At times we’ve all been discouraged along the way not realizing that something good was about to happen to us. Everything around us seemed to be all bad, and the journey getting worse. We forgot God’s promise in Romans 8:28: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

All things work together for your good if you’re walking in the divine will of God; but if you’re not in the divine will of God, you don’t have that promise. God longs for man to walk in His divine ways. He sent His Son who took on the form of flesh and became a man—the second Adam—to show us how to walk. We have eyes of clay, and yet through the Spirit of God we can see the things we need to see. We can walk and talk in the divine will of God; we can think in the divine will of God; we can have the thoughts of God as we yield totally to Him.

It’s a hard road people walk when they live in depression, when they’re persecuted. The Lord said, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10). Persecution for the sake of Christ is a blessing in disguise. Persecution will either drive you closer to God or take you away from Him. You won’t stand still; you’re going one way or the other: deeper with the Lord or back a few steps. Living close to God, you know that all things will work together for your good.

When you walk in God’s divine will, His promises will work for your good, will give you the heart of God for every persecution, for every trial. All things will work together for good, not for bad. But when your mind is taken up with the bad, you’re not thinking about God working things out for your good.

Talk to yourself when you’re being persecuted: It’s working for my good. I’m praying more; I’m fasting more; I’m in the Word of God more. I’m reaching out more for the promises of God, and the Lord, the divine blood, the power of God are becoming greater realities, so I know this is working for my good. I don’t know all the good coming out of it, but God does, and I put my trust in Him.

Trust the Lord with All Thine Heart

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Trust in the Lord with all your heart; take His understanding, not your own. If you trust that all things are working for your good, you won’t lean to your own understanding. By fully trusting this scripture you’ll be all right. Although the storm clouds can rage, you’re on the solid rock in the will of God without one grain of sand between you and your foundation in the Lord. That foundation can never be destroyed as long as you are rooted and grounded in the love of God, walking in the divine will of God. On the true foundation you can’t go down; you’re unsinkable. God’s truth is what I’m telling you, God’s truth.

What a blessing in disguise Christ was, that precious gift of love from Heaven! How many people realized that He was the Redeemer, the Savior, the cure for all sins, sicknesses, and distress of the world? He is wisdom and knowledge for every man, woman, boy and girl. Through Him we have the gate back into Eden. Who would have dreamed it—that little mite in the cradle was a great blessing in disguise for the whole world.

Recognize Jesus

Jesus didn’t come as a crowned king riding on a white horse. More people would have accepted Him had He come that way, but He was born of the virgin Mary and His lowly birth became a stumbling block to man. The divine Son of God with divine blood in His veins—no human blood—had come down. He would reveal Himself to those who would accept Him, and that revelation was marvelous. He was the disguised Christ.

In the beginning the disciples didn’t really know who Jesus was; they would doubt Him at times. They didn’t understand what a blessing He was to them, and they didn’t realize what He was going to do for them. The crucifixion, the resurrection, the Rapture were all unknowns to them. The baptism of the Holy Ghost, the third person of the Trinity of the Godhead living and dwelling in them, taking up His abode on the inside was in disguise; the great reality of what they had in Jesus Christ was hidden from them.

But one day suddenly He let Peter, James and John know who He was. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead (Matthew 17:1-9).

Jesus tried to lift the disguise; He tried to tell them who He was and what His coming meant. He said, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life (John 8:12). The bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst (John 6:33,35). But so many people looked at Jesus, seeing nothing that would set Him apart; He had hands, feet, eyes, ears and hair like they had; and so they didn’t receive Him. Many people today don’t recognize who Jesus is. And many people who have Jesus won’t accept all that He taught and all that He brought. To accept the whole Jesus you must accept the whole truth. Jesus came saying, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32).

Jesus gave the powerful Sermon on the Mount filled with the divine will of God for people to use from the cradle to the grave. Never has there been a greater sermon preached, I’m sure, than the Sermon on the Mount, a sermon that will live for all time and eternity. Every time you go back to that sermon you learn something new. I’ve learned much from the Sermon on the Mount, and I’ll never stop drawing from that well.

