🕊️ Freedom from ALL Your Troubles
“The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;” — Psalm 34:19 (NIV)
“No harm overtakes the righteous, but the wicked have their fill of trouble.” — Proverbs 12:21 (NIV)
🎨 Highlight key: 🟩 = grace / apart-from-works truth · 🟨 = the precious gift · bold = key terms
🎵 When You Praise, Everything Changes
As we sing the glory of God, God changes our life. When you look at David, three kinds of people came to him — the Bible calls them the 3D army: dead, distressed, and discontented. They lacked many things. Everyone came to David — and David himself had nothing. He was afraid of Saul, hiding in a cave. Nearly 500 people came to him for answers when he had none himself. 🏔️
| Who came | Their condition | What David did |
|---|---|---|
| Dead, distressed, discontented | No resources, no solutions | Looked unto Him who has the answer |
| David himself | Afraid, in a cave, empty-handed | Made everyone thank God who is able |
| All 500 together | Nothing to offer | Started praising God — the hardest thing to do |
That is really hard — even David had nothing. But one thing he did: he looked unto God, thanked Him, and praised Him. The Bible says not only did he come out of trouble — all 500 were called the mighty men of David. Even when the situation looks hard on you, when God is with you and you start praising Him, you will see things around you changing. 🙌
⚔️ Jehoshaphat: Praise Before the Battle
The same pattern appears in Jehoshaphat. Enemies were coming against him — compared to what he had, the people around him were larger and greater. Rather than fighting first, he started praising. He sent worship leaders in front of the warriors and began singing that His goodness and love endure forever. 🎶
| World’s way ⚔️ | God’s way 🎵 |
|---|---|
| Send warriors to the front | Send worship leaders and singers to the front |
| Focus on how big the enemy is | Focus on how good He is and how His love endures |
| Fight in your own strength | Praise — and watch God transform the situation |
The more you focus on how good He is and that His love endures forever, God is able to transform your life. Amen. 🌿
📖 Freedom from ALL Your Troubles — Romans 4
We continue our walk through Romans — and today’s focus is freedom from all your troubles. The Bible says many may be the problems of the righteous, but God will deliver him from how many troubles? All of them. At the end, how many troubles will he have? Zero troubles. Because the Lord is my shepherd — and I lack nothing. That is a no-lack life. 🐑
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” — 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)
🚫 What “Lack” Really Means
- 🤒 A small sickness itself is lack — lack of health
- 😢 Pain or sorrow is lack
- 💸 No money is lack of prosperity
- When He is your shepherd, the Bible says: I shall lack nothing
Young lions lack and suffer hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack anything. How many good things won’t they lack? There won’t be anything they won’t want. They lack nothing. That is what God’s people should be. That is why Jesus came into this world. ✝️
💬 Even in the midst of lack, what are you supposed to say? “I have no lack. The Lord is my shepherd — I have no lack.”
🗣️ Faith Speaks What You Do Not Yet See
You might say: “I have loads of sickness, loads of pain, loads of problems — why should I randomly say I don’t have sickness or pain? Why believe in a no-lack life?” Because the Lord is your shepherd. And faith is speaking what you do not see.
| What you see ❌ | What faith speaks ✅ |
|---|---|
| Sickness, pain, trouble | “My body is healthy — I am 100% healthy” |
| Poverty, no opportunity | “I am rich — I have more opportunity” |
| Weakness, darkness | “I am strong — let there be light” |
| Problems are normal | That is not faith — faith speaks the unseen |
Let the sick call “I am healthy.” Let the poor call “I am rich.” If you are strengthless, say “I am strong.” You are made in God’s image — when He saw darkness, He said “Let there be light.” So what are you supposed to say? Let there be light. Your life might look dark — keep speaking light and you will see light. Whatever you speak, that will manifest. Whatever you believe, that is what you are going to see. 🌅
🌟 As far as you can see — that is how far He gives. When Elijah’s pots were being filled with oil, as many pots as they had, the oil kept flowing. If there were more pots, the oil would still have flowed. When Jesus fed the multitudes, until they were full, the food kept multiplying in His hand. He has unlimited power and unlimited blessing. It is about how far you see — and what you speak about your situation.
