I heard of a man who said to the preacher, “I want to sing in your choir.” The preacher replied, “But you don’t belong here. Where do you have your membership?” He said, “I don’t belong to any local church. I belong to the invisible church.” The pastor said, “Then I suggest that you join the invisible choir.”
Vance Havner

SufferingTesting

SufferingTesting

Doctrine: Suffering/Testing

  1. INTRODUCTION: Suffering/testing is pain, pressure, circumstances, ideas, or people that challenge the believer to live the daily plan of God. There are two main categories of suffering/testing. They are undeserved and deserved. Undeserved suffering/testing is the most prominent category for the believer.
  2. UNDESERVED SUFFERING/TESTING:

2.1. The CONCEPT: Undeserved suffering/testing is part of the normal Christian way of life. It glorifies God. It is not a result of personal sin, spiritual immaturity, or failure to apply Bible doctrine (Gal 4.29; Phil 1.29-30; 1 Pet 2.19-21; 3.17; 4.15-16).

2.2. ILLUSTRATIONS of undeserved suffering/testing:

2.2.1. The lives of Joseph (Gen 37-50), Ruth (Ruth), Mordecai and Esther (Esther), Christ (Mtt 2.13-15; Lk 23), and Paul (Acts 14.19; 16.19-40).

2.2.2. General persecution that tries to stop the spread of the faith (1 Thes 1.6).

2.2.3. Unjust imprisonment (Acts 16.19-40; 20.23; Jer 32.1-5).

2.2.4. Personal attacks upon the believer (2 Tim 4.14).

2.2.5. Slander, which is to say something that damages another (Rev 2.9).

2.2.6. Attacks by religious people or groups. Religious legalists persecute grace believers (Acts 9.1-2; Gal 4.29; 6.12; Col 2.16).

2.2.7. Association with emotion controlled people (Rom 16.17-18).

2.2.8. Forced change of residence (Acts 8.1; Dan 1.1-6).

2.2.9. Poverty (Rev 2.9).

2.2.10. Mental pressures caused by circumstances beyond your control (Phil 1.17; 2.26).

2.2.11. Illness (Gal 6.11; Phil 2.27).

2.2.12. Pain associated with death (Acts 7.54-60; Rev 2.13).

2.2.13. Interference by another in your life (Rom 14; 1 Cor 4.1-5).

2.3. GENERAL TRUTHS about undeserved suffering/testing:

2.3.1. Part of the normal CWL (Acts 8.1; 14.22; Phil 1.29; Heb 10.32-39).

2.3.2. Source of happiness and blessing (1 Pet 4.13-14).

2.3.3. Prepares you to help others when they suffer (2 Cor 1.4).

2.3.4. Very short time period compared to eternity (2 Cor 4.16-18).

2.3.5. The greatest pain is very much less than the blessings we will have in heaven (Rom 8.18).

2.3.6. Does not separate us from Christ (Rom 8.35).

2.3.7. Undeserved suffering/testing of the believer is an extension of Christ’s suffering/testing. The believer participates in Christ’s suffering/testing since Christ is absent and the believer is the present representative of Christ (Phil 3.10; Col 1.24; 1 Pet 4.13).

2.3.8. The severity of undeserved suffering/testing stays within the endurance capacity of each individual believer (1 Cor 10.13; 2 Pet 2.9).

2.3.9. Jesus Christ is the pattern to follow when in undeserved suffering/testing. He gave us an example. He was strong, maintained His momentum, did not take revenge, and did not worry (Phil 2.1-8; Heb 12.1-3; 1 Pet 4.1-2).

2.4. PURPOSES for undeserved suffering/testing.

2.4.1. To let the believer participate in the angelic conflict (Job 1.8-12; Matt 4.1-11; Jn 17.14-18; Eph 3.10; 6.10-13; Rev 2.10)).

2.4.2. To promote spiritual growth (Rom 5.3-5; 2 Cor 4.11, 17; 12.9-10; Jms 1.2-4; 1 Pet 1.6-9; 4.1-2; 5.10).

2.4.3. To test spiritual growth or learning, certainty, and control in all circumstances (1 Pet 1.6-9; 4.12; Rev 2.9-10).

2.4.4. To demonstrate God’s grace, power, and life in the believers’s day to day life (2 Cor 12.9-10; Phil 3.10).

2.4.5. To keep the believer’s perspective of himself correct (2 Cor 12.7).

2.4.6. To let the believer who is now present on earth and God’s representative participate more fully in Christ’s suffering/testings while He is absent (Phil 3.10; Col 1.24; 1 Pet 4.13).

2.5. POTENTIALS to exploit during undeserved suffering/testing:

2.5.1. Live in the Daily Plan of God or the normal Christian way of life (Phil 4.11-13).

2.5.2. Learn the Word of God (1 Thes 1.6).

2.5.3. Witness for God (Acts 8.1; 11.19; 2 Cor 4.7-18; Phil 1.12-18).

2.5.4. Continue spiritual growth and momentum (2 Thes 1.4; 2 Tim 3.11).

2.5.5. Trust God and His provisions through the use of faith rest (1 Pet 5.7-9).

2.5.6. Demonstrate God’s greatness, make Him visible (glorify God) (1 Pet 4.16).

2.5.7. Inner happiness (Jn 16.33; Rom 5.3; 2 Cor 7.4; Phil 4.11-12; Col 1.24; Jms 1.2).

2.5.8. Avoid depression and unhappiness (Lam 3.21-24; Eph 3.13; Phil 4.11-13).

2.5.9. Continue your active ministry (2 Cor 6.3-13).

2.5.10. Grace giving (2 Cor 8.2; Phil 4.14).

2.5.11. Gain rewards from God (2 Cor 4.17).

3. DESERVED SUFFERING/TESTING:

3.1. CONCEPT: Deserved suffering/testing is self caused. Man brings it upon himself. God then intervenes and puts man under suffering/testing or man starts events that take their natural course under God’s Master Plan and result in suffering/testing (1 Pet 2.20; 4.15).

