Meaning in Suffering | Philip Anthony Mitchell

hi and welcome to victory Church podcast if this ministry has been a blessing for you please consider supporting the spread of the gospel by visiting us online in choosing the giving option that works best for you if you have a testimony we'd love to hear it send us an email to share at victory Church ATM or again thank you for tuning in and we hope you enjoyed this message you're a visitor with us or if you're watching a listen on podcast this is the third week of a series called finding meaning one of the most probably life-changing series we've done at this church the overwhelming amount of testimonies that we have received stories have changed lives people have been deeply impacted by the preaching of God's Word in this series [Music] averages to have been amended people who have slowed down to start taking their moments more serious in the series of received testimonies and text messages the people who have found meaning in some of the most mundane moments laying in bed with their husband or wife playing with their children that's this week I heard of [Music] heard of people who said that they just think about eternity more remember that their days are numbered how this has caused people to look at their lives differently change your perspective I believe this is probably one of the most important for teachings that I've ever delivered at this church because I think it has perpetual impact we hold on to them to bring more purpose to each day and help us to put value in the things that we so easily step over thank you so much gentlemen I want to use this message this morning to talk to you about hmm a very difficult subject matter that I realized coming in here this morning that it was not gonna be easy for me to share this particular subject yet I thought to myself as I was preparing this series and fasting and seeking God that I would be remiss as a pastor and as a leader as a shepherd if I did not address this particular subject matter in this series the subject matter is going to touch or speak to every single one of us and if it does not speak to you today where you are if you just keep living you will come back to this message this message is also difficult because in our finite understanding is very hard for us to wrap our minds around this particular subject matter for a lot of us we just struggle to find context for this particular subject matter and the thing about it is that you know whether someone is socially economically strong whether they're wealthy whether they're middle class whether they're poor whether they live in the United States or they are grinding in some bush in some land whether they are famous or living in the obscurity of society there is no human being that is immune from this subject matter not even children are immune from this which makes it all the more difficult not even babies are immune from this subject matter this is this is the most difficult sermon for me to share with you in this series my heart was extremely heavy coming into his room just seeing so many people in my prayers and just knowing that today even after this message that some people would leave with unanswered questions yet I can't act like I can answer every question but I do have faith in God's Word and I do have faith that that may be in the course of these moments that we have together you may find meaning in this very difficult subject manner even I too have wrestled with this subject matter I heard of a man named Richard warm Brad he was a Romanian citizen who became a believer who was converted to Christianity he started to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ at some point in time in the journey of sharing the gospel he was called into the ministry became a pastor started preaching the gospel in a public setting like I am right now ten years into his past story he was arrested and he was brought to a prison but not like a prison like you and I no no no not like a prison that even I have known I turned 18 in Rikers Island prison but but a prison of torture and when he when he arrived there not only was he he jailed for the faith not only was he jailed for the preaching of the gospel but he he was inflicted with great torture torture to the degree that an average human being would probably give up and that torture went on for several months and then that torture went on for a year and that torture went on for two years and then for three years five years and seven years eight years 10 years 12 years and I'm wandering by this time man what would have broken this person 13 years he will go on to spend 14 years in a Roman prison and torture brutally broken while he was in there physically scarred mentally abused emotionally he spent 14 years of his life and tortured in a Roman prison or a Romanian prison for the preaching of the gospel for just believing in the faith for doing something that I'm doing right now freely that we take for granted in the United States of America I think about a man of God his country named Levi lusco a pastor in Montana who had all these beautiful children and on in the round the holiday time headed into Christmas his youngest daughter started having an asthma attack like my son Josiah had a massive asthma attack last year and almost died of that asthma attack we rushed him to the hospital and tried to move him to the ICU because they were fighting to stabilize his lungs as my wife and I cried out for his little soul and Levi his daughter had a massive asthma attack in the kitchen and it did everything to try to stabilize her breathing and running around trying to find her asthma medication and before they could get her medication and with everything that they can do when praying and holding on to his little daughter she died on the kitchen counter in his hands pastor of a church faithful man of God man who had given his whole life for the gospel moved to a place nobody would want to live who wants to live in Montana and all that snow coming from California serving Jesus faithfully giving faithfully sacrificing faithfully preaching faithfully fasting faithfully if anybody should not be touched by such things certainly it shouldn't be God's man right and his baby his little girl of his five children died in his hands on the kitchen counter dies in his hands and then he is holding her lifeless body on the kitchen counter and scratching and said what is he supposed to do with that I think about the persecuted Church of America the persecuted Church around the world the church that we don't know about because we live in the United States of America Christians brothers and sisters of the faith those who believe in Jesus ones just like us but a persecuted beyond measure for their faith standing in their homes and having people kick down their doors and taking their wives out of there what are you doing a man kicks in your door snatches your life ring saw in front of your face decapitates the heads of your children put it on a pole and it hangs it in the street what do you do with that what do you do what pastors who are preaching the gospel on a Sunday morning and being dragged out of their pulpits and put in prison and then the family can't find them what do we do with brothers and sisters who are being put to death even as I talk right now that the time this sermon is over maybe some hundred and fifty thousand people will die how many believers will lose their life