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Published by Milestone Publishing House, Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas.

Cover & Interior Design by Roy Roper, wideyedesign.net

All Scripture Quotations marked MSG are from

All Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the english standard version.

All Scripture quotations marked KJV are from The King James Bible. Public Domain.

All Scripture quotations marked ASV are from NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®.

ISBN-10: 09912013-96

ISBN-13: 9 78099 1 201 396

Printed in the USA

978-091203-96

ISBN: 9780986205217

contents

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

section 1

Understanding of Life Planned and Effect of the Fall

chapter 1GOD’S ORIGINAL PLAN FOR MANKIND

chapter 2A PROBLEM – THE FALL

chapter 3THE FATHER HAS ANOTHER PLAN TO RESTORE THE ORIGINAL PLAN: CHRIST, OUR REDEEMER, OUR RESTORER

SUMMARY OF SECTION 1

section 2

Understanding the Causes of Adversity and God’s Desire for our Response to this Adversity

chapter 4GENERAL ADVERSITY

chapter 5TEST OF FAITH

chapter 6PRUNING

chapter 7SELF-CENTEREDNESS

chapter 8DISCIPLINE

chapter 9JUDGMENT

chapter 10ATTACK OF SATAN: CIRCUMSTANCES AGAINST US

chapter 11ATTACK OF SATAN: PERSECUTION

chapter 12HOW DO I KNOW WHICH ADVERSITY I AM FACING?

conclusions

foreword

There is a great deal of brokenness all over the world today and everyone has experienced some level of adversity and trial in their lives. Some people ask “why do bad things happen to good people” and others just accept it as a part of life. Most conclude it is luck or chance that some people are “more lucky” than others. This is particularly true when they see “bad people prospering” and thus conclude that there is really no way to truly understand or change their circumstances. This is particularly true when the belief is that God is in control so what is happening must be His will. There is also much confusion about pre-destiny and that God has chosen in advance what will happen in our lives and who will receive blessing and who will have difficulty.

In this book on Adversity, Rich Case examines Scripture in an in depth way to understand God’s perspective and what He has to say about how and why these things happen. Most Christians today do not understand and few pastors are able to help them see why or teach on it. The result is we conclude that God is really not that good or we are not one of the lucky ones. Neither is true and are lies and deception of satan to keep us in bondage rather than living lives of peace, joy and abundance that would attract others and advance the kingdom of God.

Rich and Linda Case have been serving the Lord for over 30 years through their ministry All For Jesus Living Waters. They lead retreats focused on intensive study of the Word of God and weekly discipling calls studying topics such as Abiding, Unity, Living in the Kingdom, Possessing the Promised Land and the Remnant. They truly delight in sharing the Truths that the Lord has revealed through His Word and have been a blessing to many, helping them to learn to abide and hear from God.

Rich has been gifted by the Lord with wisdom and understanding of His Word and the ability to communicate in a way that is clear and concise and rooted in scripture. Most who read Adversity will have their fundamental beliefs and paradigms challenged and will be confronted with Truth that they will have to decide to accept or not. God desires that His people live in such a way that others will see His blessing and goodness in their lives and thus be drawn to it. As His witnesses to the world we are blessed to be a blessing – to make Him known and bear witness to the Truth that Jesus has come that we may have life and have it abundantly. Not in a material sense (although abundant life includes that) but a peace and joy that is His plan for the restored Kingdom. “And this eternal life that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

So, take the time to digest the material in this book, being diligent to go through the scriptures and journal your thoughts about what they are saying to you. In this way, we “abide in His Word and are His disciples indeed and we shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set us free” from the lies of satan about the cause and nature of adversity.

Press on !

David Dunkel, CEO of K-Force

introduction

Almost all the people attending our Living Waters Spiritual Retreats have much confusion about God’s goodness and their personal experience of adversity (things not going well in their life). They view life through their difficult experiences, and thus, their real (true in their soul) perspective is that God is really not that good. This is based on faulty understanding of God and our life here in this world. They have been taught:

God is in control of everything
Thus, God is in control of my life.
Thus, everything that happens to me is God’s will. Since He is in control, whatever happens to me must be His will.
Lots of very difficult things have happened to me, are happening to me, and it looks like it’s not getting better; or when things do get better, another difficult thing happens right behind it. This is certainly not the wonderful life that I had planned out or thought was going to happen, especially being a believer and a child of God.
Thus, it appears that others have God’s favor and blessing that is spoken of in Scripture, but not me.
The only conclusion that can be drawn (not said in the intellect or to others, since that is not what Christians are supposed to say) is that God just is not that good – at least not to me. Why does all this bad stuff happen in the world, and especially to me, if He is in control? No matter how much I try to say, “This must be God’s will for my own good, and I am supposed to just live with it” – we call this Christian fatalism – my heart just cannot accept it (and rightly so);
So, underneath it all, there is a deep disappointment with God, a degree of anger and resignation. Then this results in me not having an intimate relationship with God through abiding in the Word, through prayer, and in the Spirit. Why bother? It does not seem to matter. Further, the best thing I can do is work really hard with my best thinking to try to overcome my adversities and hope that God does some things to help me. Though, if things do seem to get better, I do not expect this to last. I will pray, put on the smiling Christian face and say things are fine, but I do not really expect answers to prayers and will likely continue to have difficulty.

