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Maintaining Right Focus Flourishing in Times of Famine

Maintaining Right Focus Flourishing in Times of Famine “ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Romans 8:35. There are right and wrong responses to crisis.

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Maintaining Right Focus Flourishing in Times of Famine

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  1. Maintaining Right Focus Flourishing in Times of Famine “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Romans 8:35

  2. There are right and wrong responses to crisis. • The wrong response is fear. • Fear can lead to…  • Worry • Anxiety • Panic • Self-preservation

  3. I Peter 5:6-7, NLT • “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.”

  4. Isaiah 41:10 • “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.”

  5. Psalm 37:3 “Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.” Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

  6. Maintaining Right Focus • We are not to focus on the winds and the waves. • We are not to focus on the size of the giants. • We are not to focus on our own smallness or weakness. • We are not to focus on the lies of the enemy.

  7. We are to focus on the strength and the greatness of God (Jer. 32:17, 27). • Jeremiah 32:17“Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.”

  8. Psalm 107:28-31, NIV“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.”

  9. We are to focus on our relationship with God. • Hosea 5:15“I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.” • We are to focus on the unchanging promises of God.

  10. Provision  • Jeremiah 17:7-8“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.”

  11. Philippians 4:19“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” • Protection  • Psalm 32:7, NIV“You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.”

  12. Psalm 91:14-16“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”

  13. Supernatural Help  • Psalm 46:1-7“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea…

  14. …3 though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. 4 There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. 5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn…

  15. …6 The nations raged, the kingdoms were moved; He uttered His voice, the earth melted. 7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.”

  16. His presence (Deut. 31:6) • Deuteronomy 31:6“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

  17. We are to focus on the basics. • Spiritual Basics: • Prayer • The Word • Fellowship • First Love Relationship to God

  18. Financial Basics: • Hard work • Wise buying • Sales resistance • Minimal debt

  19. We are to focus on our relationship to God’s people.  • II Corinthians 8:13-15“Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, as it is written…

  20. He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.” • Tighten our relationships in the Body of Christ. • Seek wisdom and counsel from our brethren. • Continue to stay closely tied into the local church in active service. • Be willing to open our hand to those who are in need.

  21. We are to focus on the eternal rather than the temporary. • II Corinthians 4:16-18“Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory…

  22. …while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” • Romans 8:28“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

  23. We are to focus on what we have, not on what we do not have. • Hebrews 13:5-6“Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say: The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

  24. Thirteen Biblical Marks of Prosperity: • Having godly offspring (Gen. 32:12). • Having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:11-13). • Meeting godly goals in life (Ezra 6:14; Ps. 20:4). • Experiencing rest from personal enemies (II Chr. 14:7b). • Having favor and high esteem before God and man (Pro. 3:3-4).

  25. Having good friendships (Eccl. 4:7-12, NLT). • Being free from bondages that enslave (Rom. 8:21; Gal. 5:1). • Knowing a deep inner peace and rest in the spirit (Pro. 3:2; 17:1; Ps. 29:11). • Having physical health and strength (III John 2). • Having an abundance of material goods (Deut. 28:1-14). • Having respect from those who know you (Pro.11:16 NIV).

  26. Having a long, enjoyable and satisfying life (Ps. 91:14-16; Pro. 10:27). • Having personal security for the future (I John 2:16-17).

  27. We are to focus on generosity rather than hoarding. • Proverbs 11:24-26, NIV“One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper, he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell.”

  28. II Corinthians 9:6“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” • We are to focus on expansion rather than retention. • We are to focus on believing prayers.

  29. Ephesians 3:20-21“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”

  30. Believing prayer believes God for miraculous provision in famine. • Philippians 4:19-20, NIV “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

  31. Genesis 26:1-3, 12-13“Now there was a famine in the land -besides the earlier famine of Abraham’s time - and Isaac went to Abimelech king of the Philistines in Gerar. 2 The LORD appeared to Isaac and said: Do not go down to Egypt; live in the land where I tell you to live. 3 Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you…

  32. …For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham… 12 Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. 13 The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy.”

  33. Believing prayer believes God for wisdom to make decisions in famine. • James 1:5-6, NIV“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”

  34. Believing prayer believes God for direction and guidance. • Proverbs 3:5-6, NLT“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.”

  35. Believing prayer believes God for new doors of opportunity. • Colossians 4:2-4“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”

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