Purpose in Affliction - by Diane Dew

"God gets his best soldiers from the valleys of affliction."
(Charles Spurgeon)

PURPOSE IN AFFLICTION

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment,
worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."
2 Corinthians 4:17

I. Man, generally, is born into suffering (Job 5:7; 14:1; Eccl. 2:22-23).
It is the result of the fall (Gen 3:16-19).

II. Who or what is the source of affliction? God, or Satan?

A. God may use Satan to accomplish His own purposes in our lives, for
perfection (spiritual maturity) can only be achieved through challenge.

Job 1:8-12

B. But Satan is limited in his power to afflict man, as God allows.

Job 1:12

1 Corin 10:13

C. Sometimes it is God who has taken the initiative to see that we endure
certain difficulties. (However, realization of this fact should not give us a
wrong concept of His character. His chastenings are not without purpose.)

Job 1:8

Psa 32:4; 51:8; 17; 107:11-12

III. Is it necessary that God's people suffer?

A. The Bible speaks much of the suffering required of true believers.
Psa 34:19 Dan 7:21 Acts 5:41; 9:16; 14:22 Rom 8:17-18, 35-37
2 Corin 4:8-9, 10-11, 16-18; 6 :4-10; 11 :24-28
Phil 1:29; 3:8-10; 4:12-13
Col 1:24
2 Timothy 1:12; 2:12; 3:12
Revel 2 :10; 6 :9-10; 13:7
Heb 10:32-33; 11:35-38; 12:11; 13:13
1 Pet 1:6-7;4:1-2, 12-13, 19; 3:14, 17; 5:10

1. Jesus said that the Christian walk is a "narrow" road few would choose to take.

Mat 7:13-14

2. He never promised to take us out of difficulties, but to keep us through them.

John 16:33

Psa 34:19

Isa 43:2

Mat 24:6-9, 13

B. History records the great persecutions of the early church, but these oppositions
only caused the number of believers to increase daily.

Acts 5:40-42 with 6:1; 8:1, 4, 8; 11:19, 21; 13:50-51; etc.

Phil 1:12-14

IV. Why must Christians suffer?

A. Suffering is necessary to broaden our spiritual insight into the ways of God.
Job 42:5-6

B. It causes us to seek Him diligently.
2 Chron 20:9-13 Hos 6:1 with 5:1 Amos 4:6-13

C. It disciplines our walk with the Lord.
Psa 119:67, 71 2 Corin 7:11

D. It exposes those deeply rooted attitudes that come to the surface only under severe
pressure.
Deut 8:2, etc.

E. It tests our hearts (II Chron 32:31) and emphasizes our own insufficiency and need
for dependence on Him.
Deut 8:2-3 Isa 57:10 2 Corin 1:5-9; 12:9-10 Revel 3:17-18 Psa 30:6

F. Testings and trials are necessary for the development of our faith.
Jas 1:3-4 1 Pet 1:6-7

G. They equip us for the greater difficulties of tomorrow.
Psa 94:12-13 Prov 24:10 Jer 12:5 2 Corin 4:17

H. Purging is necessary for fruitfulness.
Jn 15:2

V. God desires to work into our character, through affliction, many fine qualities..

A. Patience; endurance. Mat 24:6-9, 13 Rom 5:3 Jas 1:2-4; 5:11

B. Humility. Deut 8:2-3 2 Corin 12:7

C. Compassion. 2 Corin 1:4

D. Contentment. Phil 4:11-14

E. Obedience. Psa 119:67, 71 Heb 5 :8

F. Righteousness. Heb 12:11

G. Holiness. Heb 12:6-10

VI. It is important to realize that, although God is fully aware of our difficulties in a
very personal way (Job 23:10; 34:21-23; Psa 56:8; Prov 15:3; Luke 12), He is
actually more concerned with the attitude of our hearts than with the situation
or trial itself.

2 Pet 2:18-23

A. Murmuring or complaining in the midst of difficulties greatly displeases the Lord.

Exo 14:10-12; 15:24; 16:2-8

Num 14:26-37; 20:2-4

Psa 106:24-26

Jer 20:7, 10, 14-18

Rom 9:20

B. It is possible to be chastened by God and not have the experience teach us
anything!

Jer 2:30; 5:3

Gal 3:4

1. Paul said, "I have learned ..."

Phil 4:11-14

2. The fruit (righteousness) comes only to those "which are exercised thereby.

Heb 12:11

3. We must not despise the chastening of the Lord.

Job 5:17-18

Heb 12:5

C. When we complain and grumble, we do not murmur against man, but against God
Who put the situation there.

Exo 16:8

D. Ideally, our response should be one of worship.

2 Sam 12:18, 20-21

Job 1:20-22

E. Although "no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous, (Hebrews
12:11), we must learn to rejoice in the midst of our afflictions.

Psa 119:75

Hab 3:17-18

Mat 5:11-12 (Luke 6:22-23)

Acts 5:41; 13:50-52

2 Corin 7:4; 12:9

Jas 1:2-3

1 Peter 1:6-7;4:12-13

F. We must trust that God is at work in the situation for our good.

Deut 8:16

Rom 8:28

1. Example: Joseph in prison. Gen 50:20; 45:4-8; etc.

2. Example: Jesus on the cross. Jn 19:30 Heb 12:2

VII. There will be a reward for patient endurance. Job 42:12

A. Those who endure shall reign with Him.

2 Tim 2:12

Revel 3:21

B. They shall be glorified with Him.

Rom 8:17

C. They shall receive the crown of life.

Jas 1:12

Revel 2:10

D. "Afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness..."

Hebrews 12:11

VIII. The Lord "maketh sore," but He also "bindeth up" again.

Psa 107:4-6, 12-13, 17-19, 26-28, 33-35

A. The sufferings of this present world are limited and temporary.

Lam 3:31-33

2 Corin 4:16-18

1 Pet 1:6; 5:10

B. God will never allow us to be tested beyond our ability to endure.

1 Corin 10:13

Copyright © 1976, 1977, 1997 by Diane S. Dew, Milwaukee, Wis.

"The night of affliction is as much under the control of the Lord
of Love as the bright summer days when all is bliss.
Jesus is in the tempest..." (C.H. Spurgeon)

Loneliness: A Study in the Scriptures

"No pit is so deep that God is not deeper still." (Corrie Ten Boom)

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