DON'T CONCLUDE OR ASSUME AN EVIL END

Although we live in perilous times, and many lives are exposed to imminent risk of disaster or ruin, don't accept an evil ending. Making assumptions based on any temporary situation can cause us to jump to wrong conclusions and eventually embrace the wrong decision-making. Always remember that God's thoughts for you are good and its geared toward achieving a particular purpose - to give you an expected end.

Reference: Acts 16:27-28 The Message (MSG)

'Startled from sleep, the jailer saw all the doors swinging loose on their hinges. Assuming that all the prisoners had escaped, he pulled out his sword and was about to do himself in, figuring he was as good as dead anyway, when Paul stopped him: "Don't do that! We're all still here! Nobody's run away!"'

Did you know that the keeper of the prison never saw the prisoners escaping the prison? Look at the above Scripture properly. He just assumed! He took a life-ending decision in response to his unverified assumption and almost acted on a wrong decision with a homicidal tendency. Simply put, based on erroneous assumption, he almost killed himself. But thank God, Paul intervened!

In challenging times, temptations come to many people to harm themselves because they see no future. There is a time when all human indicators point to some imminent danger or suggests a bad happening approaching. At such times, you may feel like the end is going to be worse than present. The thought that comes to mind immediately is to mess things up because for you, they would be messed up anyway. However there is golden news for you: Do not harm yourself; don't assume or accept 'bad ending'.

Be careful! Some thoughts that come to you under pressure could just be floating assumptions demanding a space to settle in your mind, so you could act stupidly. But I'll tell you the best action to take in such situation, and that is: locate the Word of God and embrace its reality. Alternatively speak to a Christian leader who is strong in the Lord and has the Spirit of God.

Even Judas who betrayed Jesus, as evil as his moves were, he could've lived on without committing suicide. Unfortunately, he must have thought and assumed that everything and everyone was against him and for that reason, he went away and ended his own life. The reality of the Word was that Jesus would rise after three days. If Judas had waited three more days, his decision and situation would've been different.

Today Jesus has risen and is alive. It means that Judas' troubles and perils would've been temporary but his guilty conscience was so strong that he was propelled to initiate his own death. Let's not forget that Peter also denied Jesus, yet he didn't kill himself or run away from Jesus permanently. Instead He was eventually used to spread the glorious gospel in his time. Same way, don't ever assume that its over for you, no matter what the present situation dictates.

Remember all troubles, including your mistakes, are temporary and that means, they'll eventually fade away. If you look beyond the moment, you'll see that there's no end to your desirable future. With the eyes of your spirit, you can see or envisage the bigger picture of your glorious future and be certain that you'll have a good peaceful ending. This is because Psalm 37:37 (KJV) says, 'Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace'. No disadvantage!

2 Kings chapter 6 & 7 recorded that in Samaria, there was a famine to the point that mothers began to eat their own children. However within 24 hours everything changed for the better because a Prophet of God prophesied a turn around. You can do the same by prophesying a great turn around, instead of thinking of how to harm yourself before any assumed evil comes (see Act 2:17 NIV). Even if you don't see a change immediately, keep prophesying and refuse to be moved. It will surely turn in your favour.

Scripture Reading - Psalm 30:5; Proverbs 18:13; Jeremiah 29:11; Lamentation 3:26; John 7:24.

Guided Prayer:

Dear heavenly Father, I'm forever grateful for my glorious destiny in Christ Jesus and its all I live for! I thank you for your grace and power at work in me at all times, which enable me to see and experience my desired expectations beyond the natural point of view. Therefore, I'm strengthened by your Word today to exercise unflinching faith in any situation and to live to fulfil your purpose for my life without entertaining the wrong assumptions, in Jesus' Name, Amen!