and we take no stock at this because we're soul and wrapped in this bubble of American Christianity that we don't even realize that by the time this sermon is over do you know how many of our brothers and sisters around the world will die because of persecution what about the stuff in this room like miscarriages when you'll believe it for a baby what about the sicknesses in this room that we have prayed for and they're still there what about when your child is born damaged and you're crying over the crib in the hospital what do we do when your body is racked with pain and it doesn't leave what do you do with the divorce that rocks your soul or the person that persecuted you what are you doing betrayal what are you doing loss what do you do in a difficult marriage what do you do with the death of a loved one that you believe for what do you do when you're a pastor and you're just a couple months out from starting your church called victory and your father his body is being ate up with cancer two doors down from you and you're over there caring for him you're changing his diapers you're believing God for him you're shedding tears every night how do you see one thing die in two doors down while you're trying to birth something at the same time what do you do with that and what do you do with the fact that you've done all you know how to do and he still does what what do you do with that like what part of our theology is we supposed to put that in we're draw do we put that in do we put that in the God the blessing draw go what where do we file away all of the the pain and the hardship and the issues and the problems and the sorrows and the difficulties the real stories of suffering that is happening in this room in our homes around the world where we're supposed to file all of that in our theological framework what do we do with the real stories suffering what do you do when your child is sick and God won't move what what do you do when you're kind over something at night and if you'll be honest you're angry at God because he won't move what do you do when you saw on the see to the television preacher who told you if you sold a thousand dollars God will miraculously move on your behalf and it's been five years later and he still not has moved like but what do you what do you what do you do with that because what do you do with all of the brokenness hardship pain devastation loss and suffering that is happening right now in this room right now as I'm speaking this room is saturated with suffering what what what what do we do with all of that look just bless the lord and like what what what do we do when the heart is sick what do we do with depression what we do with chronic illness what do we do the marriage that is wearing us down like what do what do we do with all of that suffering what are we supposed to do and if we're honest and if I'm honest you know what we have Russell wet with Russell with why we've Russell with have with Russell with when when God will you lift this why God has you allowed this to happen to me what what did I do wrong to deserve what's happening to me right now God I thought you was good right I thought you was loving I thought you was great I thought you was mighty I thought you was able don't we sing that song like I thought you was able then where are you right now God why won't you move on my behalf then the preacher promised me that you would do everything I asked you to do right so why aren't you moving right now on my behalf God having some of us been angry with the Lord because he has not moved on their behalf like so what do we do with all of that right what are the arguments made against God as a result of our I respect the views of other people so what does the atheist say about the suffering and the so-called existence of God are very well known atheists by the name of Richard Dawkins he writes this the total amount of suffering for a year in the natural world is beyond all decent contemplation that is in my mind I cannot fathom the amount of suffering I see in the world it's what he wrote during the minute that it takes for me to compose this sentence thousands of animals are being eaten alive many others are running for their lives whimpering with fear others are slowly being devoured from within by rasping parasites and thousands of all kinds are dying of starvation thirst and disease it must be so if there ever is a time of Plenty this very fact will automatically lead us to an increase in the population until the natural state of starvation and misery is restored this atheist goes on to write in a universe of electrons and selfish genes blind physical forces and genetic replication some people are going to get hurt other people are going to get lucky and you won't find any rhyme or reason in it that is you can't make sense of all of the suffering in the world this is what this atheist is no one can make sense of all of the suffering in the world no one he says no justice the universe that we observe has precisely the properties which we should expect if there is at the bottom no design no and no design means no God no purpose no evil no good nothing but pitiless indifference rights Richard Dawkins another atheist writes this is God will to prevent evil but not able that he is not admitted is he able but not willing then he is malevolent is he both able and willing then whence cometh evil is he neither able or willing then why call him God right David Hume another atheist wrote this a philosopher wrote this if God is all-powerful and all good it would have created it not he it would have created a universe in the same way it created heaven right three with free will for all watch look what this atheist writes with no suffering this is powerful this atheist saying if God existed he would have created for us an environment with no suffering this is so powerful without the Holy Spirit I'm gonna come back to this an atheist said if God was all-powerful he would have created an environment with no suffering and God was all-powerful he would have created an environment with no suffering this is going to click for some people in a couple minutes if God was all-powerful the Atheist rights he would have created an environment with no suffering if he was so wise if he was so great why didn't he create an environment but Oh suffering if he was so good if he was so mine if he was so powerful then why did the god of the Christians trade an environment with no suffering no evil but evil and suffering exists here therefore God does not exist it is not all-powerful or it is not benevolent writes Paul Davies so this atheist says if God was all of that he would have created an environment where there's no suffering and no evil and I think about modern preaching and I wept so bitterly in my office this week just studying man I whipped myself in my soul and put my face with the wall and wagged and tears when I thought about modern Christianity right because they don't help the arguments of these atheists right they teach people that if you come to Jesus you have a perfect trip with no pain and no suffering if you put your faith in Christ he promises you a life of blessing with no pain and no suffered come to him for the house come to N for the car come to him for the job come to him for the marriage Compton for the blessing content for the blank if you come to the Lord he promises you a life of blessing a life of ease a life of happiness a life