“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]” (John 16:33 AMP)
“Beloved friends, if life gets extremely difficult, with many tests, don’t be bewildered as though something strange were overwhelming you. Instead, continue to rejoice, for you, in a measure, have shared in the sufferings of the Anointed One so that you can share in the revelation of his glory and celebrate with even greater gladness! If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are greatly blessed, because the Spirit of glory and power, who is the Spirit of God, rests upon you. Let none of you merit suffering as a murderer, or thief, or criminal, or as one who meddles in the affairs of others. If you suffer for being a Christian, don’t consider it a disgrace but a privilege. Glorify God because you carry the Anointed One’s name. For the time is ripe for judgment to begin in God’s own household. And if it starts with us, what will be the fate of those who refuse to obey the gospel of God? And: If the righteous are barely saved, what will become of the wicked and godless? So then, those who suffer for following God’s will should enfold their lives into the Creator, who will never fail them, and continue to always do what is right.” (1 Peter 4:12-19 TPT)
“Our faith in Jesus transfers God’s righteousness to us and he now declares us flawless in his eyes. This means we can now enjoy true and lasting peace with God, all because of what our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, has done for us. Our faith guarantees us permanent access into this marvelous kindness that has given us a perfect relationship with God. What incredible joy bursts forth within us as we keep on celebrating our hope of experiencing God’s glory! But that’s not all! Even in times of trouble we have a joyful confidence, knowing that our pressures will develop in us patient endurance. And patient endurance will refine our character, and proven character leads us back to hope. And this hope is not a disappointing fantasy, because we can now experience the endless love of God cascading into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” (Romans 5:1-5 TPT)
“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” (John 15:20 NKJV)
Today I am taking a closer look at the “Sufferings WITH Christ.” These are sufferings that were experienced by Jesus and he let me know that as I follow him I will also experience them. As I live visibly and vocally for Jesus Christ there are a couple of areas of difficulty and suffering that become more and more prevalent in my life. One area is primarily external while the other is mainly internal. Let’s look first at the external difficulty (suffering and pain) that will arise.
People don’t have much of a problem with someone identifying themselves as a person who believes in God. This generic term for a deity existing in some form is actually fashionable in much of society. While there are some who work to deny the reality of anything beyond the sensory perception of human reasoning, most acknowledge at least the possibility of some greater being, higher power, life energy, infinite life giving light or vibration, etc. After all…
…”You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” (James 2:19 NKJV)
What becomes a point of contention is when I openly share my love and commitment to Jesus Christ. Being a disciple of Christ places expectations and accountability upon my life. I am no longer free to do my own thing. While I become the recipient of the fulness of our Father’s grace and step into the abundant life of being a son of God, I also become subject to the dominion of the King of the Universe. I now have some rules to follow. In this Kingdom, relationships always supersede rules, however without rules to guide community things quickly become chaotic. The rule of relationship must be followed by the rule of law (not the other way around). God has written his commandments on our hearts and they flow from love.
There is an enemy who roams this earth looking for those that he may devour. He wants nothing more than to steal, kill, and destroy the lives of all who are created in the image and likeness of God. He is the one working behind the scenes to stir people up to move in hatred toward one another. He hates the entire human race, especially those who claim the name of Jesus.
When Lucifer convinced one third of the angels to follow him in his uprising of treasonous pride, the King (God the Father) cast him and his army out of the Kingdom of Heaven to the earth. When the King of Heaven expanded his Kingdom to Earth, he gave the earth to Adam (and his descendants) and placed him in charge. Together, Adam and Eve were to take dominion. They were to rule over nature and subdue the enemy.
With a name change, Satan continued what he had started in Heaven here on the Earth. He found a way to deceive Eve, and Adam joined him. Together, they gave Satan dominion of the earth. This allowed Satan and his followers to carry out the rebellion that they launched in Heaven here on Earth. For a season Satan (the devil) ruled as the god of the world, carrying out his mission of pride against the Creator and his creation. Then came Jesus – the Son of Man – the Last Adam.
Jesus dethroned Satan and stripped him of every ounce of power and authority that had been delivered to him by the first Adam. Dominion was given back to the children of God as the Father intended. The result is that a declawed and defanged old lion (the devil – Satan) is left powerless with only one weapon to use against those that he hates – deception.
Satan roars hoping that his prey will freeze in their tracks in fear. In his current condition he knows that he will never keep up if they flee, and never overpower them if they resist. The only chance he has is if the deception of his toothless roar creates a situation in which his prey allows him entry. He is banking on their fear to give him the opportunity to devour them. He can no longer crouch down and stalk his prey. He has to rely on the reaction of his prey to his roar.
Satan uses his deception to entice those who have been set free to choose to follow him. He does this through a three pronged approach of temptation…
…”For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16 NKJV).
This is exactly what he did with Adam and Eve, what he tried to do with Jesus, and what he does with every person on planet Earth that will let him. Once he gets a person to follow him, one of the first things he does is start a campaign to get that person to reject and persecute Jesus and anyone who is associated with him.
It was Satan standing behind the Jewish leaders (especially the Pharisees) that convinced them to reject and persecute Jesus. It was Satan and his army that little by little turned the crowds who thronged Jesus in amazement of his words and actions (teaching and accompanying signs and wonders) to reject him in fear and unbelief. It was the devil that transformed the same people who laid down palm branches as Jesus rode by…
…”So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” (John 12:13 ESV)
To cry out a week later…
…”And they cried out again, “Crucify him.” (Mark 15:13 ESV)
Satan worked the religious leaders who in turn worked the crowd to choose Barabbas rather than Jesus.
Persecution in all of its forms, up to and including martyrdom, should not come as a shock to me as a disciple of Jesus living a visible and vocal life for him. However, it is not my Father’s desire that I create a theology of suffering which builds an expectation of troubles. As a son of God, my hope and expectation is of living in peace and prosperity (I know this word elicits negative response from some who do not understand it, but it is what has been promised). I do not seek trouble. I seek the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth (here and now) which is overflowing with the love, goodness, grace, and the benefits bestowed upon me by my King.
In like manner, while rejection and persecution are always a possibility, I must avoid bringing them upon myself. I should never incite this kind of a reaction through my thoughtless approach to what I say and do. My responsibility is to love people and offer them the Kingdom. To whatever degree I am able, I am to live at peace with all people (even when they reject me and all that I stand for)…
…If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18 NIV)
…”Speak blessing, not cursing, over those who reject and persecute you…Do your best to live as everybody’s friend.” (Romans 12:14 & 18 TPT)
While Jesus openly confronted the religious leaders, he did just the opposite with everyone else. Recognizing the one that those who claimed to represent the Father were truly representing (Satan), Jesus called them out for who they truly were. They were the only ones that he confronted in this manner. All others were lifted up to realize just how loved they were by the Father that he was revealing. He manifested and demonstrated the Goodness (kindness) of his Father which led those he loved to any needed change.
Bottom Line: All disciples of Jesus Christ should be ready to be confronted at some point with “Suffering WITH Christ” in the form of rejection and persecution but should seek just the opposite. After all, there may be those who are influenced to come against you…
…”But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” (1 John 4:4 NLT)
It’s not very enjoyable, but it is necessary to ponder…
…Eric’s Life Lesson # 411: Discerned Suffering: Suffering WITH Christ – The Pain of Rejection and Persecution