The Power of Suffering (Part 7)

When you suffer according to the will of God, you should realize you are not alone. Many other believers are experiencing similar battles:

1 Peter 5:9 "...knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. 

The 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 God's Word as well as those who have not.  The foundation of a man's life is what will determine the outcome of the storm.

Suffering is to be expected as part of the will of God:

2 Timothy 3:12 "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

Philippians 1:29 "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake."

2 Thessalonians 1:5 "...that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer..."

1 Thessalonians 3:4 "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."

Matthew 24:9 "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you:  and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake."

Luke 21:12 "...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."

John 15:20 "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..."

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 do this to try to appease God's anger 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.

Part of the follow up plan in establishing early churches was to teach believers that they would experience suffering.  This is missing in many churches today:

Acts 14:22 "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."

The call of Jesus to followers is one of denial and suffering:

Matthew 10:38 "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me."

16: 24 "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."

Mark 8:34 "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow me."

10:21 "Come, take up the cross, and follow me."

Luke 9:23 "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me."

14:27 "And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple."

Jesus called believers to a life of denial, suffering, and the cross because of the powerful potential of the fellowship of His suffering. Resurrection power and the power of His suffering are like the positive and negative forces of electricity used in modern societies.  It takes both the positive and negative to create power