of no problem worse or a perfect flight with no turbulence and people buy into that at the conference's they read their garbage on blogs they buy up all that garbage and books and then they get disappointed because they've brought into a Jesus that does not exist not the Jesus of the Bible not the Jesus of scriptures and then when we buy into all of that whether the argument of the atheists and I respect their arguments or the false preaching of Christianity it leaves the heart sick and want it right it leaves the heart grieve it causes people to believe that God is not loving God does not exist that he is not all powerful that he denies them it breathes in us a deep sense of entitlement that because I'm saying I have a right to what I want from God I have a right to not have a problem I have a right to not have an issue I have a right to not deal with suffering I have a right to not deal with pray watch my wife and I should not be enduring this who says we shouldn't be going through this right now who says we shouldn't have to be inflicted with this right now who says because you could be doing well financially well you do who could be on a mountaintop and then life will rock you and we think that God is mean because how could he allow something like this to happen to me how could he allow my heart to deal with such how can he allow me to preach and deal with insecurities at the same time how to kill I'm ready to lead a ministry and deal with depressions at the end of every year how could you allow me to lead a church called victory that your blessing in all these ways and at the end of every year I'm battling with depression and battles in my mind how can God allow that to happen to me how could you allow the enemy to attack me like that why how when God am I the only one that has crushed him like that no no how could you allow that suffering God how could you allow this man I'm married to start doing all these things to me how could you allow that divorce how could you allow this person to walk how could you allow my mother to abandon me how could you allow my father to abandon me how could you allow my parents to leave me and I never met them how could you allow me to be raised in this kind of home how could you allow that person to touch me when I was this age how did you allow them to walk into the room when they wasn't supposed to right God how do you allow me to carry these scars and this baggage like why was you where was you when are you how do we supposed to deal with all of that suffering it was our perspective about God and then this kind of false preaching and even the arguments of the atheist it leaves no theology for suffering at all no framework for suffering no truth about suffering it leaves us nothing to say about suffering at all I was reading the Huffington Post a couple days ago and came across an editorial of a non-christian who was trying to make sense of suffering in his mind talking about different religions of the faith and then he was talking about science and he was talking about biology and science or how biology and scientists said well no we have suffering and evil because of people's minds are crazy and that's why we have sufferings and even as he thought about the craziness of human beings he came to this conclusion and his pulse he said because he agreed with science to a certain degree but watch what he said he said while science can explain the cold-hearted mechanics of the human condition a non-christian writes this it leaves us wanting something more meaning the non-christian writes like while scientists can explain suffering their way it still leaves me scratching my head watch how do we make sense of all of this like how am I supposed to find this non-christian said meaning and all of this suffering and devastation around the world right because here is the reality my brothers and sisters okay this is difficult for me to say but let's just let him put elephant on the table they push all my chips to my black table suffering exists evil exists it is inevitable that human beings will suffer we live in a fallen broken world full of sin that causes suffering we live in a world of free will where the choices of other people causes suffering we live in a world of limited knowledge where we don't understand all the reasons why there is suffering yet the truth of the matter is whether we're angry at God or whether we don't understand suffering is here suffering exists okay and suffering is not going to be eradicated until Jesus returns for some of us the truth is and I know this is difficult for me to say for some of us in this lifetime we will deal with incidents is of suffering moments in our lifetime where things could be going well and in all of a sudden we are rocked by suffering for some of us we will deal with long seasons of suffering months years decades some of us so there are some people no matter how much we pray some human beings even Christians are going to deal with a lifetime suffering and there are some people they will watch they will die believers will die suffering without God delivering them from their circumstances I'm not gonna pretend to understand all of that if I try to stand up here as a pastor and say I understand all the reasons they were suffering I would lie to you I'm a I'm a ghetto theologian I study the Scriptures very hard I pray hard I believe God hard I hold fast to this word but if I start of panic and tell to you I understand all the reasons why they're suffering I couldn't answer I I would I would be lying if I if I if I could explain all the reasons why some of you are dealing with some of the stuff you're dealing with I would be lying if I had a theological answer for why God hasn't moved on your behalf for every single person in this room those if you're watching me right now if you're listening those of you who are tuning in if I had an answer for everything that you've been through I know that some of you are mad at God I know some of you are scratching your head yes you're trying to wrestle between the existence of God and what you have been through and you can't reconcile the existence of a God that we say is loving and what you are going through and I know because of that you're afraid to buy into Christianity I know that because of that you're afraid to put your trust in Jesus I know that because of that your outlier I know that because of that you're sitting on the fence wondering you know is this God real that these believers are say I see them singing and I see them praising I see them falling people but I can't get my mind around the fact of this God that y'all love but I lost my mother who I was asking him to save or I never met my father or this thing I understand that and I can't I can't answer all of those questions I will be pretending to do that but what I can do is I can take the scriptures that I believe in and do my absolute best to give us some type of theology about suffering because I can't understand why it's going on there must be a theology of suffering watch that is stronger than your emotions and there must be a theology of suffering that is stronger than your experience if there is no theology stronger than your experience and there is no theology for suffering stronger than a emotions than the Word of God fails us and we can't trust the Lord in the pages of his word there must be a theology and the pages of his word that gives me strength above what I'm going