The words spoken BY the Lord Jesus
Himself in Acts 9:15-16 are a direct message to one of his disciples named
Ananias. In Acts 9:10-16, Jesus came in
a vision form to Ananias for the express purpose of giving to him one of the
most profound messages found in the entire New Testament. Ananias would be the disciple of Jesus who
delivered to Saul of Tarsus, (at the time a violent persecutor of the church),
the anointed message of his incredible ministry to both Jew and Gentile; and
immediately thereafter, he would baptize Saul in water in Jesus’ name, and then
later rename the apostle Paul.
Paul would then start to preach Jesus as
the son of God in Jewish synagogues and amongst the Gentiles, and he would also
become the inspired author of nearly half of the New Testament canon of
scripture. In the next passage of Acts
10:17-18, read what happened when Ananias delivered his message from Jesus to
Paul (Saul):
Acts 10:17-18 So Ananias departed and entered the
house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the
road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you
may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
And immediately
there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized, he took food, and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the
disciples who were at Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in
the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” New American Standard Bible - Updated Edition
The scales that fell off of Saul’s eyes
had been placed there to blind him in Acts 9:3-8, stopping his persecution of the
church, which he did in sincere ignorance, thinking it was God’s will to end
the new heresy called ‘The Way’ (i.e. the faith in Jesus). Of chief importance in this study is what
Jesus said to Ananias, “For I will make clear to him how much he will be afflicted,
must endure, and suffer for My name's sake.”
From the onset of his conversion to faith in God thru Jesus Christ, it
was going to be made “clear” to him what things he must “suffer.”
“Suffer?
Who me? Oh no, I’m not gonna
suffer; my God doesn’t allow His children to suffer!” This is perhaps the most insidious lie promulgated by the devil
amongst mainly charismatic Christians today, who are being deceived by the
millions thru the false doctrines and evil trickery of men who deny that
suffering is God’s will. These
lukewarm, Laodicean zealots sincerely believe in error that God does not allow
suffering in the lives of born-again Christians.
Those who ascribe to the
‘name-it-and-claim-it’ pseudo-gospel message cannot even conceptualize the God
uses suffering for His great purposes in this life. Theirs’ is a sugarcoated gospel that denies the reality of
suffering in this life by pretending in their own pitifully wanting and
backslidden spiritual existence that the reason they don’t can be attributed to
their great faith. Their false claims
are then selfishly lavished upon themselves as a pseudo-badge of ‘anointing’
and ‘approval’ of God’s faith. These
types of believers are those described by Jesus to the apostle John in
Revelation 3:
Revelation 3:15-19 “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better
to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re
stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made,
I need nothing from anyone,’
oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and
homeless. Here’s what I want you to do:
Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be
rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes
designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around
half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see,
really see. The people I love, I call
to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on
your feet, then! About face! Run after God!”
The Message Bible by Eugene Peterson 2002
The Charismatic message that espouses
these pseudo-gospel ideas is also known as
'blessings-and-financial-prosperity-doctrine' or ‘name-it-and-claim-it’
doctrines. Those Christian who fall for
this lie are also quick to criticize those who suffer, particularly if they are
believers. Peter’s epistle (1 Peter
4:12-19) explains what Jesus meant when he advises them to buy gold refined in
the fire; can you guess what it involves? Yep, suffering!
One need only turn on one of the alleged
‘Christian’ television networks to hear and see one of the ministers of greed
parading their wares in ostentatious arrogance. They use the sick, the hurting, and the afflicted as fodder for
their condescension of God’s faithful ones who suffer. What is even more despicable is that they
vainly imagine their message has the approval of God or Jesus. Unless they repent big time, the things that
they speak will come back to them later in life; if not on this earth, then for
sure in the eternal realm of judgment to come.
