Now I’m not saying that we need to keep the Gospel a secret, no… we should shout the Gospel from the rooftops. What I’m saying is that when others look at you and what you’re going through, they don’t always take into account the God factor. Some may look at you on the outside and assume you are no different then them, but you are. You have access by faith to the unlimited power of Almighty God.
The Bible describes the gospel as a mystery that has been hidden from generations: “No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.” (1 Corinthians 2:7) This mystery has been hidden and is now being revealed in and through the Church – the mighty power of the Gospel.
When Jesus came, He didn’t come out right away and say who He was; He asked Peter, “Who do men say that I am?” (Matthew 16:13) He slowly and carefully revealed His identity. He wanted people to discover it for themselves. He kept a low profile until it was God’s time to move in all of His power.
Jesus trusted His life into the one who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:23 tells us “When He was insulted, He did not reply with insults. When He suffered, He did not threaten revenge. Instead, He entrusted Himself to the one who judges justly.”
When Jesus was crucified, no one really knew the depths of what God was up to. He was about to change the course of history. 1 Corinthians 2:8 tells us “None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” If they had known that Jesus was going to redeem humanity with His actions, they would have never crucified Him. Jesus kept it a secret from them.
You may be going through some things that you don’t understand, you may feel like Jesus; crucified between two thieves wondering what is happening and what you are doing there. You might be thinking, ‘I’m no different then these two thieves here,’ but I want to encourage you to continue to obey and follow God, because your situation is different. When it’s God’s time to move, there will be no more secrets. Everyone will see God’s power demonstrated.
Of course, once the resurrection took place, what Jesus had planned was no longer a secret. The Bible tells us “There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.” (Matthew 28:2-4)
Jesus kept quiet before His accusers, He trusted God when he was being falsely accused, beaten mocked and crucified, because He knew God had a plan. The Bible says to pray in secret that your Father in heaven may reward you openly (Matthew 6:6). There is something very powerful in just being quiet and being faithful to God without making a lot of noise about it. In God’s timing, all will be revealed and He will get all the glory.
Never forget that in God’s moment, in God’s time, He has the power and will intervene in your situation. You have the God factor. You have a little secret that can give you assurance and faith that God knows everything and has a plan. You can trust Him no matter what the circumstances look like.
When Paul and Silas were in prison, they sang and praised God instead of getting depressed; Why? They had a little secret; His name was Almighty God. God moved so powerfully that the whole prison was shaken and the prison doors flung open. (Acts 16:16-40)
When the three Hebrew children were about to be thrown into the firey furnace, they said, ‘We are not quick to answer you in this matter, we will not bow down to the golden image.’ They were able to say this because they had a little secret; His name was Almighty God. When it was God’s time to move they came out of that furnace without even the smell of smoke on them. (Daniel 3)
When Joseph was sold as a slave and thrown into prison, he continued to believe and trust God. Why? He had a little secret whose name was Almighty God. When it was God’s time to move, Joseph was transferred from a prison cell to being the ruler of a nation overnight. (Genesis 41)
The Bible is full of stories of God moving mightily in situations that looked bleak. I want to encourage you that no matter how bleak your situation looks, you have God on your side. Even if the whole world is against you, God is for you and that makes you the majority.
Today as you consider your circumstances, refuse to allow yourself to think for one moment that God is not for you and does not have a plan to deliver you in the midst of them. Romans 8:31-32 says, “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave Him up for us all–how will He not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
God is for you today, and He has a plan to do great things in you and through you. Things may be a little tough right now, the road may be a little rough, but I want to encourage you no matter how bad things get, you have a little secret; His name is Almighty God!
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