1 Peter 2:21-25; Matthew 11:29, 16:24; Acts 14:22; 1 Peter 3:18, 4:13; 1 John 2:6; Matthew 26:75, 27:1, 27:22; 1 Peter 4:1' Job 1:20-21; Romans 14:11; Hebrews 12:2; Luke 23:34; John 15:18-19; John 14:6; John 1:1; Genesis 1:26; Hebrews 5:7-9
We are walking in today: You Will Suffer.
1 Peter 2:21-25 21) For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22) Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23) Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25) For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. Remember that this is Resurrection week as Rev. Christine Duncan ministered to my soul yesterday, she said--when you become a living sacrifice, get ready for the beat down. Here unto were ye called, ye were called to a state of suffering. When you were called, fiveamprayer to be Christians, for the world can not endure the yolk of Christ and they that will live godly in Christ--must suffer persecution. They will meet with it in one form or another. Christ also suffered for us and left us the example of His meekness and gentleness. For when He was reviled, reviled not again. We cannot expect to fair better than our Master. You must imitate His example. And His Spirit shall comfort and sustain you. Matthew 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Acts 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. 1 Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. You presented yourself as a living sacrifice on yesterday. Get ready to be lied on, betrayed, crucified, tested, challenged and whipped--the beat down has begun! Look at what Christ did at Calvary. Get ready to be stripped, get ready to lose someone who has been walking with you, the kiss of Judas. The cup you must drink from now, you will suffer, if Christ suffered persecution, who are you? As a living sacrifice, you just gotta think about. As a living sacrifice, you are suffering because you are still alive. The sacrifices of old died in the process. The pain suffered was short, as opposed to now that pain is prolonged to complete the process--for our learning, and maturity from what we suffer. How we are able to witness with our lives on how we respond to the suffering. How you respond to the persecution--of those around you, the closest to you. As a living sacrifice, could you really do what Jesus did for you and me?! As soon as Jesus sacrificed Himself, the beatings began. Get ready for one who has been there, to deny you. He was denied by Peter--Matthew 26:75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. Matthew 27:1 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. We must be willing to die, as a living sacrifice. Matthew 27:22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. 1 Peter 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.
I just come to thank You, Lord for reminding us that we will suffer persecution. Jesus suffered, we will suffer also. We are a living sacrifice. Jesus, who they whipped all night long, so we are to suffer some things with Him. He teaches us that we will suffer persecution in this world, but there is no weapon that is formed against us that shall prosper! He will not put more on us than we can bear, He has already made a way of escape for us! Job suffered but did not turn away from the Lord his God. Job even has this response--thou He slays me, yet will I trust Him! Take a look at His response after hearing all of which was taken and lost by him, all in one day--talk about suffering!! Job 1:20-21(AMP) 20) Then Job arose and rent his robe and shaved his head and fell down upon the ground and worshiped 21) And said, Naked (without possessions) came I [into this world] from my mother's womb, and naked (without possessions) shall I depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed (praised and magnified in worship) be the name of the Lord! How many of us have suffered the things that Job suffered? And yet we are murmuring. What Job suffers does not even begin to compare to what Jesus suffered in absolute silence--asking for the Father to forgive them, they know not what they do. So where does our complaint really fit in? No where! Be quiet and suffer in silence, God sees all that is going on in your life and has already made a way out, but He is refining you, getting you to not react in the flesh, not returning reviling for reviling. We are to stand ready to do battle and walk in love as well. Are we going to battle and leaving the love at home? Real power is accomplished with control. Jesus could have called down all kinds of angels to intervene and yet through all of the suffering--it was, not my will, Thy will be done, Father. Jesus is showing us how we are to suffer, in silence patience, looking and watching for the Father, studying His word. What are you standing on? Who are you trusting? We see that Judas who walked with Jesus is the one who betrayed Him. We may experience the same, those close to us may fall away, turn us in and give us up to the enemy. Trust in He who is more than able to keep, protect and guard us. There is not going to be a going, without a going through--how else can you get to your destination without the going through? He is ever mindful of us, it will not be more than we can bear. God is He who sees the end from the very beginning. So we can take comfort that this will not take us out! We are able to bear it , standing on the word, trusting where the Holy Spirit is leading us, keeping our eyes on the Lord! Thank You Lord! You have a perfect plan for us, for Your ways are not our ways, nor our thoughts as Your thoughts! Hallelujah! Thank You! Thank You! There is nothing and no one that can stand up to Your mighty and awesome of power! Romans 14:11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God [acknowledge Him to His honor and to His praise]. Jesus asked for the cup to pass, if God brought you to it, He will bring you through it. Your suffering is not in vain, you will be able to tell someone else how God brought you through!! You will learn from what you suffer. Be glad with a heart full of joy--be willing to go through--fear no evil He is walking with us in the valley of the shadow of death. He was spat upon, lied on, even those that were closest to Him betrayed and denied Him. Sometimes we have to walk through this wilderness alone. Tell God that you trust Him! Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Fiveamprayer, we are to pick up our cross and to follow Him. That is why we can count it all joy, because the joy of the Lord is our strength. We will have to suffer, give Him glory, honor and praise. Jesus knows what we are going through, being tempted by satan, when He responded that, Matthew 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Whatever you are suffering does not compare to what Jesus went through! While we are all bent out of shape because someone rolled their eyes at us or did not speak, how does that compare to being blindfolded and asked to prophesy who hit you? Or how about being made to wear a crown made of thorns? Being sent on to the cross while a murder was freed at the people's request. The same people who witnessed the miracles that He preformed, now turned on Him. Do those perceived offenses really add up to what He bore for us to be restored back unto the Father?! Is that why we are to forgive so quickly?! While He was yet hanging on the cross, He plead on their behalf--Luke 23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. Look at Him, whipped and crucified, how He was meek, gentle and walking in love. Think about the blood--nothing can over take that power!! We sit there mumbling and complaining, while He did not say a word--at the accusations nor the whippings that He suffered. It is time to endure and to stand up! We have a treasure, the Holy Spirit. He was given to us to comfort us! Everyone should watch The Passion, before Resurrection Sunday. How they punched, spat and whipped Him. He didn't do anything in defense. Every stripe from the whip is how we are healed! He never said a word, He is our Intercessor, asking the Father to forgive us, that we know not what we do--that He has already paid the price for us! What love the Father has to redeem us! What love Jesus has to lay down His life to restore us! What love the Holy Spirit has to draw us closer to God! We need to pray like we used to pray! Prayer used to be in the church all the time, in days of old. He is still the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He did it for us, He is no respecter of persons. We have been given a gift, sealed in His blood. You think that you are suffering in your marriage or finances!? They killed our Savior and placed Him in a tomb. He is the God of reconciliation and Jehovah Jireh, surely He can handle whatever you are facing. Why are we not looking to God to keep us and protect us? We are to deny ourselves, pick up our cross and to follow Him. Don't you say a mumbling word, tell God that you are gonna walk with Him all of the way. Remember that Judas was right there with Him. Just know that you can be betrayed and suffer persecution. Peter, His friend denied Him three times. Who are you to think that you won't suffer?! You are a child of the King, He already has a way out for us! John 15:18-19 18) If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19) If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Look to the Lord, it is He that gives us the way out of temptation. We are made overcomers and conquers by His mighty hand. He died so that we can live. Death can't hold Him down, that is why we are victorious over death. We are crucified with Christ, the blood done signed my name! Jesus told me! Oh the blood done signed my name! Don't you get joy about what you are suffering? He is the Way, the Truth and the Life! Fiveamprayer, look to Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith. Get ready for the beat down! They whipped Him all night long! Whipped Him until, they were tired. He did not say one word. What love!? John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. Thank You Lord! Thank You God! As I look back over my life, it was nobody but Jesus! He knows just how much we can bear. He knows your sacrifice and your heart. When we make a mistake, God already knew that would happen, He loves us so much that He reconciled us back unto Him, while were yet sinners. What love! Hallelujah! From the time that sin entered the garden, until Abraham, the father of faith, the Israelites and all that God brought them through, down to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who would not bow to anyone but God--delivered out of the fire. God looked all over the Earth to see who He could send, who could suffer all that was necessary to redeem us to Him. Seeing no one suitable, He sent His Son, the word made flesh. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was there in the beginning--Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Look to Him, the Author and Finisher of our faith! Lord we ask You for forgive us for trying to avoid suffering. As co-heirs with Christ, we are to suffer also. Hebrews 5:7-9(AMP) 7) In the days of His flesh [Jesus] offered up definite, special petitions [for that which He not only wanted [a]but needed] and supplications with strong crying and tears to Him Who was [always] able to save Him [out] from death, and He was heard because of His reverence toward God [His godly fear, His piety, [b] in that He shrank from the horrors of separation from the bright presence of the Father]. 8) Although He was a Son, He learned [active, special] obedience through what He suffered 9) And, [His completed experience] making Him perfectly [equipped], He became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him. Thank You Lord for showing us how things are to be. That You are with us, and have already made a way of escape for us. Because of what God has done we have everlasting life! Don't worry about persecution, we are just passing through. This world is not our home. Surely we will cross over this Jordan. Pain is a part of the process, He has already overcome the world! By His stripes we were healed. We are standing on Your word, that Donovan is healed. Thank You Lord! Teach us how to forgive others, like You--casting our sins into the sea that they be remembered no more!
We seal this prayer in His precious blood, by His Spirit: Genesis 32:24-26 24) And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. 25) And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. 26) And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.
Welcome to the overflow...
The slightest storm comes up and we are complaining. We repent for our murmuring. Fiveamprayer, deny yourself and pick up your cross and follow after Him. Get back up and tell Him that you repent. What ever we are to suffer--persecution, we are a living sacrifice! We have to girt ourselves up, putting on the whole armor of God, standing on His word, that no weapon formed against us shall prosper! We are more than conquers and more than overcomers! We must come out with our sword swinging! Standing with God as Job did, thou He slay me, yet will I trust Him! Remember the blood, it done signed my name! Visit us on facebook, it will encourage you. Have a blessed day as you walk through this Resurrection week. Yea and Amen!
Fiveamprayer Flashback
May 31, 2011 entry on the blog, Equipped by the Word: http://fiveamprayer.blogspot.
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