Adversity

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17

I think my friend, Bill Welte, coined the term "freedom-fighter." I'm also pretty sure that I have a good idea about his thinking behind the term. It speaks of freedom that is available through Jesus Christ. The freedom of which we speak lets us pursue righteousness and releases us from the bondage of sin.

But we can't forget the second word. Those who would know freedom will also know the fight. We have an enemy. He is the enemy of our souls, and he knows well that "residue of the flesh" we thought about earlier this month. The Wicked One knows the tug of that "residue," and he is quite good at using it against us. To know freedom is to fight the one who fights against us.

Many of us think this fight should be easy. Sometimes it is. Adversity comes along at other times, and the intensity of the battle is more than we think we can take. That's why the Proverbs Writer gave us the line we're thinking about today.

All of us must learn that we don't resist Satan alone. Choosing to fight alone usually means we'll lose. Friends, real friends, who love us will help us in the fight. They'll love us enough to confront us, to hold us accountable. They'll love us enough to encourage us when we're hanging on by a thread. Apart from the power of Jesus Christ at work in our lives, one good friend who loves us may be the key to victory or defeat in the fight for freedom.

Notice the rest of the verse. " . . . and a brother is born for adversity." The writer's assumption is simple. Adversity will come. It's not a maybe thing; it's a definite thing. He lets us know that God gives us brothers for those adverse times. These brothers aren't always brothers by natural birth. They're probably brothers by "the new birth." They share faith in Jesus, and they know the fight for freedom.

God gives us these men to fight with us and for us. They don't run when things get hard. They don't walk away if we experience temporary failure. Brothers in adversity have lasting power, and they love us enough to engage the battle with us. You and I need these brothers. If you've been a believer for forty years or four months, you need these brothers! If you have them already, as I do, praise God for them. If you don't, find them. If you don't know how to find them, write Bill Welte or me, and we'll help you find them.

Don't forget: You and I need those men who will stay with us through adversity. (Pastor John Strain -- First Baptist of Toms River)