OVERCOMING SUFFERINGS OF THE WORLD
The Biblical Word of God says: “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). But “after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10). Our Savior and Lord Lord Jesus Christ said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
JOHN THE BAPTIST IS A BIBLE EXAMPLE OF A BELIEVER WHO SUFFERED IN OVERCOMING THE WORLD.
John baptized Jesus and proclaimed him: “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).When John the Baptist called Jesus the lamb of God, John believed Christ was whom the Lord’s prophet Isaiah said: “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5)
After proclaiming Jesus “The Lamb of God,” John was later imprisoned for telling King Herod it was not lawful for him to have his brother’s wife (Matthew 14:3-4). John was in prison waiting to be behead for standing up for what was right according to God’ law. In his situation of suffering, he sent his disciples to Jesus to ask him if he was the promised Messiah.
Jesus sent John’s disciple back to report what they saw Jesus doing: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” (Matthew 11:2-6).
JESUS IS OUR PERFECT EXAMPLE OF SUFFERING AND OVERCOMING THE WORLD
Jesus did the things that he told John to believe him for doing. The bible shows that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him” (Acts 10:38).
Like John, Jesus learned to trust God in suffering: “Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him” (Hebrews 5:7-9).
“He came to his own people, and even they rejected him” (John 1:11).
He was found innocent of doing anything wrong by the authority who judged him; but due to the “self-interest” and insistence of leaders among his people they decided to crucify him: “They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him” (Matthew 27:12-31)
When Jesus was faced with suffering and dying on the cross for our sin, he prayed repeatedly in the Garden of Gethsemane, with disciples having fallen asleep beside him. “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22:44).
He pled “My Father, if it is possible may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39). As Jesus was dying in agony on a cross and separated from the Father for our sins, he cried out loud, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me” (Matthew 27:46).
Having finished the work of salvation for our sins, “Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last” (Luke 23:46).
AS BELIEVERS IN JESUS CHRIST WE TOO OVERCOME THE WORLD THROUGH SUFFERING.
Jesus said, “If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well John 15:20).
“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (1 Peter2:21).
The Word of God tells us to fix “our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).
As believers in Jesus Christ, the Bible teaches that like, Jesus, John and other people of God who suffered, we too may be rejected, criticized, ostracized, castigated and even put death in some situations by unbelievers. These many including unbelieving coworkers, acquaintances, friends, family and others. For “the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
However, we have Jesus as our high priest, who “has been tested in every way as we are, yet without sin,” And because of this “we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 5:15-16).
Our Savior and Lord gives us the Holy Spirit to help us overcome the fiery trials and sufferings of this world (John 14:15-17; 1 Peter 1:7).
Still because our Savior and Lord “wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people.” He urges believers to pray “for all people” (1 Timothy 2:1-6).
We have the satisfaction of knowing God uses the pains and sufferings of believers who love the Lord and people to conform us into the likeness of his Son (Romans 8:29). This will result in peace, glory and honor when Jesus Christ comes to take us to be with him in heaven (John 14:3; Peter 1:7).
In the suffering that the Lord God allows for his glory and your good, he encourages you, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).
