Tonight a friend asked me if I’d seen the film ‘Come out in Jesus Name’. I hadn’t, so I watched a trailer about a minister (Gregg Locke) casting demons out of Christians.
Earlier today another friend called, and spoke to me about her family’s mounting trials since they started walking closer with the Lord.
Recently another friend came to stay here for a week, was baptized in the holy spirit, and left delivered of a disease (ulcerative colitis), that he’d suffered for years. After his deliverance, he went out and promptly saved the life of another young person - who had planned to commit suicide that same week. How did he save him? He cast the suicidal demons out of him. (They’re both serving in ministry together now).
One might look at the Church of God in Christ, and wonder what’s wrong with it..?
Why do people suffer so much? Why do men and women harbor demons? Why do the tribulations grow, when a man comes to Christ, rather than diminish?
There are answers to these questions that are not complicated - Though neither are they going to totally satisfy everyone.
Was Paul satisfied with the answer, after he begged God, not once, not twice, but THREE times - to remove from him a ‘*thorn in his flesh’? (*The constant abuse and persecution of people.)
(PAUL’s THORN - That Paul was referring to ‘people persecuting him’, is clearly established by noting 2 things -
Interpersonal abuse was a consistent problem for Paul,
The Biblical usage of a ‘thorn in the flesh’ is clearly explained in Numbers 33:55 - ‘But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants [people] of the land from before you; it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.’
God’s answer to Paul was - ‘MY GRACE is SUFFICIENT for THEE’.
Was Paul satisfied? Damn straight. In fact, he was thrilled. ‘Therefore I take PLEASURE in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, THEN AM I STRONG!’ (II Corinthians 12:10)
Paul was satisfied because of a profound maturity in Christ. Which is undoubtedly what led God to choose Paul to be the bearer of the greatest revelations ever given to mankind, specific to the brand new Church of God.
Paul knew he was swapping miseries = for the privilege of serving God as few could. He understood that his difficulties were by design - to protect him from worse than suffering for a time..
Paul was no Solomon. He was no Uzziah. He was no Hezekiah or Asa, or Josiah - or any of the other Kings of Israel - who ran well, until one character weakness led to their fall - Pride.
PRIDE/ comfort/ satisfaction
Paul was cut from totally different cloth than most. He had a grasp of eternity as few did to this day. He understood that sufferings were worth their weight in gold to protect him from the most lethal of all sins that can afflict a man of God - which pride, or comfort, and carnal satisfactions, are also being the most commonplace reasons a wealthy/healthy individual departs from, or altogether rejects God.
3,500 years ago - Moses wrote a song.
Why? Because once you learn a song - it’s unforgettable. I wrote a song when I was 5. I can still remember the melody and all the words. We sang Puff the Magic Dragon in kindergarten. I can still remember every line.
Moses wrote a song to teach the Children of Israel, the dangers of comfort and satisfaction. He said, ‘You’ll prosper and have plenty of everything - and then you’ll forget God’. They did and they did. They didn’t forget the song. They forgot to sing it.
So, Paul learned to not only rejoice in his distresses - but to celebrate them - to where he said he became a ‘fool for glorying’.
There have been hundreds of books written on the subject of suffering. As well as hundreds on why things are the way they are. Perhaps it may all be summed up in something Paul said by revelation in Romans 8:18
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
This is, in sports’ vernacular - an away game. It’s not our field. It’s not our home.
It is not time - as one false prophet (or should I say ‘profit’) put it - to ‘live our best life now’. No. It’s time to keep our eyes on the prize.
The same wonderful - troubled, persecuted, abused, and accused man, Paul, wrote -
7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
That’s worth repeating:
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,..
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
I’ll finish this by saying - that we are all tempted and tried. Especially to complain.
Paul didn’t complain when he was in prison. (which in those days was no Holiday Inn). In prison he wrote the love letter to the Church we know as the Book of Ephesians. Not a word was spoken against his betrayers or jailers. Same with Daniel. A prisoner in Babylon, Daniel prayed aloud to God, never once betraying a hint of remorse towards his Chaldean overlords.
Could they justifiably complained? Undoubtedly. But there was something in the fabric of these 2 men, (and Joseph in Egypt!).. that prevented them from complaining to God or man.
Did they have a vision of the Kingdom of God? Yes. That’s what kept them going.
When I was 5 or 6, Jesus Christ spoke to me for the 1st time. He specifically told me to ‘Hold on Victoria’.. adding, there was ‘Something worth waiting for’. In this life of ‘death by 1000 cuts’, I have held onto that one thing he said for 60 years now. When He tells us anything once, that is enough. I’m waiting.
I’ll finish with what James said about Temptation. We all are tempted to complain. We are tempted to think God is either unfair, or forgotten us. Let’s resist submitting to such fainting. Let us press on - as Paul said - towards the mark. And let us endure all, even temptation - and ‘count it all joy’. For a Crown awaits all who do.
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12
With you in waiting,
Victoria
POSTSCRIPT: To my friend who said - the closer she walked with the Lord, the harder it got. You are in good company. Here’s Asaph’s eternal poem from the 73rd Psalm:
‘..As for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had just about slipped. For I was envious of the foolish, and looked with longing at the prosperity of the wicked.
They are not in trouble nor are they plagued like other men. Pride cloaks them like jewelry. Their eyes bulge: they have more than a heart could wish.
They mock heaven, and brag through the earth. Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world - and increase in riches.
All day long have I let my thoughts punish me. When I tried to understand, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.
Surely you set them in slippery places: You have thrown them down into destruction. How are they brought into desolation in a moment! And they are utterly consumed with terrors.
Thus, did my own thoughts reprove me. How foolish I was!.. as a beast before thee. Still, I am continually with thee: You have my right hand clasped in yours. You will guide me with your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but thee? There is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart may fail: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
II Corinthians 11:23 - 26 ‘…in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 4Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 5Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 6In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren..’
Amen! I have taken to (when temptation comes) asking ... who have I ministered to today, have I offered helps, encouragement or built up anyone? Seeking first the kingdom of God 💝🙏