Lazarus Came Forth

People lose sight of the will of God. The two sisters of Lazarus thought it was the end when the death angel came for their brother. However, it was the will of the Lord for Jesus not to be there when Lazarus died. Several days before Jesus arrived, Lazarus was in the grave. Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. (It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.) Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was…and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him (John 11:1-6,11-15).

All things work together for good, but Mary and Martha couldn’t see that Lazarus’ death could be for theirs or anybody else’s good. They loved him; the three of them lived in the same home, and I’m sure he was their main support, maybe their only support. Now it was all gone. One sister could only think that Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died (John 11:21). But how wonderful to put everything in the will of God and let God work the way He wants.

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go (John 11:41-44). What an impact Lazarus’ resurrection from the dead made! It’s hard to tell how many souls have been won through Lazarus’ resurrection from the dead. I imagine every preacher who has ever preached has at one time or another preached about Lazarus.

All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord, and all things work together for God’s good, for God’s Kingdom, too. When things work for our good through the Lord, they work for His Kingdom, for souls, and for the plan of salvation that Jesus brought. All things work to help tell the whole world about this. Isn’t that marvelous!

Everything that happens to you is for a purpose when you walk in the divine will of God. No matter how the situation looks, no matter how tragic it might be, when you’re in His divine will God takes the situation and makes something good come out of it. He will work good out of it because it’s for your good; God said so. When you can’t see the good in what you’re going through, look to the promise; when you can’t see the good, look to Jesus whether you feel like it or not; just look.

And Zacchaeus Came Down

There was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way (Luke 19:2-4). Zacchaeus probably wondered why he was born so small, why he didn’t grow any taller. Everybody he stood next to was taller than he, even some of the children.

But had Zacchaeus been tall, he never would have climbed that tree to see Jesus. There was a purpose: Zacchaeus might have died without the Lord had he not been short. He would have just been like the rest of the crowd standing around and making no effort at all to reach Jesus. I wonder if he ever thought about the blessing of being short.

Zacchaeus put forth an effort to see Jesus; he had struggled to climb that tree, and he wanted to get something out of it. In the tree, he had a good view of Jesus, and Jesus had a good view of him. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully (Luke 19:5,6). What a thrilling command Zacchaeus heard! He came down that tree fast, making a confession: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house (Luke 19:8,9). When Jesus looked on him with those loving eyes, Zacchaeus didn’t feel short at all. Realizing that Jesus was going home with him must have made him feel ten feet tall.

God worked out good for Zacchaeus; we don’t know how many souls Zacchaeus won for the Lord, and I don’t know how many souls I’ve won for the Lord through him. I have preached many sermons down through the years on “Zacchaeus, Come Down!” Zacchaeus was a different man coming down that tree than he had been going up. Imagine how Zacchaeus felt walking with Jesus. He wasn’t thinking about being too short; he was just carried away with Jesus, so proud that Jesus was going home with him. Of all the people around there, the Lord had chosen him to go home with.

Zacchaeus may have been embarrassed about his height, but it had worked for his good. Whatever comes your way, if you’re a child of God walking in God’s divine will, God will work good out because He promised. We can’t see the good many times because we’re blinded with human eyesight. But then the Lord works and gives us understanding; we see through the eyes of God and decide that God did work it out.

Noah Was Set Apart

Some people think of Noah and his family only being in the ark and don’t consider what they had to go through for 120 years in building that ark. Could you for 120 years have kept the faith that all things work together for good? Why couldn’t that ark have been built in a shorter time? Why couldn’t it have been built in a hundred fewer years? Why did it take 120 years to build it?

How often did the Noah family feel discouraged and have to take another look at God? How many times did they have to pray about building such a large boat when there was no water in sight? God had given them unusual instructions, and following those instructions brought separation from everybody around them. Much dedication to God and cooperation with each other was required. The Noah family had to maintain unity and fellowship; they had to stick together. No one in the Noah family had a life of his or her own; everything they did centered around building the ark. The Lord even shut up the wombs of the women so they couldn’t give birth during those 120 years. They must have longed to have children, but they had to deny themselves completely of what some people call life. They were in the divine will of God, and they accepted it for better or for worse. Little did they know when they began to build the ark that it would take so long—what stressful times!

