Continued from “Faith 101 Deliverance from Evil” Chapter 24 “CASUALTIES OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE” And Yes, there are positive benefits of suffering… There are actually many positive benefits of suffering according to Gods will. If you understand these, it will help you deal with your own suffering as well as minister to others who are casualties of war; First, the benefit of your faith is tested: Remember, everything in the spiritual world is based on faith. This is when what you experience far exceeds the bounds and capacity of your mind and the strength of your faith must be tested: “That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” I Peter 1:7 It is a trial of faith when you pray as Jesus did, for God to let the cup of bitterness pass, and yet it does not pass. Instead, you are forced to drink deeply of its suffering. But faith will learn that our prayers are not unanswered just because they are not answered the way we want. You also benefit by suffering because you become equipped to comfort others: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” II Corinthians 1:3-4 “When you share Gods comfort with others you... lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.” Hebrews 12:12-13 You benefit through suffering because you learn not to trust in yourself: Paul spoke of the purpose of his sufferings in Asia… “In Asia we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life; But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God which raiseth the dead.” II Corinthians 1:8-9 You will come to recognize that... “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” II Corinthians 4:7 You benefit through suffering because you develop positive Spiritual Qualities: “We glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope”, (resulting in the love of God being shed abroad in our hearts). Romans 5:3-4 “...after ye have suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” I Peter 5:10 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Romans 8:28-29 You benefit through suffering because the works of God are manifested: When the disciples saw a man who had been blind from birth, they asked who was responsible for his condition. Was it the sin of his parents or of the man himself? Jesus answered: “Neither this man sinned nor His parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in Him.” John 9:3 We will benefit through your suffering because the power of God is perfected: “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” II Corinthians 12:9 Through suffering that which is unstable is removed: Suffering results in all that is unstable being shaken out of your life. You cease to depend on people, programs, or material things as these all fail in your time of need. God permits this... “removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.” Hebrews 12:26-27 During the storms of life, everything crumbles that is not built upon God and His Word, “Your word Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” Psalm 119:89 Through suffering your focus is changed: When you experience suffering you often focus your attention on cause and effect. Unlike natural medicine you become and are more concerned with what caused the difficult circumstances and the terrible effect it is having in your life. God wants to change your focus from struggling to understand the temporal situation to recognizing the benefits of the eternal: “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” II Corinthians 4:17-18 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” I Peter 4:12-13 “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him...” II Timothy 2:12 You also benefit through suffering when the old self-nature is changed: God said of the nation of Moab… “Moab hath been at ease from his youth, and he hath settled on his lees, and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither hath he gone into captivity; therefore his taste remained in him, and his scent is not changed.” Jeremiah 48:11 Because Moab had not experienced the troublesome pouring out and stirring similar to that necessary to develop good wine, the nation did not change. Moab was at ease and settled in prosperity and because of this did not develop and mature properly spiritually. Therefore there was no change. His own scent remained in him. Suffering rids you of the old self-nature. As you are stirred, troubled, and poured out, your spiritual scent changes from carnal to spiritual. Suffering also prepares one for Ministry: You have asked to be used by God. You desire to be more like Jesus and prayed to be a chosen vessel for His use. The answer to your prayer may come through suffering: “Behold I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” Isaiah 48:10 It is through affliction that you move beyond the calling as a child of God to become chosen of God. Affliction according to the will of God refines you for His use just as metals are refined in a furnace in the natural world. God actually prepares you to wage warfare against the enemy by suffering! Through suffering you are prepared to reign with Christ: “If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him...” II Timothy 2:12 Through suffering you receive Spiritual Blessings: Jesus said; “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake; for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12 Through suffering you learn obedience: “Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered...” Hebrews 5:8 Through suffering the Word of God is tested within you: “The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.” Psalm 12:6 Through suffering you are humbled: “Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint; Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that He might humble thee, and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter end...” Deuteronomy 8:15-16 Through suffering you are enlarged Spiritually: “This means you grow spiritually Thou has enlarged me when I was under pressure.” Psalm 4:1 Revised Standard Version And one of the best benefits of suffering is that you come to know God intimately: You come to know God on a more intimate basis through suffering. Job, who suffered much, learned this truth and said... “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:5-6 Some of us know God only second handedly. Backsliding along, often experiencing the blessings of life, where God is often a luxury instead of a necessity. But when you have a real need, God all of the sudden becomes a necessity. Job came to know God more intimately through suffering. Before he suffered, Job knew God through theology. Afterwards, he knew Him by experience. Paul expressed a similar desire when he said: “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.” Philippians 3:10 You can only come to know God in resurrection power through the intimate fellowship of suffering. Throughout his suffering, Job questioned God as to the cause of his suffering. It is not wrong to question God. Jesus knew the purpose for which He had come into the world was to die for the sins of all mankind. Yet in His hour of suffering He cried out, My God, My God, WHY hast thou forsaken me? It is what follows the questioning that is important. Jesuss next words were, Into thy hands I commit my spirit. Despite the questions, Jobs response was... “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him...” Job 13:15 “For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” Job 19:25-26 After all the questioning is finished, the emphasis must change from me to Thee. You must commit your suffering, with all its unanswered questions, into the hands of God. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 God may reveal some of the purposes in your suffering, but it is possible you will never fully understand it: “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing...” Proverbs 25:2 “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us...” Deuteronomy 29:29 There are some secret things that belong only to the Lord. As Job, you may never understand all the purposes of your suffering: “Since the Lord is directing our steps, one may ask, why try to understand everything that happens along the way?” Proverbs 20:24 The Living Bible When God finally talked with Job, He used several examples from nature which Job could not explain. God stressed that if Job could not understand what he saw in the natural world, he certainly could not understand that which he could not see in the spiritual world. When Job faces God, it no longer matters that he does not get an answer to his questions about suffering. He is in the direct presence of God, and that experience leaves no room for anything else. He is no longer controlled and tormented by human reasoning. He replaces questions, not with answers, but with faith. You see, when you come to know God intimately through suffering, you see yourself as you really are. You no longer know God second-handedly. That face-to-face encounter with God does what arguments and discussions cannot do. When Job stood before God, he had no new answers. He was given no new facts about his suffering. But he replaced questions with faith. Job had been in the direct presence of God, and that experience left no room for questions or doubts. We benefit through suffering in the storms of life... Suffering is sometimes compared to a natural storm. And in some cases we may feel that we have trudged through the perfect storm... When you suffer, you experience a storm spiritually speaking. This storm may affect you either in combination or standing alone spiritually, mentally, physically, materially, or emotionally. The Bible tells of a storm which the disciples of Jesus experienced. Grab your Bible and read the story in Mark 4:35-41. Jesus told the disciples to go to the other side and He joined them in the boat. The storm was an attack of Satan who was trying to prevent them from reaching the shore because of the miraculous works that were to be done in Gadarea (see Mark chapter 5). Immediately Jesus took authority over the storm. He rebuked the powers of the enemy. Calm returned to the sea and they continued their journey unhindered. Difficulties of life can often be compared to natural storms. A storm of Satan is anything that tries to hinder you from fulfilling the will of God for your life and being an effective Christian soldier. It is not suffering resulting from your own disobedience. Neither is this kind of suffering according to the will of God. God does not want anything to hinder His plan for you and your victory in spiritual warfare! When you face a storm caused by Satan, exercise authority over the enemy. Jesus has given you power over every power of Satan. There are two other stories of natural storms recorded in the Bible which illustrate storms resulting from chastisement for sin and storms that occur according to the will of God. Read the story of Jonah and the storm in Jonah chapter l. Then read the story of Paul and the storm in Acts 27. Here, Jonah put himself in the storm and Paul was in the storm through no fault of his own... • He paid the fare. • He tried to prevent them from sailing. • Jonah was the cause of the storm. • Paul was the remedy for the storm. • Jonah slept during the storm. • Paul fasted and prayed in the storm. • Gods blessing was not with Jonah. • Gods blessing was with Paul. • The crew was fearful. • The crew was told to be of good cheer. To be saved Jonah must be cast out. All must abide in the ship There are differences between going through a storm of life within Gods will and experiencing a storm out of the will of God. When you go through a storm out of the will of God, it is a situation which you have created. For example, a believer who marries an unsaved person will experience trouble because they have violated a Scriptural principle. You are the cause of a storm that results from disobedience. You have violated Gods will and His commands. Often you are not even aware of the seriousness of your situation. You sleep spiritually while the storm increases its fury around you. In a storm caused by your own sin, you are fearful and those around you grow fearful. The storm is not an attack of Satan. It is chastisement from God. You can confess promises of power over the enemy but it will not change the situation. When you recognize a storm of suffering as one resulting from sin, there is only one remedy: Ask forgiveness from God! But when you suffer according to the will of God, the situation is different. In this instance, you suffer through no fault or sin of your own. You can be a remedy to the problems around you instead of a cause. Like Paul, you can assume spiritual leadership because Gods blessing is on you. You can bring encouragement to others because you are a solution to the storm instead of the cause. You should not bail out of the ship or run from the trouble. You must abide in the ship of this type of suffering for it is the will of God. And finally, the benefit of suffering to the Christian Soldier… When you suffer according to the will of God, you should realize you are not alone. Many others in Gods army are experiencing similar battles: “...knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” I Peter 5:9 Storms of life are inevitable and uncontrollable, as illustrated by the parable of the two houses in Matthew 7:24-27. Storms will come to those who have built their lives upon Gods Word as well as those who have not. The foundation of a mans life is what will determine the outcome of the storm. Suffering is to be expected as part of the will of God: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” II Timothy 3:12 “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake” Philippians 1:29. “that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer...” II Thessalonians 1:5 “For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass and ye know.” I Thessalonians 3:4 “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my names sake.” Matthew 24:9 “...they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my names sake.” Luke 21:12 “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you...” John 15:20 Now this does not mean that you make yourself suffer believing it would be pleasing to God. God is never pleased when people suffer. To purposefully make yourself suffer (an act called asceticism) is a sin. Many people try to do this to try to appease Gods anger and/or make themselves appear holy or religious before men. But God is only appeased by the blood of Jesus Christ. God does, however, take the tragedy of suffering when it does touch your life and redeem it for good. A very key part in establishing early churches was to teach believers that they would experience suffering. This is missing in many churches today as are the teachings of the Old Testament: “...They returned...confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22 The call of Jesus to followers is one of denial and suffering: “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:38 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 “...Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me.” Mark 8:34 “..e, take up the cross, and follow me.” Mark 10:21 “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23 “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27 Spiritual warfare is not a succession of great victories and celebrations of praise. As any soldier in the natural world, they go through hardships but as a soldier in Gods army, you are called to also endure suffering: “Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” II Timothy 2:3 One of the principles of natural warfare also applies to the spiritual realm: Do not stop fighting just because you are wounded! You know... If you’re going through hell keep going... Now, ask yourself, If you are currently suffering? And if so, How? For more; contact your favorite bookstore and ask them to order Faith 101 Deliverance from Evil using the following codes. ISBN: 10:1628391243 or ISBN: 13:978-1628391244 If you wish, you can also pick it up for all your digital devices at kindle.
Posted on: Mon, 02 Dec 2013 19:08:09 +0000
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