Can You Have Relief in Suffering?

(2 Corinthians 12:8-10)

I have experienced something about most Christians these days that make me wonder if we really read our scriptures as Christians; whether we meditate on the word of God. The actions of most Christians show that they do not believe a Christian can suffer. Many think that a Christian cannot be poor, sick or should not suffer because God owns every good thing. This is not always true because we need to suffer as Christians. But in our sufferings we have to ask the question whether it is God’s will. My intention is to show that we can get relief in suffering by accepting God’s will in our lives.

1. Our Lord Jesus and other apostles such as Paul suffered

We are made to understand in verse 7 of 2cor 12 that Paul was inflicted pain by Satan. Did he sin? No! Did he lose his anointing? No! Why then would Satan have the access to inflict him pain? This was a physical attack on causing him a physical infirmity as he mentions that it was a “thorn in the flesh”.

                                            i.            God controls the world, but He will allow Satan to inflict suffering. He allowed it for Job and in this text we also see that God allowed it for Paul.

                                          ii.            This suffering builds our character and makes us ready for our Lord

                                         iii.            In suffering, you show proof of your faith; when you endure it for Christ’s sake (1 Pet 1:6,7) read!

                                        iv.            Suffering  makes you more precious than gold

                                          v.            It is the fire that refines you who will enter heaven.

2. Suffering is never enjoyable

                                                               i.      No one will intentionally want to suffer for no good course

                                                             ii.      When our Lord was about to be crucified He prayed in Gethsemane that God the father should take away that cup from Him. Our Lord prayed three times, asking God to take away the cup if possible but He realized that it was God’s will for Him to be crucified (Matt 6:44)

                                                            iii.      Our Lord accepted the suffering because it was God’s will not because He loved suffering.

                                                           iv.      In verse 8 of our text Paul says for his physical infirmity, he implored the Lord three times. He begged the Lord earnestly in his prayers. That is what he means!

                                                             v.      Because suffering is not enjoyable we seek refuge to our God when we are faced with pain.

                                                           vi.      Sometimes our prayers are not answered the way we want. God did not relieve Paul from his infirmity just as He did not take away the cross from our Lord Jesus Christ.

                                                          vii.      Paul ceased his prayers for relief after the third prayer was unanswered.

                                                        viii.      He concluded that God would not remove the thorn from his flesh;

                                                           ix.      He then accepted his physical infirmity and continued his ministry

                                                             x.      Today, many people will not accept any pain as if Christians were never to feel pains or suffer. That is why we do not cease from visiting prophets and men of God; leaving from one to another for healing, prosperity, etc.

a.       Some even say that men of God can never suffer. No! That is misleading and false!

b.      Many think suffering or physical infirmity to some men of God comes from sin. No! Not always!

c.       Some men of God boast that any man of God who falls sick lacks the anointing. They say, they’ll never fall sick, they’ll only prosper physically, spiritually and health wise.

                                                           xi.      Paul was a great man of God, filled with the anointing, accompanied by God’s presence as miracles and healings followed him in his ministry.

a.       But he came to learn something in his physical life that made him more precious.    

b.      Physical infirmities remind us that we are living in a physical world, but looking forward to a realm where God will wipe away every tear from our eyes and there’ll be no pain (Rev 21:4)

If there were no pain on earth, who will desire a heavenly realm?

3. God said “My grace is sufficient” 2cor 12:9

                                                               i.      God says His power is made perfect in weakness.

                                                             ii.      God is able to deliver us from this physical world

                                                            iii.      God is able to deliver us from the power of sin and death

                                                           iv.      He controls this world because God has power over Satan.

                                                             v.      Whether in physical suffering, financial difficulties, health problems, barrenness, joblessness, sin that you are struggling with, looking up for a life partner and cannot find, family problems, problems at work, spiritual oppression, problems in schools, whatsoever;

trust and know that God is able to deliver you.

                                                           vi.      Paul learned to trust in God’s power to deliver

                                                          vii.      He did not trust in his own power or spiritual strength as did some false apostles. Today many still trust in their own ingenuity (inventiveness or cleverness and originality).

4. When you know that it’s God’s will, boast in your weakness when you suffer for Christ.

It is very rare to find people these days boasting in their weakness. Many people would love to boast in their strength.

                                                               i.      Paul did not hide his physical infirmity like some of us today.

                                                             ii.      He spoke of it, glorifying the power of God which has helped him live with it. He knew that it was glorifying to God even if the world thinks it is blasphemy (1Pet 4:14) Read

                                                            iii.      In verse 7 of 2cor 12, Paul understood that God allowed this to happen to him so that he’ll not exalt himself above measure.

                                                           iv.      The thorn in the flesh kept him humble. And humility brought us heaven even in the humility of our Lord Jesus Christ; right unto the cross

5. Endure the persecution and hardships willingly (Verse 10)

It is not enough to accept the persecution but also to know that your weakness and suffering glorify the name of Jesus.

                                                               i.      In your sufferings your weakness is manifest and when your weakness is manifested, the power of Christ is also manifested.

                                                             ii.      We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Ph 4:13)

                                                            iii.      Infirmities and hardships should drive us to trust in God for deliverance and not in ourselves.

                                                           iv.      In our difficulties, we have to trust God more, depend on his grace alone rather than moving from one man to another.

Men who do not know their right from their left!

How wonderful is it to know that when we are weak, then we are strong; because the power of Jesus Christ manifests in us when we are weak.

Amen!

Where is your Treasure?