Books could have been written by the Noah family about their experiences. They could have told how they were shunned by everybody. Why were they shunned? Had they not been set apart from unbelievers, God could not have worked with them.

Many times the Lord has to separate you from certain people so that He can work good in your life, and many times He’s working for your good when you are not aware of it. The devil will torment you, make you think no one likes you. Sometimes it’s good not to be liked by some people; it’s better to stay away from them.

The Noah family had to be set apart from all the doubt and darkness of disobedience. God has a way of bringing His people out from the world. Separated from the rest of their family as well, the Noah family was all God could use, all God could work through. For 120 years only eight people on the whole face of the earth walked in the divine will of God, and through trials and hardship God worked for their good. Everything was for their good; every peg they drove in. As they worked and worked they must often have wondered how this could be for their good.

Did they have doubts that the ark would ever float? Never had they seen a boat that large, much less built one. Would there ever truly be enough rain to float the ark? They were human, and doubts would come. The devil was there to taunt the Noah family, to hinder them in every way; but they kept going. When they didn’t understand, they still worked on the ark. When they didn’t feel it in their hearts, they nevertheless were obedient to the plan of God.

God Doesn’t Take Responsibility for Everyone

Today you still will fight doubts and unbelief, fight against the powers of the devil. The plan of God for your life is in His holy plan book, the Bible; follow it and keep going deeper in the Lord; you can’t stop now. Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord…and I will receive you (II Corinthians 6:17). Serving God in total obedience, in His divine will, you find unexpected things working for your good.

However, if you’re not in the divine will of God many things won’t work for your good. Many people don’t have victory in the Lord because they don’t walk in the divine will of God, and God can’t take responsibility for them one hundred percent. God takes full responsibility only for those who walk in His divine will.

When you walk in the divine will of God you have nothing to fear, nothing to worry about. It doesn’t matter how you feel; feelings have nothing to do with it: The just shall live by faith (Romans 1:17). In the divine will you live by faith, and the Spirit lets you know good will come out of the chaos; good is coming out somewhere. Your situation may look hopeless, but on tomorrow God’s sunrise will come and you’ll see the good. The storm will pass and you’ll praise the Lord for being so good to you, for working everything out. You’re secure, sheltered in the arms of the Lord. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms (Deuteronomy 33:27). Being sheltered in the arms of the Lord is a glorious experience.

Noah Followed God’s Plan

I can see Noah’s sons and their wives in the ark asking Dad and Mom again and again if it really were going to rain: Do you think it actually will happen? Are you sure Dad? Are you positive that you have the plan just right?

Yes children, he would reply. I have the plan just right. The Lord met with me and gave it to me. It didn’t come through man; man had nothing to do with it.

For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (II Peter 1:21). Holy men of old wrote the Word of God as the Holy Ghost gave it to them. They put down exactly what God had to say to mankind, and we have the plan today. The Noah family had a plan from God, and they had to keep faith in that plan, had to encourage each other.

The Bible says to pray one for another (James 5:16). Bear ye one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). Although we are to carry our own burden, there also are certain burdens we have to share. We need to carry one another’s burdens, help people along the way, to encourage them, lift them up—that’s the will of the Lord. The Noah family’s separation, devotion, consecration and preparation brought them to the place they were ready to sail. Did things work for good for the people outside the ark? No. God worked good for those who were in His will.

I dare say not one other person outside the Noah family drove in a peg or helped cut down the timber for the ark; the Noah family had to do it all. God did not use hands that served the enemy to build the ark; He used hands that were His, hearts that belonged to Him, minds that had been turned over to Him, lives that had been given to Him and dedicated to His cause. And so the Noah family kept building, working. Although not one soul during that 120 years did they win for the Lord, they had to know this one thing: God had said build an ark, and He was working for their good. No matter what price they had to pay, no matter the cost, obedience to His divine will was for their good.

