TRIBULATION FOR THE KINGDOM SAKE (PART 3)
"God gave you the honor both of believing in Christ and suffering for Christ. Both these things bring glory to Christ. When I was with you, you saw the struggles I had. And you hear about the struggles I am having now. You yourselves are having the same kind of struggles." - Philippians 1:29-30 ICB
When I consider the kind of messages that some of my fellow pastors preach these days, it irks me. More annoying is the spiritual state of their congregations that blinds them from seeing the truth from God's Word. Most annoying is when I hear preachers who having gone through past moments of hardship, trials and afflictions, hide their past experiences, talking braggadociously as though they are super Christians whose experiences in the Lord have been completely devoid of hiccups in the faith following moments of tribulations, trials and afflictions. As Pastors our messages should be of comfort to the afflicted (2 Cor 1:3-4; Isaiah 40:1,49:13). The truth is, christians are made to face sufferings and afflictions (Jn 15:20; Acts 14:22; 1Thess 3:3, Phil 1:29-30).
The Word of God tells us that He didn't only call us in Christ to believe Him, but to suffer for Him; and that these two callings (to believe in Christ and to suffer for Christ) are our trademark as Christians (Phil 1:29-30). Clearly, it's settled that afflictions, tribulations and trials are moments of suffering. But today, we have Christians who are only ready to believe in Christ (how I wish they truly do so), and reject the idea of suffering for Him. What's more, these two callings, according to God's Word, are both honorable and bring glory to Christ (Phil 1:29).
As Christians, we are never to shy away from whatever it is that is honorable and which also glorifies Christ. This accounts for why the Apostles of old embarked on missionary journeys with the sole aim of confirming or strengthening their converts to Christ (Acts 14:22,15:32; Rom 1:11; 1 Thess 3:1-3).
The word "confirm" used in Acts 14:22 and Acts 15:32 has the same Greek root word with the word "strengthen" used in Rom 1:11. That Greek word is "sterizo". It means to "confirm", to "strengthen", to "establish" and to "steadfastly set" someone on a course. This was what the early Apostles were doing with the missionary voyages they made in the early days of the Church.
The purpose of the strengthening and comforting, etc, was to ensure that their converts stood fast in the Lord, in spite of tribulations, trials and afflictions (1 Cor 16:13, Phil 1:27,4:1, Gal 5:1, 1 Thess 3:5-8).
Their message was principally
"That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto." - 1 Thessalonians 3:3, KJV.
I love the Plain English Version translation of this verse:
"We knew that people would give you trouble, and we didn’t want any of you to stop following Jesus. You yourselves know that you get trouble for following Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 3:3, PEV.
People of God, did you hear that? "You get trouble for following Jesus".
Nevertheless, hear the conclusion of the matter:
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all." - Psalms 34:19, KJV.
Again in Job 5:19, the Word is:
"He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee." Hallelujah! Part of the good news is that afflictions and sufferings aren't forever, but for "a while" (1Pet 5:10).
This is our consolation to the dearly beloved children of God! Apostle Paul was a man who saw untold and numerous persecutions, trials and afflictions. But hear his testimony in 2 Timothy 3:10:
"But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me."
PRAYER:
Child of God, I pray for you that the Lord God, Who is no respecter of persons will in the same vein see you through your pains, persecutions, trials and afflictions, in Jesus name.