Matt 6:19-24

Many people store up their treasures in Bank. Some have secret places in their homes like private save boxes. When you have an important sum of money at home, everyday you’ll verify whether your money is intact. Your mind is always where you have your treasure. For people who have money in banks, when they learn that a bank has gone bankrupt, they first verify that it’s not their bank because they don’t want to lose their money. No one will place his/her treasures in a place and forget about it; your mind will always be directed towards your treasures. Where then is your treasure?

   a)      Treasures on earth can easily be consumed or taken from us vs 19-20

                                                               i.      They can get bad

                                                             ii.      They can rot

                                                            iii.      They can be stolen

                                                           iv.      You may just lose them

                                                             v.      You may lose your focus and miss eternal life

Our Lord Jesus, makes us understand in the parable of the rich farmer in Luke 12:21, that materialism is not good and is a sin.

1.       Materialism is trusting in the world. God wants use to be blessed, to prosper, to get rich but He does not want us to be possessed by material things.

2.       We need to use the materials which we possess and not allow our materials to use us or control us.

3.       When material possession becomes a way of life because we want to acquire more in order to spend on our pleasures without thinking of blessing others, then we become self centered;

a.       We want all for ourselves

b.      Whether others lack or not; it does not mean anything. That is covetousness!

c.       When you are rich toward God, you’ll not lay up treasure for yourself

d.      You’ll do your best to be a blessing to someone

e.      You’ll love to give for benevolence and for the prosperity of the gospel.

Illus: A rich man who had many real estates, vehicles, businesses, etc died and the family was very sad as they were preparing for the burial. A mad man passed by and saw the men who were digging the grave. He laughed at them and shouted; “You people are fools. All of you! How can you be digging a small grave for this man? Where will his cars and houses go? Can they enter into this small grave?”

I tell you, those things will remain here on earth! You will go naked as you came; Why not keep your treasures where it’ll not perish?

   b)      The Bible makes us understand that the rich are people who are generous. If you are stingy, then you are in real poverty and you need deliverance from your poor and stingy habit.

                                                               i.      If you want to gather riches for yourself, you’ll lose them all. Proverbs 23:5 says riches make wings and suddenly fly away like an eagle.

                                                             ii.      Verses 6-8 of this proverb encourages us to share with people who are generous. It says, if you eat the food of a stingy person, you’ll vomit it.

                                                            iii.      That the heart of a stingy man is just like what he is. He’ll ask you to eat and drink but his heart is not with you.

Illus: Imagine you get into the home of a stingy woman. We know African hospitality! But a stingy woman will just give you food because she knows she has to, not because she loves doing that. She’ll ask you to eat and drink but behind with her children she is worried. She might complain to others how much you have eaten. She’ll sing to the people around her! You had better vomit it!

If you do not want your riches to develop wings, be rich towards God;

·         Give to the poor

·         Give to the needy

·         Give for evangelism. That way you’ll be storing up treasures in heaven.

   c)       People who want to be rich at all cost end up in sorrow 1Tim 6:9-10

                                                               i.      They fall into temptation

                                                             ii.      They fall into foolish and harmful lusts

                                                            iii.      The love of money is the root of all evil.

Example:

·         Those who love money can easily leave the church even when there’s prayer because of their business

·         They can miss Christian fellowship because they want to work money

·         They can even abandon church because of money

·         They are capable of cheating because of money

·         When they get the money they are led to pleasure

o   Drunkenness

o   Fornication

o   Strive etc just because of the love of money;

And the scriptures say they pierced themselves with many sorrows because they have strayed from the faith.

·         The things of heaven are imperishable as said in 1Pet 1:4

·         The crown of righteousness in heaven awaits those who have forsaken the treasures of the world and have loved the appearing of Jesus.

   d)      Where you put your treasure is where your heart is.

                                                               i.      If your treasure is on earth as you work to be rich on earth, that’s where your heart is

                                                             ii.      You’ll think about what and where your treasure is.

                                                            iii.      Your worries and desires are toward your treasures.

§  A person who is worldly will only desire riches

§  You see people who’ll move to any prophet or pastor just to ask for prayers for riches.

§  They forget to ask for prayers concerning their spiritual growth or asking God to strengthen them in love and patience.

§  No. “Pastor pray for me” that’s what they say. My business is not moving the way I thought

§  Pastor pray for me. I have financial difficulties. When they receive their prayers, they vanish into thin air and wait for another opportunity.

                                                           iv.      Prov 4:23 says the issues of life flow from your heart. Take care of what you build in your heart.

                                                             v.      If your eye is evil, your whole body is full of darkness; Luke 12:34

                                                           vi.      If your heart is lust to wealth, then your body is full of darkness. Matt 6:23

                                                          vii.      But if your eye or perspective of life is focus on doing good with your wealth, then your whole life is full of light.

   e)      You cannot serve two masters at the same time matt 6:24

                                                               i.      You cannot serve God and wealth. When material things become your master, you cannot serve God who’s in heaven

                                                             ii.      God demands that his children should give themselves to service and to show love to others. So if you give your life to worldly things you cannot give to others out of love which God demands.

                                                            iii.      You cannot trust God when you trust in your self-sufficiency of the things of this world.

§  I have my money

§  I have everything

§  I do not need anyone for help

§  I am my master

But God wants us to trust him totally. Not partially!

                                                           iv.      Friendship with the world is enmity with God. James 4:4

Use the wealth which God has blessed you with, to be a blessing for some one. There, you’ll be putting your treasures in heaven.

Amen!