We must have the same obedience, for one day our Ark will sail, too: the Ark Christ Jesus. He will sail right through the air with the Bride on board. Won’t that be wonderful! She will be lifted up above all the storms of life forevermore—how great that’s going to be!

At last Noah’s ark was finished. For seven days of grace God gave people a chance to join Noah. God had showed His miracle power by putting all the animals in the ark. Of clean beasts, and of beasts that are not clean, and of fowls, and of every thing that creepeth upon the earth, There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah (Genesis 7:8,9). Noah didn’t have to chase around after the animals; God put them in the ark. The Spirit came upon them and that was the only place they could feel safe, the only place they felt like going—to the ark. The power of God brought it to pass.

God Filled the Meal Barrels

All things work together for good to them that love God. Everything was working for the good of Noah’s family. The meal barrels all were filled—the family had done what they could do—but it was going to be over a year before they would leave the ark. I doubt they knew how long their stay would be on the ark because they couldn’t possibly have put enough food on board for themselves and all those animals as well. It was God who kept the meal barrels filled.

We read in the Bible of other instances of miracles of supply. God multiplied the meal in a widow woman’s meal barrel. And she [the widow woman] went and did according to the saying of Elijah: and she, and he, and her house, did eat many days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Elijah (I Kings 17:15,16).

And then there’s the widow woman whose sons were going to be sold into slavery to pay her debts. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest (II Kings 4:2-7). She listened to the man of God when he told her to borrow empty pots. From only one pot of oil the Lord filled every empty pot she could find.

People don’t give God credit for His miraculous works. They try to figure out how all those animals could have gotten into the ark, how they all could have been placed. I don’t care where the elephants stood and I don’t care where the monkeys were. Some think the monkeys could have been on the elephants’ backs. For over a year? I don’t believe a word of it. God placed them in the ark; the ark did float, and that’s good enough for me. It worked for the Noah family and they didn’t drown. God’s divine faith was in a family in the divine will of God.

The storm finally hit, and what a deluge it was! In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights (Genesis 7:11,12). It was a devastating time, but the Noah family won; they won; they won! Why? Because they were in the divine will of God. They carried the message with them again and again that would be preached hundreds of years later: All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. They knew they were called to build that ark.

You must know you’re called to help get this Gospel to the world, called to build the Kingdom of the Lord in this final hour. You’re called, and it’s time to move. We’re taking this Gospel to the whole world knowing we’re in the divine will of God, knowing no matter how many trials, how many battles and temptations we have, that all things work together for good.

Delivered from Lions

O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me (Daniel 6:20-22). Oh Daniel, by going into the den of lions you proved that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord. It worked for your good, and you were stronger than ever. You became one great, shining blessing, and you’re a blessing yet today. In working good for you, God also worked good for others through you.

They Saw the Anguish in His Soul

Remember Joseph and all he went through. Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours. And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably unto him. And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him; And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt. And Judah said unto his brethren, What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content. Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit, and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt (Genesis 37:3,4,23-28).

How do you think Joseph felt? His very soul was in anguish as he begged his brothers not to do this terrible deed; but he had God with him, and God worked all things together for good for Joseph because he loved God. God had called him to Egypt for a purpose. Joseph realized he was on a mission. Not understanding all about it, not knowing what was going to happen, Joseph still had such a forgiving spirit that he later said to his brothers: I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt (Genesis 45:4-8).

Even when it looked as though everything was against him, Joseph knew that all things would work together for good. Whether he was lifted up or cast down into prison, God worked good out of it all. The Lord was getting him ready to sit next to Pharaoh. Without egotism, Joseph knew that God had placed him there, that he was in the divine will of God. Joseph loved God; and when you love God with all of your soul, mind and body, you know He loves you even more, and your trust is in Him.