Matthew 7:21-23 Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord,
Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord , did we not prophesy in
Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many
miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’” New American Standard Bible
I have heard two well-known charismatic
televangelists, both speaking in the typical southern drawl and they mockingly
taunt and flaunt their surreptitious evil by making fun of those believers who
hold fast to the word of God in Scripture, trusting in Jesus to make them more
compassionate and merciful thru the things that they suffer. This evil mockery goes something like this:
TELEVANGELIST “Well folks, I’ve heard them Christians out
there, who sit and waller in their pain and sickness, and they never get
healed, because they sit there confessing the negative. Ya gotta find God DESTINY and ya won’t find
it if ya think that God wants ya sufferin’.
Ohhh, I can hear em’ now a sayin’ now ‘Well brother, I’m just holdin’
onto God’s word, and trustin’ in Him to use my suffering for His glory. Shucks folks! That ain’t true! That’s
the biggest lie from the devil I ever heard.
God heals every one of His children that come to Him in FAITH. Folks, ya gotta have faith to please God, or
you’ll never get healed.”
I’m sure anyone reading this article
knows exactly what I’m describing here and has seen the same corruption on
television posing as ‘Christian.’ After
witnessing this evil, no wonder so many people in America don’t want anything to
do with Christ. I say to these false
teachers, “Woe to you on the day of reckoning, when Jesus sits upon his
Father’s throne, separating the sheep from the goats.” They are casting God’s precious pearls to
their swinish ridicule by trampling down the Son of God by scoffing at the
hearts of His children who suffer.
Matthew 7:1-6 "Do not judge lest you be
judged. For in the way you judge, you
will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to
you. And why do you look at the speck
that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own
eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your
eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?
You hypocrite,
first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take
the speck out of your brother's eye. Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their
feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.
New American Standard Bible
The antics and self-righteous indignation
of false teachers that promote such evil are nothing more than Satan
masquerading and disguising himself as ministers of light (which is really
darkness). Their spiritual blindness is not unlike that which the man named
Saul of Tarsus was doing. They may not
persecute their own brethren by imprisoning and beating them as Saul of Tarsus
was doing, however, it is the same lying spirit that uses their tongue as an
evil poison to hurt the wounded and bleeding hearts of those who struggle with
chronic and other types of physical, psychological, and emotional suffering.
These deceived Christians falsely teach a
God who always heal (physically) and who never allows His children to suffer
harm. Such teaching, which now
permeates a great percentage of the alleged ‘Charismatic Christian’ churches,
and is so diabolically practiced that if anyone teaches against it, they are
sharply accused of having a lack of faith.
Sometimes calling themselves, “Faith teachers,” they are like Saul
before his conversion. They are the
blind leaders of the blind, supposing that their alleged ‘anointing’ to heal
and do miraculous things in Jesus’ name is evidence that they are indeed
following after him.
However, the same charismatic message
never focuses its attention on key teachings of Jesus in the gospels, which
warn that there will arise false teachers and false prophets amongst the
believers in the church, who will say like the true believer, “Lord, Lord, “
but they do not know the REAL and the SUFFERING Jesus.
In the apostle Paul’s message to the
Philippians he tells them to dwell upon whatever is TRUE, whatever is
HONORABLE, whatever is RIGHT, whatever is OF GOOD REPUTE, anything excellence
and if ANYTHING WORTHY OF PRAISE (Read Philippians 4:8). The 'blessings-and-financial-prosperity-doctrine'
would have you to believe that none of these things include suffering. But let’s look at the verses of scripture
that follow, and see if divine healing is one of them:
Philippians
4:11-13, 23 …for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12 I know how to get along with humble means… in any and every circumstance I have
learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 14 Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction…23
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. New American Standard
Bible - Updated Edition
Notice that Paul has learned to be “content” in every situation,
whether having a full stomach, or going hungry, having abundance (not wealth
either) and suffering need. Note in
verse 14 that he encourages the Philippians
to, “…share with me in my affliction.”
Hmmm. That would not sit well
with the 'blessings-and-financial-prosperity-doctrine' folks.