👴 Abraham: Against All Hope, He Believed
In the time of impossibility, Abraham’s body was completely dead. Against all hope, he spoke faith — and at age 99, he and Sarah conceived. Even when it looks impossible, even when the situation is dead, God is able to transform you at any point. People around might say he cannot perform — but God can make you perform and grow higher and higher. 📈
👑 Father of Many · Princess — Before the Evidence
Abraham means father of many — that is all it means. Imagine the neighbours: Sarah calling “Father of many, come and cook for me” when he did not even have one child. They must have thought they were mad. Yet Abraham called Sarah princess — even though she was very old and her body was dead. Because he called her princess, she really became a princess. A king wanted to marry Sarah — kings marry ladies aged 20–30. That means Sarah was transformed. The word Abraham spoke, he saw. 👑
💎 The Bible says you are the daughters of Sarah — Jesus calls all women believers daughters of Sarah, not Ruth, because He wants everyone transformed into their youth. He is calling you from the life of Sarah.
🌍 Heir of the World — Reversing What Adam Lost
Romans 4, from top to bottom, is all about Abraham. We are going to see four good things from his life. First: you can become heir of the world — inherit the world — not by the law, not by your strength or obedience, but by His obedience.
“For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” — Romans 4:13 (NKJV)
“But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets;” — Romans 3:21 (NKJV)
| Adam lost | Abraham’s promise restores |
|---|---|
| Sickness-free life | Authority over sickness |
| Pain-free, sorrow-free life | Authority over pain and sorrow |
| Death-free life | Heir of the world — problems cannot overtake him |
| Authority over the world | Righteousness of faith reverses everything Adam lost |
Tell the person next to you: righteousness of faith. He understood something about the righteousness of faith — by His obedience we are becoming righteous. By His obedience our sickness will be removed. Because of His obedience our dark situation will become bright. 💡
“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” — Romans 5:19 (NKJV)
“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.” — Romans 3:28 (NKJV)
“…knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ… for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” — Galatians 2:16 (NKJV)
⚠️ Abraham Was Not “Good Enough” — And That Is the Point
How will Abraham inherit this world? He is acquiring things that are not his — because of the obedience of Jesus Christ. Abraham was not a worthy person. Where did he fail?
- 😶 Told Pharaoh and Abimelech that Sarah was his sister — not once, but twice
- 👨👩👧👦 Brought Lot when God told him to leave his family
- 👶 Took Hagar — tried to fulfil the promise in his own strength
If you say God blessed Abraham because he was good — we cannot see that. He was failing here and there. That is why the Bible clearly says: Abraham did not believe on his own work, but on one thing — someone is going to come, the Messiah is going to die for my sins, and hence I am going to get righteousness. 🙏
✝️ Whenever Jesus blessed someone, He first said “Your sins are forgiven” — then “Be healed.” In Psalm 103:3–4: first He forgives all your sins, then He redeems you from all sickness. The more you focus on how righteous you are and how much God has cleansed you, the next blessing follows — because you trust not your strength, but His strength.
“He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.” — Psalm 103:10 (NKJV)
“The Lord is merciful and gracious, Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever.” — Psalm 103:8–9 (NKJV)
🌡️ Do Not Mix His Righteousness with the Law
Sometimes we think it is half our strength and half His strength. The Bible says: do not be lukewarm. Half obedience from Christ plus half obedience from you equals blessing — that is what we sometimes believe. That is when God says: “I will vomit you out of My mouth.” You cannot mix old wine with new wineskins, or patch old cloth with new — both will be torn. 🚫
⚠️ Peter was mixing the messages from Moses, Elijah, and Jesus — that is why the Heavenly Father spoke against him.