Many things are blessings in disguise. Joseph’s life was a blessing in disguise. Had you known only that he was sold as a slave and imprisoned, would you have looked on his life as a blessing? How heartbreaking to have been separated from his father all those years! But through that separation he saved his father’s life and the lives of the whole family. From Joseph’s sufferings came blessings uncovered and no longer in disguise. There it was: the perfect plan of God. Joseph became the savior, the redeemer of his family, a type of Jesus saving the human race. Oh thank God for blessings in disguise!

God Sent an Angel

For spreading the Gospel of Christ with signs, wonders, miracles and healings, Peter was in prison knowing that Herod was about to take his life. Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: and the keepers before the door kept the prison. And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of his own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety, that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews (Acts 12:1-11).

All things work together for good to them that love God. It worked for Peter’s good and the good of the Church. What a blessing Peter was to the Church, and he is still a blessing today to the true Church.

He Saw the Heavens Open

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel (Acts 6:8-15).

Who could have seen good in Stephen’s being stoned to death? But God used Stephen’s death in an unbelievable way. Martyrs down through the ages have been inspired by his victorious death. A young man placed on the altar of sacrifice, Stephen saw Jesus at the right hand of the Father. So carried away with the glory of the Lord, he probably didn’t even feel the pain as he was being stoned to death. But he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep (Acts 7:55-60).

Stephen’s stoning had a profound effect on Saul. No doubt it was the beginning of his journey toward the Lord without his realizing it. Saul couldn’t forget that incredible scene of Stephen’s death.

God worked much good from Stephen’s martyrdom; untold thousands are in Heaven today because of Stephen’s life having been given in such a triumphant way. The blood of the martyrs became the seed of the Church; that’s how powerful their sacrifices were.

Stephen has been in Heaven around two thousand years; do you think he considers Heaven reward enough? It didn’t take him long to die; he didn’t linger and suffer. Many have thought God was cruel to let Stephen die, but it was a mighty blessing in disguise.

Thank God, no matter how grim things appear, we can know that somewhere in them is a blessing in disguise. What kind of blessing it will be we don’t know; but a blessing is coming, and we must wait for it with patience, courage, and strength.

Boiled in Oil

Consider the plight of John the Revelator. Early historians tell us that wicked men had tried to kill John by boiling him in oil, but he wouldn’t die. John had been through much. How would you like to have been placed in a barrel or a pot of boiling oil? John didn’t know it wouldn’t burn him; he couldn’t trust the oil; he had to trust God.

When John wouldn’t die he was banished to the Isle of Patmos, a forbidding, isolated place full of rocks. But he was in the divine will of God. God had to get John away from all unbelief, away from people so He would have him to Himself. God was about to give John some of the most amazing revelations we read in the Bible. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea (Revelation 1:9-11).

The book of Revelation is filled with incredible images of the great Tribulation Period, a time of horror to come unequaled in the history of man. Study Revelation with the mind of the Lord so you can accept it all, believe it all. Some people call it a closed book, claiming it’s not for us; but they’re wrong. The Tribulation Period is almost upon us, and God has provided a way of escape: the Rapture for all who are saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and serving God with all their hearts.

Do you think you wouldn’t have minded being stranded on Patmos? Some people are sure God is punishing them when they find themselves in difficult situations, sure God doesn’t love them. He does love you if you’re walking in His divine will; He loves you with an everlasting love; He cares for you with everlasting care. You are blessed, so decide you will be all right. Get off the boat and walk the waters of life in the divine will of the Lord. Look on the troubles that come your way as disguising blessings. When that disguise is taken off, you’ll see the perfect blessing of the Lord, the perfect will of God for your good. Isn’t that wonderful!

Are You in God’s Divine Will?

Decide in this final hour that all things work for your good because you’re in God’s divine will. But if you’re not in His divine will, you can’t say that, you can’t believe that, and you can’t trust that; it won’t work. The Lord has been seeking to bring you into the divine will of God. If you’re in the divine will of God, if you stick to the divine will every moment, He has no trouble using you, no trouble guiding you. It’s when you shirk the divine will and step over into the permissible will that He has problems with you. When you step into the permissible will, if you’re not careful, you will find it easy to step into Satan’s ungodly will; and the devil knows it. The devil knows he can’t handle you who are in the divine will of God, but if you’re in the permissible will of God, he has many chances at you because all things are not going to work out for your good—you needn’t expect it, and you needn’t blame God.

