.
Not all hardships are a result of sin in our life or failure on our part. Sadly, the majority of believers secretly harbor the notion that the wonderful life they enjoy is a natural result of their own righteousness. Therefore when others fall, or experience tragedy, those believers often discard or dismiss them as being apostate or at best, a weaker soul who has become a nuisance. However, notice that the Apostle Paul reveals that HE TOO experienced hardships that fostered a burden beyond what he could handle.
For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that, we were EXCESSIVELY (thrown beyond our ability) burdened beyond power so that we despaired even of life. Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, who DELIVERED (to rush and draw one to oneself, to rescue) us from so great a death, and does DELIVER us; in whom we trust that He will still DELIVER us.
2 Corinthians 1:8-10
Three points to be made here. 1) Paul suffered some trouble, the burden of which was beyond what he could handle - even to the point of despair where he saw death as the only resolution. Paul experienced this type of hardship so he could instruct us on how to be rescued when we go through similar things. 2) The word translated as "excessively" means to "throw beyond one's reach" or to "be beyond one's ability to handle". 3) "Delivered" and "deliver" are the same - they mean "to rush and DRAW UNTO ONESELF, to rescue".
Paul experienced a burden that was beyond what he could bear or resolve. God rescued him by rushing to draw Paul to Himself. Get revelation about this.
There is a supernatural rescue that God provides ONLY when we experience a burden or heartache that is beyond our ability to overcome! I must repeat this! There is a supernatural rescue that God provides ONLY when we experience a burden or heartache that is beyond our ability to overcome! Unless one actually experiences the depths of despair accompanying this type of overwhelming burden, one cannot truly see the need for this unique rescue offered by God. This knowledge alone has a very exciting and freeing quality to it! So, experiencing the hell of these hardships and their burdens is not failure on our part! This rescue is not merely a freeing from those burdens, but rather it is a rescue that frees us from them for the purpose of drawing us to Him. The result is a new depth of relationship with Him that is otherwise unattainable! This new depth in our relationship with Him is the solution and the goal! The hardship may not disappear immediately, but the new level of relationship with Him is so profound that a new power to effect change is now accessed, a new level of emotional healing is experienced, and a special anointing that truly breaks these awful yokes is released! Trust and hope in His Word are rekindled, heartache is soothed, and the joy of the Lord begins to brew deep within us. Peace returns. A damaged relationship with the Lord is repaired to a deeper and better level. We begin to see things as God sees them, and the hardships and pain that were so crippling are now temporal, the solution eternal.
But we have this treasure (the knowledge of the Glory of God) in earthen vessels, that the EXCELLENCE (thrown beyond our ability) of the power may be of God and not of us.
2 Corinthians 4:7
This "thrown beyond our ability" supernatural power surpasses any "thrown beyond our ability to overcome" burden or pain we may endure, and it is the ONLY solution. Knowledge of this supernatural rescue is the key to experiencing its liberating power! To receive it, we need only ask for it. But we do need to believe based on what His Word says. Let His Word deposit the faith needed to receive this healing power!
Too often we carry the blame for hardships that we encounter. If we are culpable, we need only ask for forgiveness and receive the cleansing He promises, 1 John 1:9. If we are not responsible, then we do not need to waste time worrying about it. Regardless, abandon the cause of the hardship and pursue the solution to the burden!
Life has some tough realities. Sometimes people die, marriages die, and dreams die. Sometimes we cannot pick up the pieces when the pieces do not fit anymore. Dead things cannot always be resurrected just because we want them to be restored. Personally, I have experienced a divorce, loss of a career, separation from my two older sons, financial ruin, destruction of my dreams, and the love of my life slowly rotting away for five long years before finally dying in my hands. Outside of that, the last ten years have been just delightful. The burden and heartache were beyond my ability to resolve. But then I found the rescue. I recognized the need for special power from God revealed in Scripture that specifically addressed my dilemma, believed in it, asked for it, and immediately began receiving its benefits. This is the rescue that Jenny saw. It sustained her during her awful ordeal and set her free before her body actually died. This is what she left for me and it is also available to all who see the need in themselves and respond to God's offer of rescue.
But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Jesus Christ, after you have suffered a while, perfect, strengthen, and establish you.
1 Peter 5:10