“While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”” — Matthew 17:5 (NKJV)
“And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.” — Luke 9:30–31 (NKJV)
“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot.” — Revelation 3:15 (NKJV)
“Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break… But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” — Matthew 9:17 (NKJV)
“No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse.” — Matthew 9:16 (NKJV)
“…you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.” — Romans 7:3–4 (NKJV)
It is all because of His obedience that you get all blessings — honour and glory belong to Him only. If half the blessing came from your deeds, you would say half the glory is yours. That is why righteousness apart from law is counted for righteousness. 🏆
📖 What Happens When You Try the Law
“You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.” — Galatians 5:4
“having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us… And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” — Colossians 2:14 (NKJV)
“For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” — Romans 5:17 (NKJV)
“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.”” — Galatians 3:10 (NKJV)
“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed… if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” — Galatians 1:8–9 (NKJV)
“But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious…” — 2 Corinthians 3:7 (NKJV)
“…not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the law kills, but the Spirit gives life.” — 2 Corinthians 3:6 (NKJV)
📜 Moses, Elijah, and Jesus — Three Different Messages
Romans 2 shows the contrast between the message of the law, the prophets, and Jesus:
| Speaker | Message (to unbelievers) | Key verse |
|---|---|---|
| Moses | Doers of the law will be justified | Romans 2:13 — according to deeds |
| Elijah | Indignation and wrath for the disobedient | Romans 2:8 |
| Jesus | Not punished according to our sins | Psalm 103 — mercy, not anger forever |
“(for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;” — Romans 2:13 (NKJV)
“who “will render to each one according to his deeds“:” — Romans 2:6 (NKJV)
“…but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth… indignation and wrath,” — Romans 2:8 (NKJV)
⛰️ So Can We Not Learn from the Old Testament?
We can — when we read it through Christ:
“And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” — Luke 24:27 (NKJV)
Even the disciples failed again — James and John wanted fire from heaven “just as Elijah did.” Peter answered about taxes from strangers — Jesus said “Then the sons are free.”
“…do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven… just as Elijah did?”” — Luke 9:54 (NKJV)
“…from their sons or from strangers?” … “Then the sons are free.”” — Matthew 17:25–26 (NKJV)
❤️ What Is Written in Your Heart?
“…the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness…” — Romans 2:15 (NKJV) — old covenant
“…he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter…” — Romans 2:29 (NKJV) — new covenant
“All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.” — Acts 10:43–44 (NIV)
“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.” — Acts 10:44 (NKJV)
⏳ Why the Delay? Righteous at 75 — Isaac at 99
Abraham became righteous at age 75–80 — but only at 99 did he have his first child. You might say: “My blessing is delayed — how can I make it faster?” What did Abraham really do so his blessing came quickly? Everything is answered in Romans 4. 🕐
🔑 Four Things Abraham Believed — For Quick Blessing
- ⚖️ Righteousness apart from the law — not his performance
- 🙏 Whose sins are forgiven, they are blessed — David prophesied about you and me, not himself
- 💉 God shall not impute sin — righteousness imputed like a syringe into your body
- 📖 He knew the gospel — preached in the stars at Genesis 15:5–6
1️⃣ Righteousness Apart from Law
Abraham believed on righteousness apart from the law — not because of his own deeds or God’s deeds on his behalf, but because the Messiah would die for his sins and he would receive righteousness. If you study Abraham, your blessing will come even when the situation looks impossible. 🌱
2️⃣ Sins Forgiven → Blessed
Romans 4:7–8 from Psalm 32: David was prophesying about a category of people — you and me. He was not speaking about himself. Whoever’s sins are forgiven, they are blessed. David is envying us — we have two great promises he did not fully walk in. Even David envies the coming generation walking through difficulty. God’s hand will be in all the things you think will not happen — and He will do it. ✨