3.2. CAUSES for deserved suffering/testing:

3.2.1. Sin (Matt 7.1-2; 1 Pet 2.20; 4.15; Heb 12.4-11).

3.2.2. Spiritual immaturity (1 Cor 3.1-3; Eph 4.14).

3.2.3. Failure to apply doctrine or wrong application of doctrine (Gal 5.15; 6.7-8; 2 Thes 3.10-11).

3.2.4. Emotion controls the believer (2 Cor 6:11-12).

3.2.5. God has cursed creation because sin entered the world at the fall (Gen 3.14-19; Rom 8.19-22).

3.3. ILLUSTRATIONS of deserved suffering/testing:

3.3.1. Individual divine discipline (Matt 7.1-2; Heb 12.5-13). Cain (Gen 4.4-14), Saul (1 Sam 28.18-19), and Jonah (Jonah 1.1-3,12) are illustrations.

3.3.2. National divine discipline such as on Judah (Lamentations, Ezek 5.12; 15; Matt 23.37-24.2).

3.3.3. Punishment under establishment law. This is legal punishment associated with rejection of authority (Rom 13.1-7).

3.3.4. Eternal punishment in the lake of fire (Rev 20.14-15).

3.4. GENERAL TRUTHS for deserved suffering/testing are the same as for undeserved suffering/testing, except that it is not an extension of Christ’s suffering/testing (Jn 18.38-19.6; Heb 2.9-10, 14, 18; 4.15; 5.7-9; 7.26) and Jesus Christ never underwent deserved suffering/testing (Jn 19.4; Heb 4.15; 7.26).

3.5. PURPOSES for deserved suffering/testing:

3.5.1. To warn the believer about his spiritual failure (Rev 3.19-20).

3.5.2. To correct the believer (Matt 7.1-2; 1 Cor 5.5; 11.27-32; Heb 12.5-13; Rev 3.19).

3.5.3. To remove the believer by the sin unto death (1 Cor 11.27-30; 1 Jn 5.16).

3.5.4. To protect and maintain authority and freedom (Rom 13.1-7).

3.5.5. To demonstrate God’s sovereignty (Ezek 35.10-15; Dan 4.28-37; Acts 12.21-23).

4. SOURCES OF HELP for the person undergoing suffering/testing:

4.1. GOD (Psalm 3; 9; 13; 33-34; 40; 42-43; 62; Jn 16.33; 2 Cor 1.4; 12.9-11; 2 Pet 2.9; 2 Tim 3.11).

4.2. BIBLE DOCTRINE (Ps 119.23-32,49-51; Prov 1.20-33; Matt 4.1-11; 2 Tim 3.16-17; 2 Pet 3).

4.3. SPIRITUAL PREPARATION which begins with salvation, then continues with growth to maturity (Jn 8.32, 36; Acts 16.31; Rom 8.1; Eph 4.13-14; Phil 1.27-30; 4.11-13).

4.4. Other PREPARED BELIEVERS (2 Cor 1.4; Jms 1.27).

4.5. A GOOD WORD from other believers (2 Cor 7.6-7; 1 Thes 3.6-7). This good word is about the Christian way of life, not a word of personal praise.

5. The METHOD, PRACTICE, or how to deal with suffering/testing:

5.1. The PRINCIPLE: BE PREPARED by learning, applying, and growing. Live in the daily plan of God. Practice God’s divine operating system, not Satan’s world system (Eph 4.11-14; Phil 1.27-30; Heb 5.11-14; 6.1; 1 Pet 3.15; 2 Pet 1.2-4; 3.17-18; 1 Jn 2.15-16; Jude 17-23).

5.2. The SPECIFIC THINGS to remember:

5.2.1. If you are under deserved suffering/testing, first CONFESS any personal sin that has kept you out of fellowship. This allows deserved suffering/testing to be appreciated and turned for good. This positions you so that you can participate in God’s purposes and resources. Then APPLY the appropriate doctrine that will enable spiritual recovery, growth, and momentum (Rom 12.1-2; 1 Cor 11.31; Heb 6.1-12; 12.10-13; 1 Jn 1.9; Rev 3.19-20).

5.2.2. DO NOT BE AFRAID. This means do not be occupied with the suffering/testing or it will control you. If you become fearful you will neutralize yourself, bring more suffering/testing on yourself, and fail to fulfill the purposes for suffering/testing. (Phil 1.28; Jms 1.2; 1 Pet 3.14; Rev 2.10).

5.2.3. BE FAITHFUL to God. This means apply Bible doctrine from the potential doctrine that is now in you. Claim your wealth, your aristocracy, your Father’s support (Ps 62; Rom 8.28-39; 2 Cor 8.9; 2 Thes 1.4; Heb 6.12; 10.32-39: 1 Pet 2.9; 5.7; Rev 2.9-10).

5.2.4. KEEP HOLDING TO THE WORD. This means maintain the positive posture or stance that the Word of God teaches you to have (Ps 119.23-24, 49-50; 2 Thes 2.15).

5.2.5. APPLY THE PURPOSES for suffering/testing to yourself (see 2.4 and 3.4).

5.2.6. EXPLOIT THE POTENTIALS that believers have during suffering (see 2.5).

Copyright 1989 by Tod M. Kennedy
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