Patience: Good and Evil Often Go Hand in Hand

1. What we allow in our mind really matters. (Acts 14:1-8, NLT2)
   1. It does matter WHAT and WHO we allow in our minds.
   2. Poison the mind or protect the mind is greatly determined by what you let in your mind and who you listen to.
   3. The best person to listen to is God through His Word. (Psalm 33:11, NKJV)
   4. Second best person to listen to is those who has wisdom in the area you need counsel. (Proverbs 11:14, KJV)
2. The purpose of signs and miracles.
   1. Why did the Lord give them power to do miraculous signs and wonders? –The Jews requested a sign.

• Division brings confusion.
  1. People can hear the same message and be divided about what they believe and understand.
  2. That’s why unity is so important, but when we hear something new or different we have to weigh to with God’s Word and the Holy Spirit.
  3. Everything good and bad rises and falls on leadership.
  4. How you respond when you are attacked tells if we have learned patience.
  5. If we give up and stop serving the Lord, we have not learned patience in that area yet.

Don’t allow problems to cause you to miss your God given purpose.

1. Once we are saved we are on a path to help see others saved–God then turns our problems into purpose. (Ephesians 2:10, AMP)
2. The good life does not mean a trouble-free life.
3. A good life is God’s prearranged path He has for us, some good an some very painful.
4. Whether good or bad, God has prearranged us to have joy in the midst of it.
5. Satan’s #1 trick to defeating Christians is allowing trouble and problems to keep them from doing what God called them to do.
6. God allows Satan to bring problems, pain, and even persecution, but then if we allow it God turns into a

1. Insights
   1. Paul and Barnabas’ purpose was to preach the Good News — Death, burial, and resurrection heals broken relationships.
   2. Apart from Jesus Christ we are separated from God.
   3. Our purpose, bring the Good News to those who don’t have it or have not accepted it. “Bring those far from God close to God.” Matthew 28:17-20
   4. The truth is persecution, trials, and problems are the only lasting way to having joy that last. (Matthew 5:10, NKJV, AMP; James 1:2-4, NKJV)
   5. Persecution is to lead to patience which is learning to persevere; Patience & Perseverance grows our faith. (James 1:2-4, NLT2)
   6. Our faith has grown and we have learned patience when we are lacking nothing in that area of our life.
   7. Whatever your greatest need is today is where patience will have to be learned.
   8. Patience – enduring hardships, suffering, pressures and not quitting or giving up until the task is finished.
   9. Suffering Grace – (2 Corinthians 12:7-10, NKJV; 2 Corinthians 12:10, NLT; 2 Corinthians 12:10, AMP)
      1. The power of God in us, giving us the desire to do what God called you to do in spite of the problems, stress, pressure, insults, depression, oppression, and weakness and do it with JOY!
      2. Supernatural Joy, power, energy God gives any and every Christian whose suffering for Christ sake.
      3. Suffering + Surrendering = Success in the Kingdom of God.
      4. God uses people, but God needs to get the honor and glory.