2 Thessalonians 1:3-5…brethren, as is only
fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of
you toward one another grows ever greater…among the churches of God… for your
perseverance and faith in the midst of all
your persecutions and afflictions which you
endure. 5 This is a plain indication of
God's righteous judgment so that you may be considered worthy of the
kingdom of God, for which indeed you are
suffering. New American Standard Bible
If you read on in the narrative of Paul’s letter to the
Thessalonians (Read 2 Thessalonians 1:6-12) you find that he offers them no
earthly reward or promises that their suffering will end, but only that when
Jesus ‘comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at
among all who have believed…’ This
faith and trust is the only kind that makes us into true disciples of Christ. Are we to think that we are above our Lord
and Master? (Read Mark 10:32-34). Below is a scripture passage the nicely
summarizes the reason for suffering and how to handle and use it for spiritual growth:
1 Peter 4:12-19 And now, dear friends of mine. I beg you
not to be unduly alarmed at
the fiery ordeals which come to test your faith, as though this
were some abnormal experience. 13 You should be glad, because it
means that you are sharing in Christ’s sufferings.
One day, when he shows himself in full splendor, you will be filled with
the most tremendous joy. 14 If
you are reproached for being Christ’s followers, that is a cause for joy, for
you can be sure that God’s Spirit of glory is resting upon you. 15 But take care that none of your
number suffers as a murderers, or a thief, a rogue or a busybody! 16 If he suffers as a Christian he
has nothing to be ashamed of and may glorify God by confessing Christ’s
name. 17 The time has evidently
arrived for God’s judgment to begin, and it is beginning at his own household. And if it
starts with us, what is it going to mean to those who refuse to obey the
gospel of God? 18 If even the
good man is only just saved, what will be the fate of the wicked and the
sinner? 19 Therefore these who suffer according to
God’s will can safely commit their souls to their faithful Creator, and go on
doing all the good they can. Phillip’s New Testament
As one who has suffered a great deal, I know that it is
important to direct your mental and emotional energy into God’s purposes for
suffering. Otherwise, if you don’t, it
is easy to become depressed, downtrodden, and look at the meaning of your
sufferings with endless, unanswered questions to God of, “Why?”
Below are some important lessons to glean from Peter’s
epistle (1 Peter 4:12-19), and use these precepts if you are suffering, whether
sickness (emotional & physical), worries from life’s difficulty, distress
because of your Christian testimony, a loved one, especially a child that is
seriously ill or suffering, etc.
#1 DO NOT BE UNDULY ALARMED
(1 Peter 4:12) – We ought to think of suffering as the norm for the true
believer and not as though it were some abnormal experience. Actually, you ought to have more concern if
you’re never suffering, as this is likely to be an indicator of lukewarmness.
#2 GOD
ALLOWS FIERY ORDEALS (SUFFERING) TO TEST YOUR FAITH (1 Peter 4:12) – God Himself does not
tempt you, but He does subject you to testing.
Job was tested because of his righteousness and his blameless walk. The
'blessings-and-financial-prosperity-doctrine' criticizes Job saying that his
faith faltered, but if you read the Book of Job, you will see how stupid such
claims are, and the New Testament praises the faith and endurance of Job. Job
1:1says that Job was a blameless, upright man, fearing God, and turning away
from evil. Job 1:5 says Job
“continually” prayed and consecrated his life to God.
In Job 1:8, when Satan accused him,
Yahweh said to the accuser, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is
none like him in the earth, a man blameless and upright, one
revering God and avoiding evil?” James
5:1-5 condemns the evil behavior of those in the church that become deceived
and partial thru wealth and materialism, and James 5:6 reveals the same
condescending treatment of the ‘name-it-and-claim-it’ towards those who suffer,
“You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist
you.” NASB
The truly righteous, on the other hand,
are instructed to use as personal examples the sufferings of the Old Testament
prophets and Job in James 5:10-11, “As an example, brethren,
of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the
Lord. Behold, we count those blessed
who endured. You have heard of the
endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the
Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.”