through even if it does not change in the moment there must be listen to me and I said this is someone else not that long ago we must have a theology of suffering that is greater than my emotions because my emotions will cause me to walk away from the Lord my emotions will cause me to abandon the faith my emotions will cause me to blaspheme the Lord my emotions were sick me into a depression because the genie that I bought into from the conference I went to that that God has not answered my prayer according to the photon quote famous preacher or the ones who make a huge financial empire selling people the false lies that if they so if they give if they serve if they believe they will have a perfect life and they built a financial empire on that line they buy mansions and caws and fly jets on that line they tell you everything will be well known they preach to you a genie that does exists and they smile and they sell you alive and they build a fortune off of that line but you can't take that garbage outside the United States of America and a gospel that can't be preached over our shores there's no gospel at all I don't care how nice the soup how big the robe how much money a gospel that cannot be preached off these shores there's no gospel at all if the gospel is chained to wealth it is a false gospel at prosperity garbage if the gospel is chained to circumstances it is a false gospel and the gospel is chained to comfort only it is a false gospel if the gospel you bought into tells you you'll never have a problem you brought it to a false gospel you bought into a sermon but not the Scriptures an eyewitness of the life of Christ his name was Peter he was one of the Twelve Apostles who Jesus chose after the death and burial and supernatural resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ Peter becomes the past of the first Church carries on the Ministry of Jesus preaching the gospel in the first century world under the Roman Empire if you read your history books you didn't have to read the Bible if you read your history books history will tell you of a man named Nero who was an emperor of Rome and Nero was an evil man who hated believers and thought to himself he will fasten all of the issues of Rome to the Christians and he launched a fierce persecution on believers the likes of which the world has never seen Nero was a type of man he would take believers because you think you're suffering right he would take Christians women impale them on steaks through the anus out through the mouth he will pour tar on them and spread them across his garden and light them on fire so he can have lights at night in his garden he would walk through his garden and watch human beings burnin and mourning at the same time and used that for his electricity he would take Christian children and feed them to animals and watch parents watch their sons and daughters eaten alive by animals he was stabbed on the eyes of believers and make them suffer he would kill women in front of men and then put their lights out the last thing they saw was their wife being raped like horse he persecuted Christians the likes of which the world has never seen they lived and type of a society that you and I haven't even felt yet I pray that America get a dose of some of that you want to see a woke church persecution with a wake of church yeah the pastor how could you be praying that because I'm Priya leaving for revival and sometimes when we need for a revival it's not good services we need a good dose of our flesh being touched yeah they lived in a type of persecution you would never know of unless you've lived long enough or unless well let me not say that we end up in the last seven years of the Great Tribulation which you don't want to be there and during that time right Peter he's watching brothers and sisters in a Christian Church they're being scattered all across through Salome they're being scattered all across different cities people are running for their lives families are in a disarray societies in a different way people are being snatched out of their homes I mean it is an awful situation and Peter looks out and all of this is going on and he thought to some that I have to encourage these people I gotta tell them something to encourage their hearts because he's watching people's hearts fail for fair they're scared they're running they're being brutally persecuted and he thinks to himself man I have to say something to encourage these people men I got to preach some sermon I got to send them some email I got to make some post I got to get them some to meant that they can read and that it would lift their hearts what do you think he would write the Lord is gonna bless you oh don't help us coming hold on he didn't write that he took a pen and parchment and he's looking over watch people dying and he sits down here right first Peter and in chapter 4 he writes these words he says this he says he says in 1st Peter chapter 4 as says he says there's therefore since Christ suffered in his body arm yourselves also with the same attitude because he who suffered and his body is done with sin in hope you not not not blessings not not the Lord is going to come through right now they just killed my wife and me rose garden and your your encouragement to me is our my self talk with the same attitude as price on myself on to what to protect myself protect what my mind and to protect my heart so you want me to protect my mind and my heart with the attitude of Christ so crisis attitude will be my comfort and crisis attitude would be my strength so whatever his attitude is that's supposed to be the guard from my mind so right now as you're sitting in this chair but your heaviness you hurt your brokenness your sorrow your pain your comfort is arm yourself with the same attitude of Christ but what was his attitude blessed are you when men persecute you and revile you and say all manner of evil against you for my name's sake rejoice too great is your reward in heaven the world hated me therefore they will hate you too if the prophets before me was persecuted they will persecute you too if anyone will be my disciple he must deny himself deny myself that brings suffering if anyone would be my disciple he must take up his cross his cross if I'm gonna follow you Jesus I gotta carry a cross an instrument of death you mean suffering in my Christianity is what you want me to carry for being a disciple is that is that what you want me to carry and just a little while you will see me no more because the Son of Man will be put to death and they will spit on him and scourge him it's just is that the man who said that well see the man that says in this life you will have trouble was this the same man that looked the person writing this in his eyes and said to him Peter you're gonna be a great pastor man you're gonna bawl out you're gonna preach a sermon thousand dollars are you gonna be the first pastor you love me you love me love me Peter do this do this do this and the same man look Peter in the eyes and said hey but but you know something after you preach all in great messages when you are old it will come and get you at you stretch out your hands once this battle of Jesus they're gonna come and get you and stretch out your hands and they're gonna carry it to a place you do not want to go telling him that Peter you know how you're gonna die you're not gonna preach and have a great long life in ministry and they're not gonna