SUFFERING

To suffer...to experience pain, illness, or injury;
  • : to experience something unpleasant (such as defeat, loss, or damage)
  • : to become worse because of being badly affected by something
  • This is not a word that any of us would like to be a regular part of our vocabulary!  As a Christian, I want to walk in the VICTORY of the cross and be enabled to overcome everything, in every way.  I don't want to accept pain, illness or injury, because I know the word says... "BY HIS STRIPES I AM HEALED."  I totally believe that Jesus healed ALL who came to Him.  I believe that God is a good, good Father and He cares totally about my well being.  He does not put sickness on me or cause me to be injured because He loves me! God is good!  The devil is bad!

    • So when I experience something unpleasant it is from my own choices or the enemy trying to discourage or defeat me.  The scripture does say that he prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 

    This subject is a challenge right now, because as a staff at HCF and as a church we are pressing in deeper and closer for "revival" to come to our city and county.  Therefore, the enemy is trying to keep us from doing so.  It is sometimes hard to stay diligently after God when we face suffering.  Suffering seeks to grab our attention and focus.  It says "poor me" and tries to bring discouragement.  My current sufferings are nothing compared to what Jesus walked through!  Hebrews 12: 1-2 says, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

    He endured the cross...the beatings, the ridicule, the rejection.  He who did not sin, took every sin of the world upon himself on that cross.  He suffered.  Even his own Father turned his head away.  Because he knew after he suffered just a little while, he would have joy and peace and wholeness for eternity.  And he was purchasing my life from the grave!  The same power that raised Christ Jesus from the grave, now dwells in me! The same life giving spirit from "God"! 

    So my prayer today for myself...and for you...is that we would be immersed in His spirit, baptized and filled up, empowered and walking in victory!  That we would find a way to set our heart and focus on him in the spirit in spite of our circumstances!  Neither leg injuries, nor flu, nor rashes from the pit of hell are able to separate me from the love of God that I find in Christ Jesus my Lord!

    Are you suffering today?  Press on to know the Lord!

    Comments

    1. Ramble OnMarch 29, 2016 at 10:59 AM

      Hi Dori,
      Just a question. Do you think that sometimes we can be puffed up with self importance that we think we are so important to God or the Devil that they would cause us to suffer? Do you not think that sometimes a rash is just a rash and the flu is just flu, all part of the human experience? Non believers also suffer these things. Just wondering.

      ReplyDelete
    2. MaranathaMarch 30, 2016 at 7:42 AM

      Dori God put a lot of plagues on people throughout the Bible. He is a good God but His ways are much higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8,9). I really don't think we can understand as much as we'd like to while in this world.

      ReplyDelete
    3. UnknownApril 6, 2016 at 9:10 AM

      Thank you for both of your comments. I do believe that life brings many things our way that are just part of life. The scripture says that the rain falls on the just and the unjust. I also know that my Heavenly Father is good all the time and wants good things for His kids. My rash was the result of the horrible pollen we had this spring in Florida. So yes, it just came as a result of nature. But it also was very distracting...as was an earlier leg injury. So both happened in a short period of time...in a time that we were designating to spend extra time in prayer and seeking God. So do I attribute the enemy with trying to distract me? Yes I guess I do. That he can use circumstances to try to keep me from going after God. Am I that important? Not do I for a minute think that it all depends on me! I am just a small part of what God wants to do. But do I think the enemy tries to discourage and distract...absolutely. The more people he can convince that pursuing God just isn't worth it...the more he feels he has the victory! But I have read the end of the book...and Jesus is the victor.

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