J.A. Matteson
Trouble will come. It is appointed to every child of God to suffer, for a student is not above his master. The Son of God suffered, but he entrusted himself to him who judges rightly. And to what was his trust anchored upon? Was it wishful thinking, fantasy or delusion? God forbid! Rather Jesus Christ endured all things "for the joy set before Him...." (Heb. 12:2); viz, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise him on the heel" (Gen. 3:15). Endurance in suffering finds its source in your identity, knowing who you are and who's you are. When God speaks a promise to you he is not like a man that he should lie (Num. 23:19). Jesus Christ knew who he was and who's he was. There was no confusion in his thinking about his identity, his mission, or his destiny. The Father had made specific promises to his Son and those promises, both of suffering and of glory, were guaranteed. David knew who he was and who's he was. He strengthened himself in knowing that the promises made to him by God would not fail. Even in the midst of darkness and troubling circumstances he knew him who calls light out of darkness, life out of death. Herein is the key to victorious Christian living: let the promises of God define reality, not circumstances. That, beloved, is what it means to walk by faith and not by sight. In the midst of his suffering, which was very real and not an illusion, David remembered God's promises to him, thereby like Abraham, reasoning that nothing is impossible for God (Heb. 11:17-19). Make it your aim, therefore, to mark out all of God's many promises to his children preserved for them in his word. Be well acquainted with them. Meditate upon them, internalize them, let them interpret troubling circumstances in light of God's goodness and faithfulness. By dong so you, like David, you will be strengthened within, enabled to endure all things with the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit. Listen to the apostle Paul, who like David, rested upon the promises of God, "for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:11-13).
Copyright (c) 2016 Immutable Word Ministries ("...for the word of our God stands forever.") Isaiah 40:8
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