This has been a nifty trick of the enemy. The very conclusions we reach and the acceptance of the adversity as normal actually serves to perpetuate our adversity. We do know there is an enemy, but since God is in control and has gained victory over principalities and powers at the cross, does He not have the ability to keep him away from my life? Hey, why is all this happening to me; and is there any hope at all, or are we just to accept this very difficult life as normal? Should we accept that we are sinners and going to fail, that bad things happen, and that God uses it all to teach us things? But underneath it all, we still do not see God as very good and it seems rather cruel for Him to not be taking better care of His children. If it were me, I would.

This book will take you through the Word to help you see the truth that God is absolutely good! He has wonderful plans for us. We will experience adversity. Some is normal, as the bible tells us that in this world we will have trouble. Some is from God, and much is not, but the good news is that there are remedies for all of them. Please take the time to process the Word in each chapter so that you can personally receive the truths laid out. My prayer is that your heart is opened to receive what He desires to reveal to you and that it will free you for the grand plans He has in store for your life.

Adversity did not just come upon mankind as part of God’s original plan, rather it came upon us as a result of the Fall of Adam and Eve, who exercised their self will, disobeyed God’s instruction to not eat of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and died as God had warned (meaning the Holy Spirit departed from their nature). As a result, Satan gained authority and power over this earth; and this power is pure destruction – designed to kill, steal and destroy. Adversity came about because of man’s selfishness and the opposing power of Satan that is now operating where things are difficult, painful, frustrating, hard, annoying, oppressive, confusing, etc. Adversity is normal and ever present. In order to recognize the various forms of adversity and to know how to deal with it, we first must understand God’s original plan for mankind, the effect of the Fall upon us and our lives, and God’s remedy of redemption.

We were leading a retreat in Texas in January 2014 on “Overcoming & Deliverance - the Life of David.” The first night a woman stated that her life was disappointing and that God was the cause of her disappointing life, since everything that happens is God’s will (this frame of thought is called Christian fatalism). So, the Lord said for me to go ahead and take a diversion to address this. Just that morning, I was teaching at the CEO Forum Spiritual Leadership Institute with Richard Blackaby, and this same question came up. I taught as I had understood it. After I sat down, the Father spoke to me that I only partially understood and there was much more to understand, and HE gave me the revelation of the much more on the spot. I wrote it all down. When this woman asked the same question, the Lord spoke, “Here you go, teach what I gave you this morning.”

As I was speaking it, the Spirit just flowed, and all that I had learned including where to go in the Scripture was revealed. It was all brand new to me, and I just let it flow, not really speaking anything from existing knowledge. This answers a lot of questions about adversity and negative circumstances, which is a struggle for a lot of Christians. On Sunday when the group was sharing, the woman apologized for diverting the group. I then shared what had happened since my time of teaching on Friday morning with Blackaby and assured her that this was from God for me and for the group. She did say that when I was teaching this on Friday night, there was a spiritual glow coming from me, and she knew that something was up. Yes, that something was the Spirit. Wow!

Here is what we have received on this: First, most Christians are living in a deep sense of “Christian fatalism,” where they believe that everything that happens is God’s will and that all of the adversity that comes against us is ordained by God and intended to teach us lessons and help us get stronger. This actually keeps us in a place of accepting the adversity as normal, and developing a life of disappointment and resignation. Further, it perpetuates staying in the adversity, since if this is my lot in life, because God has ordained it, I cannot do anything about it anyway and should accept it. As my heart goes deeper into thinking God is not really that good (as evidenced by my continual difficult circumstances), then I do not care much about being in His Word, not learning the true remedies available to me to release these adversities and to live in the wonder and awe of God’s Kingdom.

As outlined above, Adam and Eve, during their time in the Garden of Eden before the fall, did not experience any adversity. Also, at the end of time as we know it, God creates a new heaven and a new earth where all translated believers live. We are organized into nations and governments and will have “physicality” in an eternal existence that is progressive and very stimulating. There again, we will have no adversity. So, adversity exists because of the fall (earth under entropy where everything is going to destruction) and the selfish nature of mankind, where others have the power and means to come against us and cause us trouble in our everyday life. There are multiple causes of adversity and our understanding of these in our specific situations is crucial to how we respond to these adversities, and live out the abundant life for which Christ came and promised to give us:

chapter 1

GOD’S ORIGINAL PLAN FOR MANKIND

God’s original plan for mankind is recorded in Genesis 1 and 2, which was written before the fall. He set forth the exceptional life that Adam and Eve enjoyed before the fall, which was His original plan. In chapters 2 and 3, it is revealed what life with Him looks like after the fall. This exceptional life included these seven exceptional gifts:

1. Exceptional Authority:

Victory & Power to Loose & Bind

Authority is defined in the Scriptures as Dominion and Power manifested in many different ways:

Splendor, majesty, beauty, vigor, glory
In-charge, control, have jurisdiction, power to influence
Cause to become: great; much; many; enlarged, exceedingly abundant