#3 YOU SHOULD BE GLAD TO SHARE IN CHRIST’S SUFFERINGS. One day, when he
shows himself in full splendor, you will be filled with the most tremendous
joy. (1 Peter 4:13)
#4 IF YOU SUFFER GOD’S SPIRIT OF GLORY IS RESTING UPON YOU. If you are
reproached for being Christ’s followers, that is a cause for joy (1 Peter 4:14).
#5 IF YOU SUFFER AS A CHRISTIAN YOU NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF! The way to handle day-to-day chronic
suffering is to find your purpose in helping others. In this manner, you will glorify God by confessing Jesus Christ
in the midst of your affliction, and become an example of God’s strength in
weakness to others who suffer (1 Peter 4:16)
#6 JUDGMENT BEGINS FIRST AT GOD’S HOUSE. If you
suffer now, you’re a forerunner to the rest of God’s church, which WILL face
judgment (1 Peter 4:17).
#7 THOSE WHO SUFFER ACCORDING TO GOD’S WILL CAN SAFELY
COMMIT THEIR SOULS TO THEIR FAITHFUL CREATOR, AND GO ON DOING ALL THE GOOD THEY
CAN! (Peter 4:19) The apostle Paul was sorely afflicted with a physical, flesh
eating type of disease that was given to him as a ‘thorn in the flesh.’ There’s no way the ‘name-it-and-claim-it’ or
'blessings-and-financial-prosperity-doctrine' folks can squeeze their way out
of what this text says, because it is clear that Paul describes the reason for
his infirmity as being to keep his ego and pride in check.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 So tremendous, however, were the revelations that God gave me
that, in order to prevent my becoming absurdly conceited, I was given a stabbing pain––one of Satan’s angels––to plague me
and effectually stop any conceit. 8 Three times I
begged the Lord for it to leave me, 9 but his reply has been, “My grace
is enough for you: for where there is weakness, my power is shown the more
completely.” Therefore, I have cheerfully made up my mind to be proud of my weaknesses,
because they mean a deeper experience of the power of Christ. 10 I can even enjoy weaknesses, insults, privations,
persecutions and difficulties for Christ’s sake. For my very weakness makes me strong in him. Phillip’s New Testament
I have found the same thing to be true; not that I claim to
have the same abundance of revelations as Paul did. But I do have an ego that I’m certain is equal to Paul’s ego and
for that very reason, I am sure that my present afflictions involve keeping my
pride in check.
Acts 20:35 "In everything I showed you that by
working hard in this manner you
must help the weak and
remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed
to give than to receive.'"
New American Standard Bible
The Greek word for ‘weak’ is oftentimes
translated in the New Testament as “sick” but also connotes a person’s general
weakness, whether it be spiritual, material, physical, emotional, etc. The Greek word for “help” (as in ‘help the
weak’) is defined below:
“help” = antilambánomai NT:482; it means to take hold of in turn,
i.e. support; also to participate. The apostle Paul uses this term as
describing what Jesus meant when he taught his disciples it is more blessed to give than to
receive. Antilambánomai means to take
hold of another that is weak and as a church, to mutually support him or her
from falling. It is tantamount to
saying today, “Let’s take that person by the hand and support, help, and assist
them.” 1 Timothy 6:2 uses
antilambánomai denoting the kind of support we are to give for another’s a
burden.
The ‘name-it-and-claim-it’ teaching wrongly interprets most
verses that uses the Greek word asthenia and its word cognates to relate only
to physical sickness. In reality, this
word more often than not is used in the New Testament epistles representative
of those believers who are weak in the faith, and whose struggles with the
‘weakness’ of the flesh are being described.
Such is the case in James 5:14-15, which says, “Is anyone of you
sick? Let him call for the elders of
the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of
the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who is sick, and
the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven
him.”
The 'blessings-and-financial-prosperity-doctrine' folks
jump all over this verse, and they claim that with the right amount of faith,
the sick person in the church will always be healed. However, as usual, these false teachings distort the text, and
ignore verses that follow, such as in James 5:16, which begins with the word,
“THEREFORE…” Therefore means ‘for this
reason; consequently.’ It refers back
to James 5:14-15, and by reading verses 16-17, you’ll find that it is not
describing physical healing, but healing that comes from confessing one’s
faults openly (which can help the body heal itself, as the stress and guilt are
deleted once the person shares his or her troubled soul).