put you on Wikipedia and your children are not gonna be happy because your wife and children are gonna know you as the man that was crucified Peter died of crucifixion the 1st century AD arm yourself with that attitude and my suffering and he goes on to say as a result he does not live there rest of his earthly life talking about those who are suffering before evil human desires what so if I if I changed my desires from sinful desires to right desires does that not bring suffering but rather for the will of God for you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do living in debauchery and lusts and drunkenness and orgies and carousing and the tests apply dollars you hold or God so if I become a believer you want me to turn away from my sin is it not going to bring more suffering if I can't boil out the way I used to pull out is he not going to bring more suffering if I can't follow the passions of my flesh isn't that gonna bring more then he you give me a burden for sex do you want me to hold that down doesn't that produce more suffering this is your comfort from me they think it's strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of this deficit the dissipation and they heap abuse upon you but they will have to give an account to him who was ready to judge the living and the dead man God I'm following you and now the people that used to love me they don't love me no more because I don't do all the things I used to do with them and watch now I'm lonely because my friends think I'm a super Christian and they persecute me because of my post on Facebook because the way I tweet now and because of my Instagram people who used to love me persecute me God how could you allow this to happen to me I thought they were my friends isn't that not more suffering Lord now I'm lonely I feel like I'm the only one out here grinding and the people that I used to run with they don't even want to be around me but this very reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead right he said watch think it not strange when they do that to you for this very reason the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead so that they might be judged according to men in regard to the body but live according to God in regard to the spirit then he says these powerful words this is why I talked about eternity last the end of all things is near therefore be Claire brothers be sober mind to declare be self-control so that you can pray have a clear mind understand right theology so that you can pray and because we are human beings who hurt one another he says above all love each other deeply because what love covers a multitude of sins why because suffering comes through relationships too so he says love one another how deeply forgive quickly give grace swiftly all the hospitality to one another without grumbling each one should use you want me to serve in the middle of my suffering no long I'm going through much too much right now in the season of my life to help the church but it says each one should use whatever gift he has received to watch serve others didn't we talked about that last week a life of what pouring that your life will take on more purpose when you envision it as a ministry unto others that if you see your whole life as a work of service unto others each day takes on more purpose but what about when I heard him he still says give watch because you could be going through hurt and as you served Lord Jesus he takes your mind off of your problems as you're ministering to the problem of someone else so he says even while you're hurting don't stop serving serve me even while you're broken preach Phillip even while you're hurting don't give up Phillip even when they persecute you keep Richard serving even while you're hurting use the gifts you've been given to serve the Lord Jesus Christ he's telling this to people whose wives are being killed I'm trying to Rhonda listen to what he says he says if anyone speaks you should do it as one speak in the very words of God that's why I'm not gonna preach cotton candy whether they like me or not if anyone serves he should do it with the strength God provides so that in all things god may be praised with Jesus Christ to him be glory and power forever and ever amen and he says in verse 12 dear friends do not be surprised at the painful trial that you are suffering as though something strange what happening to you why are you surprised you know what we surprised because we buy into false Gospels when I get rocked and I get mad at God is because I've bought into a theology and I've bought in two sermons but I have not bought into the scriptures because if you read the New Testament you cannot read the New Testament and not bump into every single letter than New Testament teachings about what Bible are we reading or watch this here's a better question who are you listening to right you want to run around to everybody's church and every wind of doctrine and everything that blows into your town you want to go to their conferences who are you listening to they'll fill you up for a moment and have you good in that hour but when Tuesday comes and your baby's sick that doctrine falls to the floor but you won't listen to men like me why because you don't want to hear the truth the truth hurts but the truth will keep you strong why are you surprised at the trial you're going through right now well the stuff when you're dealing right as though something strange was happening to you the choice that you participate in the sufferings of twice so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed if you are insulted because of the name of Christ you are blessed so the spirit of glory of the God it rests on you and rest on me unless on you if you suffer it should not be as a murderer that is you gonna suffer don't suffer for doing something that is stupid suffer for righteousness since you're gonna suffer anyway don't suffer for foolishness suffer for righteousness since you're gonna suffer anyway don't suffer for stupidity suffer for righteousness if you want to suffer suffer for what is right something for taking a stand suffer for having morals suffer for having balls man yeah I said balls if you're going to suffer suffer for standing if we're gonna suffer anyway go something for being idiot suffer for being godly I'm gonna go through hell I'm gonna go through hell for righteousness sake am i talking to anybody in this room I thought talking to you come at me right now if you get a supper something like this miss has anybody ever suffer for righteousness then price him right now we suffer it for nothing what in the hell is the devil gonna do with a person like you oh he can't shut up because I praise God even in my separate because that's my job I'm done though they walk away from me I'm done no they persecute me no but y'all get injured no you're not gonna shut me up because I'm suffering so I'm gonna find a way watch to rejoice I like these words anyhow anyhow I'm over choice anyhow I'm gonna praise him anyhow I'm gonna worship Him anyhow that happened to my child I'm gonna place him anyhow he doesn't want me I've got belongs to my Lord because I'm suffering I'm gonna place him anyhow he says rejoice if you suffer for righteousness sake this is a knee type of comfort and a new type of praise rejoice if you suffer for righteousness sake however if you suffer as a Christian verse 16 I gotta hurry up do not be ashamed but praise