Your Setback Is A Setup

John 10:10 AMP - The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

The setback you are experiencing is a setup to destroy you — or advance you. But you must make the choice.

John 10:10 lays this out.

• Satan has a plot to destroy you. "The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy."
  
  
• God has a plan to advance you. "I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]."

Whatever setbacks you are experiencing are from the enemy. How do we know? Scripture warns us in advance.

1 Peter 5:8 NIV - Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Ephesians 6:11-12 NIV - Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Satan is an expert at setting an all too familiar trap. His con goes something like this.

#1 - something bad happens to you (financial hit, job loss, business challenge, sickness or disease, relationship struggle, etc ...)

#2 - you begin to doubt a positive outcome

#3 - you begin to fear the worst outcomes might happen to you

#4 - you start to imagine your demise — AKA worry

#5 - you become worn out and discouraged

#6 - your discouragement grows into depression

#7 - satan wins, your soul (mind, will, emotions) goes into failure mode.

Remember, as a man thinks, so is he. And his very words will condemn him.

This is how satan steals, kills and destroys. The setback is a total setup. This is his plot. And make no mistake, he is an expert.

>> doubt > fear > worry > discouragement > depression > failure

Covid alone has affected the mental health of 59% of the US population. 970 million people worldwide suffer from some form of mental illness. This is the a fraction of the fruit of satan's plot. The battle is for your mind. Winner takes all.

So why has God allowed the setback to happen to you? While satan has a plot, God the creator of everything has a plan. There is nothing the enemy does which God is not aware of from the beginning of time. Everything is under God's control. But God has also given us free will. This is why He has warned us 365 times in the Bible to Fear Not. We must make a choice.

Why? Because your setback is also a setup by God — to advance you — if you will believe in Him, believe His Word, and learn to trust Him no matter what. He makes us a promise that NO weapon formed against us will prosper. (Isaiah 54:17)

God assures us He will cause ALL THINGS to work together for our good. (Romans 8:28)

God promises He will deliver us from ALL of our trouble. Not some, all.

Psalm 34:17 NIV - The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

This is what His plan of deliverance for us looks like. It's driven by our faith and choices.

#1 - something bad happens to you (financial hit, loss of job, business challenge, sickness or disease, relationship struggle, etc ...)

#2 - you replace your doubt thoughts with faith in God's biblical promises for you

#3 - you expect God to make good on His Word

#4 - because of your faith and expectation, you enter into God's complete peace over your setback

#5 - your peace reignites your desire to keep moving forward on your journey with Jesus

#6 - you learn perseverance and never quit

#7 - God makes good on His promises and advances you into His success

This is God's way of doing things. He'll take your setback and turn it into a setup to advance you.

>> faith > expectation > peace > desire > perseverance > success

At ANY point during your setback if you find yourself in doubt, fear, worry, discouragement, depression or even total failure, find out what the Word says about your situation, and then receive that Word by faith. After all, the Word of God is God's will for your life. There are over 6000 plus biblical promises for you.

Take your eyes off the setback and start to focus on God's way of doing things, this is His setup for you to overcome every life setback that comes your way.

When I experience any type of setback, I immediately immerse myself into God's promises. I receive them by faith at the moment I pray and then I begin to declare them over my life.

Remember, fear tolerated is faith contaminated. As soon as the setback hits, get immersed in the Word. Look, we are going to be in one of three stages in life:

1. In a crisis
2. Coming out of a crisis
3. Or heading straight into a crisis

That said, the key is to be in the Word EVERY single day. The beauty of pursuing God's plan and purpose for your life is that to succeed at it, you'll already be in the Word every single day of your life. That's how you can live life in total faith and ZERO fear.

Your setback is God's setup to advance you.

Fear Not. Believe Only. Get Ready.

-Gerald