3️⃣ Sin Not Imputed — The Syringe Picture
Imputation means not counting — not thinking about it. Here is an easy picture: imagine a syringe. By default, when the world sins, pain, sorrow, and sickness are injected into their body. David went through that — punishment came again and again for his mistakes. He envied us: God created a group of people He is not even imputing sin to. 🩺
✝️ At the cross, like a syringe full of sin — Jesus did no sin, yet sin was imputed on His body. Your sins and mine. Equally, God took righteousness from His body and imputed the same righteousness into your body. When God sees you from heaven, He sees exactly Jesus’ righteousness. That is why the Holy Spirit can live inside you — and why you can lay hands on the sick and they will be healed. You did not become righteous by good deeds — His righteousness was imputed like a syringe inside you. 💉
Abraham believed: God, You are not going to impute sin on me — because one day my Saviour will come and You will impute all that sin on His body. 🕊️
4️⃣ He Knew the Gospel — Before the Cross
Galatians 3:8 — the gospel was pre-told to Abraham: through his Seed all nations will be blessed. The Seed is Jesus. John 8:56 — Abraham rejoiced to see Christ’s day. He knew Jesus would come, take away all sin, pain, sorrow, and impurity in His body. 🌟
🔭 Genesis 15:5–6 — the key area. God said: look toward heaven and number the stars. In Hebrew, “number” here means tell a story about the star — not count Abraham’s children (that comes elsewhere). This verse speaks about Jesus, the Seed. Tell the story: virgin birth (Virgo), trampling serpents and scorpions, the Lion of Judah at the end of Revelation. God preached the gospel in the stars — and Abraham believed the death and resurrection of Christ. That was counted for his righteousness. Whenever he saw stars, he heard the gospel again. ⭐
💪 El Shaddai at 99 — Almighty, Not “Mighty Plus Me”
At age 99, Abraham used the word El Shaddai for the first time — almighty, all-powerful. He was righteous and believed all four characteristics — but only at 99 did he understand God is almighty — and immediately he received the blessing. ⚡
| Until age 98 | At age 99 |
|---|---|
| “God, You are mighty — plus I will help You“ | “God, You are almighty — zero of me” |
| Your obedience + my obedience = blessing | 100% because of who You are |
| Merge both efforts together | Nothing to boast about — everything dead in me |
| Delay in the promise | Immediate blessing |
Sometimes we say: “God, You are mighty — You can do everything — but there is still some part of me I need to do to get the blessing.” Only when Abraham believed it was not even 0.001% of him — all because of the Lord — did blessing come quickly. Joshua and Caleb said they would quickly conquer — that is God’s desire for you. 🏔️
🔁 Hear Again and Again — The 40-Year Lesson
Israel travelled 40 years from wilderness to promised land — the same delay Abraham had. Hebrews 4:2: they heard the gospel only one time. Today you heard once that God forgave your sins, is not imputing sin on you, and you became righteous. They could not enter because one hearing was not enough. 📖
“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” — Romans 10:17 (NKJV)
If the Israelites had heard the gospel again and again, they probably would have reached the promised land in 40 days, not 40 years.
- 🎧 At least 10 minutes daily — hear it again and again
- 🌊 The same faith that parted the sea, stopped the sun, stilled the storm, and raised the dead can come to you
- 🗣️ Faith speaks — while speaking you will see it; start speaking today, see changes tomorrow
- ⭐ Abraham was convinced to receive the gospel — whenever he saw stars, he heard it again
Romans 4 says Abraham was convinced to receive the gospel because he was hearing it again and again. God can speak different things through the same words each time you listen. The more you hear — even without “going and doing” — while speaking, you will see it. 🙌
🎯 The Takeaway
Freedom from all your troubles: praise like David and Jehoshaphat when you have nothing; declare a no-lack shepherd life; walk in Abraham’s four convictions — righteousness apart from law, sins forgiven, sin not imputed, gospel known; stop merging your effort with God’s at age 99; and hear the word again and again until faith makes blessing immediate. It is 100% Him. 🕊️
🎧 Study notes on freedom from all troubles through Abraham’s faith in Romans 4. If it strengthened you, share it with someone who needs zero-lack living today. 💛