When God Exalts You: Opposition, Grace, and Provision

God comes close in a tangible way, and the presence of God places real graces on a life. God puts value on people that is not always visible, but it becomes tangible when a person walks in it. That kind of elevation does not come through pride, it comes through humility, and Satan gets aggravated when God starts lifting somebody.

Paul’s thorn in the flesh was not sickness and disease, not some eye problem, but satanic attack through personalities. The messenger of Satan came to buffet him, hinder him, aggravate him, and try to stop the revelation. Revelation changes culture, breaks ignorance, and causes Satan to lose advantage. When God starts showing a person what has been hidden, opposition starts acting up because the revelation is getting through.

Jesus showed the leper that God is not only able, God is willing. The leper said, “I know you’re able, but will you?” and Jesus answered, “I will. Why wouldn’t I?” God is personally interconnected with every front of life and living, including the spiritual, financial, relational, academic, and practical fronts. Religious folks may get mean and pharisaical about it, but God is still connected to the whole life, not just the parts people approve.

Paul’s request in Second Thessalonians shows the need for prayer directives. The church is called to pray that the word of the Lord may have free course and be glorified, and that God’s servants be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men. Those twisted, weird, irrational, absurd accusations show up when God starts exalting somebody. Still, “but the Lord is faithful” cancels out what wicked people are trying to do, establishes the believer, and guards from the evil one.

Psalm 112 shows the upright person as blessed, established, generous, sharp, and unmoved by bad news. Wealth and riches can be in the house, but the heart must stay fixed, trusting in the Lord. The good man is not a hoarder and not ruled by scarcity, but he has discretion, excellent judgment, and a willingness to distribute. God is not endorsing fear of loss or hard-time syndrome, because God wants to get things to a person and through a person.

First Timothy corrects the old misquote. Money is not the root of all evil; the love of money is. Riches have a place, but they cannot carry the weight of a person’s existence. God gives richly all things to enjoy, and those who have must be ready to do good, distribute, and lay up a strong foundation against whatever time comes in the earth.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Revelation always attracts resistance Paul’s thorn was not treated as a bodily ailment, but as a satanic attack aimed at the revelation itself. Revelation breaks ignorance, and ignorance is one of Satan’s favorite advantages. The believer should not take every attack as personal rejection, because some resistance is aimed at the light God is bringing through a life. [44:28]
• 2. God is willing, not merely able The leper’s cry exposed a common religious stopping point: many can believe God can, but struggle to believe God will. Jesus answered with immediate willingness, not reluctant permission. God’s goodness is not distant ability waiting to be convinced, but active willingness connected to every front of life and living. [39:08]
• 3. Prayer needs clear direction Paul did not ask for vague prayer; he named the target. The word of the Lord needed free course, and unreasonable, wicked men needed to be dealt with. Corporate prayer gains force when the church understands the assignment and prays into the thing God has identified. [49:30]
• 4. A fixed heart outlasts bad news Psalm 112 shows a righteous person who is not moved by evil times or bad reports. Stability comes from a heart fixed in trust, not from pretending bad news does not exist. The wicked may get noisy, but a guarded and established heart does not have to live at the mercy of their noise. [64:45]
• 5. Money must stay in its place First Timothy does not condemn money; it exposes the love of money as the root problem. Riches become dangerous when they carry the weight only the living God can carry. God gives richly to enjoy, but enjoyment stays clean when generosity, distribution, and good works govern the heart.
  
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Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [25:17] - Worship and Hallelujah
• [35:03] - God Can Work Quickly
• [36:46] - Prayer for the Word
• [37:29] - Tangible Anointings and Graces
• [38:41] - Paul’s Thorn in the Flesh
• [39:08] - God Is Willing to Heal
• [42:44] - Pharisaical Spirits and Mean Religion
• [44:28] - Satanic Attack Against Revelation
• [48:23] - Paul Requests Directed Prayer
• [52:45] - Delivered From Wicked Men
• [55:29] - The Lord Guards and Establishes
• [56:07] - Psalm 112 and the Upright Life
• [67:08] - The Love of Money Corrected
• [73:34] - Ready to Distribute and Do Good

Bible Reading

2 Thessalonians 3:1-3
“Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.” [49:30]

Psalm 112
“Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice. For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries. He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor. The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!” [01:04:45]

1 Timothy 6:10, 17-19
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” [01:11:37]

2 Corinthians 12:7-9
“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” [44:28]

Observation questions

1. In 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3, what two specific things does Paul ask the church to pray for, and what promise does he give right after mentioning wicked and evil men? [49:30]
2. In Psalm 112, what repeated qualities describe the righteous person’s heart, especially when bad news comes and adversaries are present? [01:04:45]
3. In 1 Timothy 6:10, 17-19, what is actually named as the root problem, and what are wealthy believers told to do with what they have? [01:11:37]
4. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, what is the thorn called in the passage, what was it connected to, and what answer did Paul receive from the Lord? [44:28]

Interpretation questions

1. Paul connects intense opposition with “the surpassing greatness of the revelations.” How might that shape the way a believer understands resistance that shows up when truth is getting through? [44:28]
2. The leper’s question was not whether Jesus was able, but whether he was willing. Why is that difference so important in the life of faith, especially in areas where people have grown unsure of God’s heart? [39:08]
3. Psalm 112 says wealth and riches can be in the house, while also describing a person who is generous, just, and not afraid of bad news. What does that suggest about the difference between biblical stewardship and fearful hoarding? [56:07]
4. Paul asks for prayer that the word would have free course and that he would be delivered from wicked men. What does that reveal about prayer being more effective when it is clear, targeted, and connected to God’s purpose? [48:23]

Application questions

1. God’s grace can rest on a life in a way that becomes tangible over time. Where does there seem to be unusual resistance, aggravation, or pressure right now, and could that be a place where God is bringing greater light or growth? [37:29]
2. Jesus is not only able but willing. In what area of life has it been easier to believe that God can help than to believe that he will personally step in—healing, provision, family, work, school, or something else? [39:08]
3. The word of the Lord needs free course. What would it look like for this group to pray more specifically for open doors, clear communication, and protection from unreasonable opposition instead of praying only in general ways? [49:30]
4. A fixed heart does not mean pretending bad news is not real. What kind of bad report, anxiety, or uncertainty has been trying to move the heart lately, and what would trusting the Lord in that place actually look like this week? [01:04:45]
5. Wealth and riches are not condemned, but hope cannot be set on uncertain riches. What are some signs that money, savings, or financial pressure may be carrying more emotional weight than it should? [01:11:37]
6. Those who have are told to be ready to distribute and willing to share. Is there a practical way to become more open-handed right now—with money, time, skill, hospitality, or encouragement? [01:13:34]
7. When God starts lifting a person, pride will ruin what humility can carry. In this season, what would humility look like in a very practical way while still receiving what God is trying to place on your life?