God that you bear plays got a to bid that my suffering as a tattoo of the name of Jesus for in this time of judgment to begin with the family of God and it begins with us for what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God and if it is hard for the righteous to be saved what will become of the ungodly and the sinner so then those those who those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful creator and he will say to them in chapter 5 verse 10 and the God of all who last week eternal glory in Christ Jesus after you have suffered because this is [Applause] that's why eternity gotta be playing in the background of your mind help us Lord if you don't understand eternity you will die in your sufferings but when I understand eternity is forever and honestly right now is temporary he says after you suffered a little while this time is called a little while these days are called a little while these decades of COI and anything that is temporary is tolerable [Applause] you go ahead and name your suffering anything that is temporary is tolerable this is gospel preaching this is what you call truth that sustains and builds this time that we have is called what a little while if you don't understand eternity you won't understand a little while that's why I had to talk to you last week about eternity so that this makes more sense when I think about suffering let me finish the verse and now I saw some of your faces when I was preparing this survey I saw people in this church when I was preparing the sermon I saw your faces I thought about some of the people in his room and what you're going through my brothers and my sisters this was a little while and the God of all Grace who called you to his eternal glory after you have suffered a little while will himself restore you and make it stronger herb will give you some more Bible can I give you some more word I think about the life of Paul I think about Paul because the eighth day says God doesn't exist because of suffering I think about a man named called the greatest evangelist the world has ever known a man who formerly persecuted Christians highly educated wealthy because of him we have 75% of the New Testament of the Bible because of him we understand mysteries about God that was hidden for thousands of years because of his writings we understand things about God that human beings did not know well I think about a man like that he was traveling to our ancient city called Damascus to go kill more Christians and he had an encounter with Jesus on that road the light of God's glory shined around and he fell down to the floor the Lord spoke to him Paul was saved in that moment he was struck with blindness carried into a city and did not eat for three days he was faster then God speaks to a man named Ananias in a dream it says there was a man named paul saul of tarsus go to him pray for him he is your new brother and then Ananias responds with these words and Acts chapter 60 Acts chapter 9 verse 16 but the Lord sent to Ananias go this man is my watch this [Music] but the Lord said to Ananias go Ananias that woman Danielle this man Milton that woman Lena this person Erica this man is my what God's what we listening to chosen instrument watch oh you're gonna have a great ministry to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel he carried the gospel around the whole world oh that's a great ministry but watch the next lines I will show him how much she for my namesake yeah your life is gonna be great but mingled with your greatness you will suffer for my name sake I will tattoo you with my name in the form of suffering like man Melissa has a great ministry she's attitude but suffering man pastor Philip is the okay preacher tattooed with suffering men I'm believing God for a great ministry believe him is gonna be tattooed but suffering and you think you went through something you'll know Paul went through he what he told it to the people of tolerance second Corinthians chapter 11 give it to me come on he told him what he went through what anyone else dares to boast about I am speaking as a fool I also dare not to boast about me are they Hebrews so am I are they Israelites so am i or they're Abraham's descendants or mine are their servants like Christ I am out of my mind to talk like this I am more I have worked much harder been imprisoned more frequently been flogged more severely and been exposed to death again and again five times I have received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one three times I was beaten with rods what are you suffering okay I was once stoned three times I was shipwrecked I spent a night and day in the open sea on a piece of wood and landed on an island called Malta and preached a revival okay I have been in danger from rivers and danger from bandits and danger from my own countrymen and danger from Gentiles and danger in the city and danger in the country and danger at sea and danger from false brothers I have labored and toil and I have often gone without sleep I have known your hair's your prosperity gospel I have known hunger and thirst take that take prosperity preacher and have often gone without food I have been cold and naked shouldn't every Christian be rich or the blessing of the Lord and make it rich and added no sorrow wrong interpretation I have been cold and naked besides everything else I face daily the pressures you going through all of that and all of that you're thinking about the people you're still preaching to it has to fill up you went through all that hell in 2017 and you got up every Sunday because you cared about the people he's supposed to be preaching to your son had an asthma attack the day after you preached a sermon and week one a p31 and you spent a week in the hospital fighting for his life and had to get up the next week and preach with no notes because you cared about the people you had to preach to oh your father died on a Saturday you should go and mourn and suffer but you had to get up and preach the next morning on a Sunday because you didn't have communicators yet I want you to write these down we'll take a picture of them all said this in Philippians 1:29 look at this Philippians 1:29 what has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but to also what suffer for him look at that verse you see there's a key word in there but if you read this fast you'll miss it the key word in here is watch granted and there there's another word in there that we like to run from it's called suffer all says that you're suffering if you're suffering for righteousness this is powerful almost done was watch granted to you what has granted me given as a grace or gift God gave my suffering was it was granted to me do you mean what I went through that year was what up it was given well then how do we what do we do with suffering because it's not going anywhere so since I love you I read through I mean I've ran through the whole New Testament this week I did and I cried as I prayed for you and I want you to write down these four things we'll take a picture of them because you will need them for the rest of your life as I went through the New Testament and I really did this I try to figure out well what if suffering is not going anyway then what are we supposed to do with it because you're gonna deal with it and it you can have a good season and then suffering is coming you're not gonna escape it so III know there's a laundry list of stuff