God Will Trouble Those Who Trouble You

While Job was experiencing his difficult period (scholars believe that the entire book of Job took place over 9-12 months, not a lifetime), he said, Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. (Job 14:1) Trouble is just a regular part of life.

As a Faith Leader, you’ve undoubtedly faced some tough times, but I pray they didn’t shock you because everyone, including the most devoted among us, experiences troubles on this earth. Peter even wrote that believers shouldn’t think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you. (1 Peter 4:4) We can’t always avoid troubles, and we shouldn’t be surprised by them. We should confront them with faith and love and navigate through them victoriously. 

Faith Leader Paul

Paul was one of the most significant Faith Leaders in the early church, and the people of Thessalonica must have been special to him. He established that church in three weeks and left them with worthy leaders, who deserved the commendation he wrote in his second letter: We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure. (2 Thessalonians 1:3-4)

What two attributes were growing in Thessalonica? Faith and charity (or love). He noted that both their faith (pistis) and love (agape) were growing. Later, to the church in Galatia, he noted that love makes faith work. He wrote, For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love. (Galatians 5:6) Paul also commended the Thessalonians for their patience and faith amid all the persecutions and tribulations they endured. The word persecution is diogmos in Greek, which means the pressure that people (usually influenced by the devil) bring against you. Can you relate? Has Satan inspired, influenced, and inflamed anyone to come against you? If not, that’s great, but you'd better be prepared.

Five Tools of Satan Uses to Trouble You

The devil doesn’t have much variety in his toolkit, but Jesus revealed five of Satan’s most common weapons against Christians in the parable of the sower, found in Matthew chapter 13, Luke chapter 8, and Mark chapter 4. They are: affliction (pressure from situations), persecution (pressure from people), cares of this world (worry), deceitfulness of riches (thinking money is more valuable than God), and lust of other things (an inordinate desire for anything other than God). 

The next time you face trouble, take a moment to stop and pray. Ask the Lord if one of those five things has led to your issues. If it is affliction or persecution, decide that no one or nothing will prevent you from following God. If it falls under any of the other three, confess it, repent, and continue moving forward. 

God Will Turn It Back on Them

However, sometimes we don’t do anything wrong, and the devil still finds a way to cause trouble because he is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). Nevertheless, Paul told the Thessalonians that God would trouble those who troubled them. He wrote, Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you. (2 Thessalonians 1:6) If they put pressure on you, they will face pressure. If they cause anguish, they will suffer anguish. If they burden you, they will be burdened. God will deal with those who cause you trouble if you stand in faith and walk in love. Therefore, be cautious about how you treat people, as the law of sowing and reaping is an eternal principle of God. You want it to work for you, not against you!