DOUBLE BLESSINGS FOR YOUR TROUBLES

WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL

MAY 4, 2023

TOPIC: DOUBLE BLESSINGS FOR YOUR TROUBLES

BY T. O. BANSO

“Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles” (Zechariah 9:12 New Living Translation).

David said in Psalm 34:19, “A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all” (New International Version). This scripture shows us that the righteous are not exempt from troubles in life. Both the righteous and the sinners experience troubles. But the difference is in the commitment of God to the righteous and their attitudes to their troubles.

Verse 20 of Psalm 34 says God protects all the bones of the righteous in trouble and none of his bones will be broken. In other words, God does not forsake the righteous in his troubles but will protect him. He will work in his favour; He will fight for him. Nahum 1:7 says, “The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knows those who trust in Him” (New King James Version).

Whatever your present troubles are, you should know that God is committed to you. Trust in Him. He has your best interest at heart and will work in your favour. Sometimes, this does not appear to be so but you have to put your trust in God and believe that, ultimately, you will overcome your troubles. God will never leave you or forsake you (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; Joshua 1:5; 1 Chronicles 28:20; Hebrews 13:5).

God will not only see you through your troubles, but He will also give you double blessings in place of your troubles. Zechariah 9:12 says, “Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope. Even today I declare that I will restore double to you” (New King James Version). The word “double” in this scripture refers to abundant blessings. God promised abundant blessings for the prisoners of hope. In other words, their condition would change for the better. The New Living Translation puts the verse thus: “Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles” (Zechariah 9:12 New Living Translation).

Whatever may be the trouble you’re going through now, don’t lose hope. God will give you an abundant supply of blessings or double blessings and your troubles will become a thing of the past. The Egyptians you see today, you will never see again (Exodus 14:13).

God will give you a double blessing for your troubles. This was the experience of Job after all his troubles. God gave him double blessings. Job 42:10 says, “And the LORD restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before” (New King James Version). So it wasn’t just that God restored Job’s losses, he doubled what he had before and lost. Only God could have done this. He is the God of abundance. He doesn’t lack anything.

God says in Psalm 50:10-12, “For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine, and all its fullness” (New King James Version). David says in Psalm 24:1 that the earth is the LORD’S, and all its fullness, the world, and those who live in it. “‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.  ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty” (Haggai 2:8-9 New International Version). God will do a new and better thing in your life.

Trust God to give you double blessings for your troubles. Don’t believe the lie of the devil that you will die in your troubles or that they will consume you. Believe in God not only to give you a restoration but double blessings. Don’t have a hopeless disposition. Be hopeful. God says there is hope in your future (Jeremiah 31:17a). Double blessings are yours. “Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours” (Isaiah 61:7 New Living Translation).

What have you lost in your troubles? That is not your end. The loss is not final. God is the God of double restoration. You will not only overtake and recover all that you have lost, but God will also give you double blessings that will compensate for all the troubles you have experienced. He will give you blessings that will make you forget the pains of past troubles and you will be fruitful once more. “Joseph named his firstborn Manasseh and said, ‘It is because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.’ The second son he named Ephraim and said, ‘It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering’” (Genesis 41:51-52 New International Version).

God is the one who turns darkness into morning and day into night (Amos 5:8b). He will turn your darkness into light; He will turn your troubles into double blessings. Don’t lose hope. Have faith in God (Mark 11:22).

Hosea 2:15 says, “I will return her vineyards to her and transform the Valley of Trouble into a gateway of hope. She will give herself to me there, as she did long ago when she was young, when I freed her from her captivity in Egypt” (New Living Translation). Some Bible translations, including the New King James Version, render the phrase “the Valley of Trouble” as “the Valley of Achor.” Achor means trouble. The Valley of Achor near Jericho was probably so named because of the trouble that the sin of Achan caused Israel when he took the spoils of war that the Israelites were forbidden to take. Consequently, Achan and his family were stoned to death and burnt in the Valley of Achor (Joshua 7:24-26).

The phrase “The Valley of Achor as a door of hope,” as the New King James Version puts it, means that trouble will be turned into joy. God will do that for you. Your present troubles will end in joy, indeed, in double joy. Your story will end in glory.

God will give you double blessings for your present troubles. Believe in God for this. Confess it, pray it into your life, and expect it. You will testify soon in Jesus’ name.

TAKE ACTION!

If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. I urge you to take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.

Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart.  By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.

I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You will need to join a Bible-believing and Bible-teaching church in your area where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.

PRAYER POINTS: Father, I thank You because You will never leave me or forsake me, no matter my situation. Turn my troubles into joy. Father, give me double blessings for my troubles. Transform my valley of trouble into a gateway of hope in Jesus’ name.

(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by. T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).

T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org