The devil wants you to walk in the permissible will of God so that all things won’t work for your good, and so you will blame God. When you’re in the divine will of God, you don’t grumble or complain because you know things will work for your good; God promised it.

Do you trust the Lord? Only trust Him; He wants your full trust. Your trust is all the Lord has ever wanted from you, all the Lord has ever wanted from man from the day He made him—full trust. Full trust means full obedience, full humility, and full time working for Jesus in great pleasure, great happiness, great peace and great joy.

God Saves and Heals

I couldn’t understand the sickness that afflicted me when I was twenty-three years old, but it disguised a great blessing. Had I not gone down into that deep valley, suffered until I almost lost my life, I could never have the compassion I have for people, never understand their pain. I had suffered so terribly that I felt I couldn’t stand it one more moment. The pain felt like a hot iron pressed to my body. Think what that would be like—and, oh God, how could I stand it any longer! Now when I look into tortured eyes of people who come to me for prayer, I remember my suffering, my pain, and great compassion rises in me for their deliverance. I hadn’t understood why God hadn’t moved, but then it happened: Jesus came and it no longer mattered how much I had suffered, how much I had been through. All that mattered was that Jesus had come, healed me and made me ready to do whatever He wanted. He had prepared the metal for a great step into helping people, taking His healing to so many.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8,9). Yes, His ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts; we must trust His thoughts, His ways. The Lord’s thought for you today and for all the days ahead is that all things work together for your good if you love Him and you are called according to His purpose, walking in His divine will. Take courage.

Trusting God completely no matter the valleys is what has brought me this far; it will bring you this far, too, and take you the rest of the way if you will let it. Trusting His Word will place you right into arms of love knowing that the Lord is going to work something good out of the trial or tragedy you may have. Out of the dark night there will be something good come in the morning; the Lord will bring it about.

Sinner, Backslider, won’t you step into the will of God? If you would like to step into God’s will, please say this prayer: Oh, God, save my soul. I want your will; I want to walk in your ways; I want to please you. And oh God, I confess my faith in the blood of Jesus. I confess all of my sins. I am so sorry that I have sinned against you, but I have come home; and I’m going to serve you, Lord, the rest of my life. I believe the blood of Jesus washes away all of my sins. Come into my heart, Jesus! Come on in!

If you meant that prayer, now you can say, Hallelujah, He has come! Hallelujah, Jesus is mine! I will walk in His will and I know that all things will work for my good.

If you need healing, it’s offered in the divine will of God. It is His will to make you whole. I was in the divine will of God; it was His will to make me whole.

You who are sick and afflicted, it may be AIDS, leprosy, cancer, heart trouble, diabetes or some other death disease; it matters not; the Lord is the healer of all diseases and afflictions as well as the deliverer from all sins. In this final hour there will be millions and millions of people delivered and no way to number them, people as numerous as the stars of heaven. That’s the only way God has measured the souls that will be won through this ministry, by the stars of heaven.

I’m not the healer; Jesus is the healer, but I’m His believer. The gifts in my life are His operated by the Holy Spirit. I don’t operate the gifts; the Holy Spirit operates them; He will operate the gifts for you now and you can be set free. Lord, here they are. I bring them before you in the holy blood name of Jesus. Heal, in the all-powerful name! Heal! And I command their sicknesses and diseases to leave them now and for them to be set free through the blood name of Jesus, the Son of the living God!

The presence of the Lord has gone into you if you believed and accepted that prayer. But remember to give the Lord all the honor, the praise and the glory—and it’s a must that you live for Him.

Look into every situation for the blessing in disguise, and trust the promises of God with all your heart. You will find blessings, blessings in disguise when you walk in His divine will according to Romans 8:28: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.