people can say I'm not gonna give you a laundry list but I do want to be a good pastor and tell you that there are four things that I've found in the New Testament as I look at all of these different verses that I think helps us to categorize suffering how does God use it since it is granted how does God use suffering I narrowed it down to these four things number one works through suffering to foster repentance that some of you will testify the only reason you're saved today is because he'll hit your life and when he'll hit your life you had no other place to turn gosh but to the Lord it was suffering that brought you to Jesus for me suffering brought me to Jesus suffering so bad it led me to Nance suicide some of you you hate suffering so bad but if it wasn't for suffering in the earth you wouldn't even be saved because when times are good we don't think about the Lord Oh God don't exist because it's suffering no suffering exists but God is wise suffering exists because of sin and people's choices and fallen world but God is so wise although he will not eradicate it till Jesus comes he is so sovereign he is so loving and he is so powerful he will take the things that men despise and use it for your good so God uses suffering for repentance number two God works through suffering to force the sanctification you know what sanctification is it is the process by which a human being is made godly you're not going to be made godly when everything is going well you know why because when things go well you don't want to pray but things are going well you don't want to come to church you get the new bonus you're gone but you look over your shoulder let me ask you a question when you think about how your character was shaped and formed what did more to shape your character ease or pain yes you know what has done more to shape my character suffering you know has done more to teach me to be a man of care of integrity suffering you know what taught me to deliver Olli suffering going against God's Word and paying the price for my sin taught me to be holy David said it was good for me to be afflicted that I would learn your statutes suffering has a way of teaching us that the Word of God we should clean to it suffering produces spiritual maturation suffering teaches us to be more godly separate suffering builds faith it shapes character you are more godly today than you was when God found you because of what you have gone through now because of the blessings he's given you God has done more to shape my character and pain than the things that he has given me number three God works through suffering to point humanity towards eternity just like that that non-christian wrote in the huffington post man why didn't God create an environment where there was no suffering and no evil well he wouldn't have the answer to that if he never read the scriptures and he wouldn't have the answer to that watch if he did not believe eternity if you don't believe in heaven you would not believe that God created a space that is much better than this temporary one we live in right now the hope of Jesus is not stuffed the hope of Jesus is eternity and look some of you let me just say this before I close some of you you notice to be true have you ever been around a person who was either elderly terminally sick or they body was wracked with pain and they was nearing death and what kind of stuff have you heard come out their mouth I just want to go home well if everything goes well they want to talk like that well what is making them want to go home pain and suffering of this life is causing heart to watch yearn for that better space utopia your heart is trying to create you'll never find it here God did that on purpose so your heart would long for eternity number four God works through suffering to display his glory his glory is a means through which the greatness of God is made visible through the life of human beings it is power made public that's like when Jesus was praying and the Garden of Gethsemane right before he faced extreme suffering he said father if there is any way this cup could pass from me let it be so that is he didn't want to endure what he had endure but he said nothing less not my will but your will would be done in that moment God receives glory think think about this for a second my brothers is it could I thought about this right we love blessings right think about this this blew our mind we we love blessings we love God give me we love how and god's name is the unbelieving world gonna see the glory of jesus through your blessings watch because if they only see us loving him for what he provides how would he get glory for that you know what brings god glory but people see hell in your life but you still cling to the savior and then they're wondering in their mind how is it this person is still clinging to jesus while they're going through all of that that's what brings him glory because if it's our stuff then they would think you love him for what he provides but not love him for the promise he gave you lost that we always beg in Jesus for stuff and thinking we get more stuff people will see his glory know people see more of his glory when we go through hell and with socialists those standing when we go to hell and we're still praised and why because if you look at someone who is suffering and they're still loving Jesus praising Jesus serving Jesus given you see more of God's power and glory and a human being suffering than you do when they have everything that is comfortable it's natural to despise suffering but maybe oppression always be Lord deliver me from this but God reveal yourself to me in this show me what you're doing to me in this maybe sometimes the prayer is not God take me out but God give me the ability to go through maybe the person times is not God removed but God give me strength to endure I prayed that between 17 and maybe the cry of the Christian Church is not God bless us all the time maybe the cry should be when we look around all this may be the Christ should be come quickly maybe maybe the pressure always be God keep piling us down but stuff but maybe the prayer should be when when I pray for the white woman on the side of the road who had lost her three children and a fire that gave her money in her I drove away weeping because I could not do more for her but I think about the pain that she's endure and she was a believer maybe maybe want to think about her pain and that other people are going through maybe the cry for us is not God keep blessing us maybe the cry is Jesus Lord come quickly Lord Jesus come Lord Jesus bring an end to this life of suffering we want you we want eternity we want glory there's pain that is causing us to long for that better life was so great when I drove away from Amanda because I couldn't do more to help her I pray for a day when everybody in our church will be giving I want to build up a center called the Amanda house it was a woman I met last week on the side of the road begging her aunt lost all three of her sons in a fire lost her house and she was so ashamed to be out there pagan in the light turn green in front of me I leaned up alcohol and I prayed for her because I couldn't leave her there and in that moment I said what is your name she said a man that please keep me my friend I drove away and I wept all night to the morning myself a day is coming god I pray he would bless people in our church to give that you would send