This word is submitted by Teresa Seputis (ts@godspeak.org)

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                        Do Not Be Dismayed

Child of Mine, do not be dismayed when I allow adversity into your life.
Do not assume that I am angry with you and do not think that I am punishing
you.  When I allow difficulties to come into your life, it is not so that you
might be disqualified.  Rather, I allow it to sharpen you, to breed character
into you and to give Myself an opportunity to bring a greater measure of My
glory into your life.  I do not intend for the adversity to overcome you,
child of Mine.  I have put My Holy Spirit within you to comfort you in times
of difficulty and to teach you how to become an overcoming one, that you might
walk victorious in Me.

Haven't you read in My word how I allowed adversity in the lives of many
of My faithful servants?  Do you remember My servant Joseph?  Did I not give
him dreams of his great destiny and then allow his brothers to sell him as a
slave?  Don't you think that felt like great adversity to Joseph?  But he
learned to be faithful to Me in the midst of his circumstances. When the
enemy brought false accusations against him and had him cast into prison,
I was there with him, to watch over him and protect him.  In the midst of
this misery, Joseph was formed into a man of character and integrity.  He
became one who I could trust to lead a whole nation. And once he reached
that place, I caused his destiny to come upon him quickly and thrust him
into the place of leadership that I had prepared for him.

Remember also My servant David.  I sent Samuel to anoint him as king and
gave him the promise of a glorious destiny.  I taught him to war and I
gave him many amazing victories.  I chose him -- in fact, I hand-picked
him to lead My people.  Yet, I did not spare him from adversity.  No, he
was put into many life-threatening and difficult situations.  His own
father in law tried to take his life many times.  He had to hide in the
caves of Adullam, he had to pretend to be insane to hide among his enemies
to preserve his own life.  Many times he had to go hungry and be cold and
physically uncomfortable.  He had to humble himself many times in
the midst of his adversity.  Yet he continued to trust in Me and remain
faithful to walk in all of My ways.  He allowed Me to groom his character
from that place of adversity, and because of that, I was able to raise him
up into a position of greatness and of much power.

Child, do not be surprised when I allow adversity to come into your life.
It is frequently a part of My process.  I never intend to leave My own
in the place of adversity, in due time I will deliver them from it just as
I delivered My people from the affliction of slavery in Egypt.  Know that
it is from the place of greatest adversity that I am able to bring the
greatest deliverances.  It is from the place of hardship that I do My
most mighty miracles on behalf of My own. So do not fear adversity, but
look eagerly to see My glory come into the midst of your situation.

Do not see your adversity as a place of abandonment, for I never abandon
My own.  Trust in Me and look expectantly to Me to bring My glory into your
situation.  Child, I am faithful and I will take care of you.  Yes, I will
allow you to go through times of difficulty that I might mold character in
you, for there are things I must do in your life that I cannot do from a
place of comfort and peace.  I cannot teach you to walk in faith unless I
put you into situations that require faith, and those situations will feel
like adversity to you.  But My purpose in allowing these things in to your
life is to raise you up to a higher level in Me, that you might be molded
in character, prepared and ready for the destiny that I have called you to.

Know that I am with you in the midst of your sufferings and discomfort and
that I fully intend to move you into the place of destiny and victory and
overcoming.  Understand that My purposes for you are good, and that I will
surround you in My glory and I will raise you up at the right time.  So,
child of Mine, do not be dismayed when I allow adversity into your life.
Look forward to the great victory that I will give you over that adversity
and know that I have destined you for My glory