Let us go back in time to a cold winter night over 13 years ago, a home fire started upstairs in my oldest daughter’s room. The fire happened in March, on family movie night, when we all slept camping out in the family room together (because of this, all of my children were saved by fire). We were all awakened by my daughter screaming; I ran into the hall and saw smoke and fire. Seeing the extent of the fire, I brought all the children out to the car and called 911.
While our house burnt to the ground, I reassured our children and prayed. We were able to stay at a friend’s, and in the morning, I returned to the burnt mess that was our home to hear the Fire Chief say it was a total loss.
After he left, I walked to my daughter’s room, a flooded mess with her mattress burnt wire shell, and all the wall joists looked like charcoal. I instantly fell to my knees and raised my arms to praise our Father in Heaven for sparing my daughter’s life (the Fire Chief said it was a miracle she was alive). There, on my knees, I learned a valuable lesson: all of our things were gone: pictures of our family, clothes, and mementos, but God had spared our lives. We had lost everything, but I had everything for my children were alive. The aftermath of the fire began a turbulent time of praising Jesus through the storms of life. Jesus could have tamed the storm and stopped the fire, for He is God, but He chose to be my closest companion through my dark valley.
2 Cor. 1:3-4 is among my beloved memorized scripture,
“3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
The realities in this scripture have been my favorite friends; the lessons learned (though harsh) and growth from that fire have grown into beautiful fruit (James 1:2-4). These truths have been shared repeatedly with others where God is glorified, and others are comforted.
One of the lessons I learned is that God’s thoughts on deliverance are different from man’s, for God’s ways are not man’s; yet through it all, Jesus wishes us to have joy (which is unspeakable to the human mind) through the circumstances (as Paul in prison). Jesus will lead us or walk through the dark shadows until this trial is finished.
We need to understand that Jesus is the Suffering Servant and calls His followers to suffer with Him through trials and persecutions. Western Christianity is deluded with the Word of Faith movement (money of your enemies will come to you-you are healed-head and not the tale-blessed not cursed-authority over everything-rescued out of everything); in my opinion, this is false doctrine and harms many people. Our brothers and sisters in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East who are persecuted or martyred for their faith understand the Suffering Servant and love him to pain and death.
“13 Behold,
my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very
high.
14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his
form more than the sons of men:
15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for
that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not
heard shall they consider.
13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very
high.
14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his
form more than the sons of men:
15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for
that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not
heard shall they consider.”
53 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of
the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry
ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no
beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:
and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him
not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him
stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and
the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He
was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought
as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he
openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation?
for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my
people was he stricken.
9 And
he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he
had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when
thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall
prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his
hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge
shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities
.12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with
the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered
with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for
the transgressors.” (Isaiah 52:13-15, and 53:1-12-AV)
My friend, do not be fooled by the prosperity gospel (not Biblical Doctrine). We need to prepare to be persecuted, to walk through the valley, and even tribulation to come as our brothers and sisters in other lands have. Remember, it is the hardships and afflictions that bring growth and a sincere relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Sometimes, things are so hard we barely hang on the edge of the cliff, but Jesus reaches down and draws us out just as He pulls us from the miry clay.
“10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.” (2 Timothy 3:10-1l-AV)
Paul spoke of character and holy lifestyle when he wrote to Timothy and stated that God delivered him out of them all (in case this verse sounds contradictory because he was martyred, it is not for in Kingdom precepts that is deliverance as well). Trials and tribulations are used by God in layers upon layers, for God is multidimensional and uses things in our lives to polish off sins and un-godly characteristics that are embedded in our lives, and then uses these circumstances in others’ lives. God allowed Job to be tried for His glory, to show Job’s character to Satan, the community, and readers not yet alive. Suffering brings mixed emotions as it did with Job, where he rued the day he was born but ultimately saw the vastness of the Almighty and repented (Job 3:20-22).
God rewarded Job in the end, and we will be rewarded whether in this life or heaven with Jesus (Job 42:10-16). Regardless of reward, God uses these sufferings to bring us closer to him and for God to be glorified, and it was through these hardships I recognized the wonder of God (Romans 5:3-5). Jesus never left me (though at times when the loss of two house fires and nowhere to live with the responsibilities of five children overwhelmed me, and I suffered severe bouts of tachycardia, which came with dread and fear), Jesus was my rock. He never left me when I walked through fear and I survived by calling out to him minute by minute, taking peace through His presence and the living word of God.
My beloved of God, Jesus loves you, and I am living testimony that Jesus will never leave nor forsake you (Heb. 13:5). God is relational, and I love him, and He is my rock.
“6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deut. 31:6)
Are you hanging on to the edge, ready to slip off? I challenge you to call out to Christ, for God never sleeps nor slumbers, and He will pull you off the edge. Cry out to Him, for He is the God of the lonely and suffering everywhere. In Jesus’ name, I pray for you to be comforted by the Comforter and be filled with the peace and joy of Jesus, the Suffering Servant who suffered in your place. Accept the gift of the Son of God; accept life, joy, and supernatural peace from the God of peace. Remember, when you are crying in the dark, the Light of the world desires to be your light and protector through the dark valley (Micah 7:8).”
“8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me.” (Micah 7:8)
Arsenal Of The King 