somebody to help us I want to build out a facility to help people like we want to use resources to make a difference while we're here ease the suffering while we're here but ultimately we won't be able to eradicate everything you know why because the misery of this life is to cause our hearts to turn and I brought him even more when I look around at the devastation of human cons and you think about what you've been through man the heart you just belong and come quickly [Music] this is what gives meaning to suffering find meaning and suffering that seemed God working through them in those four ways I'm going to remember that God is working through suffering in those four ways we can find meaning and the things that we going through right now while you're in pain right now why you're in tears right now why you're hurting right now my love marriage is stress right now while your body's sick right now while you're dealing with loss right now while you're dealing with the scars the betrayal the devastation you can find meaning and all of your suffering if you understand that God is working through it for your good every time you suffer just remember this tagline I should have put it in my notes but you could just write it down I live by this tagline every time I go through hell and I go through hell a lot I say to myself for my good for your glory am i good for your glory this is how you find meaning and all of your suffering all of your hell in them in the miscarriage and the loss and trial and the devastation in the suffering and the tears and the pain and what you're going to deal with next year and all that you've been through look officials that God you know what for my good or your glory [Music] if you're going through anything right now that is hurting you anything would you just lift your hand I just want to see the people to rule I'll go through anything let's bring in your pain if your hands lift look at this room for your good or his glory he's working little of your suffering sanctification is glory good [Music] and suffering from nothing you got to start seeing a suffering every time you go through for righteousness God counted you worthy to identify with the Lord Jesus Christ [Music] if you're suffering right now God has counted you worthy to identify with the Lord Jesus Christ some of you don't even realize your suffering is your badge of honor that through your suffering God is showing how strong you are how great he is [Music] badge of honor add you Monica Oh God you you counted me worthy sufferable mumble he endured the cross for me I will endure this life for him that is the trade-off and if he does not give me what I want if he does not open that next door if I don't get the blessing on what if I'm never rich if they never know my name for my good [Music] is he loving yes does he exist yes is he gonna remove suffering now no he will work through it for your good and for his glory this is how we find meaning in all of our trials must find meaning and suffering you know why you muscle because it's not going away oh [Music] you're good [Music] know that past I told you about Levi you know he could have just quit the ministry in bitterness you know what his family does every year Marissa you know what they do he takes his wife and his children and they go to the graveside of that little baby to Montana so is always covered in snow you can't see the gravesite you know what he does they take paint color they sprinkle it all over her grave if you drive past a cemetery you see this beautiful rainbow colors and every year they go there they just celebrate her little life but they refuse to die and bitterness because of what they go through and are they still suffering yes that prisoner that came out of that prison a book was written about him a global bestseller the past that I had a hell of a 20-17 preaching now but power and all feet that he did before under the banner of favor because God said so what about you you you you what about you [Music] or your good [Music] for his glory love my suffering his glory that's how you find meaning and all of the problems that you're going through before my good [Music] let not the devil rob you of your joy praise [Music] make it not strange the fiery trial that you are endure but after you have suffered just a little while will receive the crown of righteousness this is why Paul wrote the sufferings of this world and nothing to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed [Music] let's pray [Music] rather the amount of things that are in this room is probably staggering [Music] the amount of things that people are dealing with Moody's cameras is probably staggering [Music] your father we will not be robbed [Music] but believing in you because we deal with the suffering of these present times Father I pray for the Atheist pray for the unbelieving I pray for the one who's wrestling to reconcile suffering with a loving God I pray you would reveal yourself to them I pray you would ransom them I pray many who maybe even hear this message will turn to you before time runs out before it's too late but there is a suffering greater than this Lord that you have taught us about that we are not prepared to handle made a turn before t20 last breath and father I pray for my brothers and sisters who are in this room my brothers our sisters what listening my brothers our sisters who are watching would you deliver us from believing in the false theologies it has not given us the strength we need to endure suffering would you help us not to be surprised at the fiery trials that we are enduring because we will have to face suffering would you teach us God to embrace expect endure world through rejoice and stand firm and not waver from suffering would you teach us God to not lose our testimony in the middle of trials with our social media pages not go dark every time we have a problem [Music] will you help us not to be a world of complaining every time the wind blows last but would you teach us to have a consistency of faithfulness and adoration unto you even in the middle of us suffering when I pray my brother my sister on the roof right now who is hurting the heart that is sick the party that is wracked with pain sickness and disease the marriage that is in turmoil the tears that are being shed even right now I pray God and I ask that you would comfort us with the power of your Holy Spirit with your presence what you drew and whether you choose to deliver us but choose to allow us to go through me we cry like Joe though you slay us yet will we trust you we find a strength and I'll suffering not from Pat's on the back solely but also from the promise of eternity may this word not die in this moment but would it live reverberating our souls may somebody was a good season right now come back to this when suffering comes and we cling tightly to you Jesus not for what you can provide but for who you are for where you promised to take us how serious is this subject matter give us strength now comfort the hurting heart now let the weary head [Music] the matchless name mighty name and the glorious name [Music] we hope this message was a blessing for you if you have a testimony please email us at share at victory Church ATL org again thank you for tuning in we look forward to seeing you next week

Channel: Victory Church

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Length: 80min 12sec (4812 seconds)

Published: Tue Jan 23 2018