James 5:16-20 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for
one another so that you may be healed. The
effective prayer of a righteous man can
accomplish much. 17 Elijah was a
man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain,
and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 Then
he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit. 19
My brethren, if any among you strays from
the truth and one turns him back, 20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error
of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. New American
Standard Bible - Updated Edition
The same exact Greek word that is misused for divine
healing and rendered improperly as ‘sick’ in James 5:14 is also used in Romans
8:3 describing what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in
the flesh.” NASB
If
charismatics would stop this
nonsense of claiming divine healing in each and every circumstance, and start
being more loving and supportive of those who are sick and suffering, we just
might see some physical healings take place in the churches and it happened in
the first century.
SUFFERING PRODUCES ENDURANCE, PURITY, PATIENCE, KINDNESS,
LOVE & PREPARES YOU FOR FUTURE PERSECUTIONS
2
Corinthians 6:4-10 In everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in
much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5 in beatings,
in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, 6 in purity, in
knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, 7 in the word of truth, in the power of God; by
the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8 by glory
and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet
true; 9 as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as
punished yet not put to death, 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as
poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things. NASB
SUFFERING PRODUCES HUMILITY,
PURPOSE, PERSEVERANCE, & KEEPS YOU GODLY AND IN NEED OF THE GOD OF THE
SCRIPTURE, LEST YOU BECOME DECEIVED
2 Timothy 3:10-17 But you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith,
patience , love, perseverance,11 persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at
Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord delivered
me! 12 And indeed, all who
desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. 13 But evil men and impostors will
proceed from bad to worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14 You, however, continue in the
things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you
have learned them; 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred
writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through
faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, for training in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be
adequate, equipped for every good work.
NASB
SUFFERING MAKES YOU AN EXAMPLE FOR OTHERS
TO FOLLOW
James
5:10 As an example, brethren, of suffering
and patience , take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. NASB
SUFFERING MAKES YOU A COMPASSIONATE SOURCE OF COMFORT TO
OTHERS
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God
of all comfort; 4 who comforts us in
all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any
affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just
as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is
abundant through Christ. 6 But
if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are
comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring
of the same sufferings which we also suffer; 7 and our hope for you is
firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you
are sharers of our comfort. NASB
SUFFERING
MAKES YOU DEPENDENT ON GOD AS JESUS WAS DEPENDENT UPON HIS FATHER GOD
1 Peter 2:20-23 But if you bear patiently with suffering which results
when you do right and that is undeserved, it is acceptable and pleasing to God. 21 For
even to this were you called it is inseparable from your vocation. For Christ
also suffered for you, leaving you His personal example, so that you should
follow in His footsteps. 22 He
was guilty of no sin, neither was deceit (guile) ever found on His lips. 23 When He was reviled and insulted,
He did not revile or offer insult in return; when He was abused and suffered,
He made no threats of vengeance; but he trusted Himself and everything to Him
Who judges fairly. [Isaiah 53:9.] Amplified Bible
2 Corinthians 7:4-7…I
am filled with comfort . I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction. 5 For even when
we came into Macedonia our flesh had no rest, but
we were afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within. 6 BUT GOD, WHO COMFORTS THE DEPRESSED, COMFORTED US by the coming of Titus; 7 and not only by his
coming, but also by the comfort with which he was comforted
in you… NASB
SUFFERING
PREPARES YOU FOR DEATH BY MAKING YOUR MORTALITY TANGIBLE
1 Thessalonians 4:18
Therefore comfort one another with these words. NASB
Matthew
5:1-12
3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the
earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain
mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons
of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.
11-12 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against
you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your
reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. NKJV
Luke
6:20-26
20"Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.
21a Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled.
21b Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.
22-23 Blessed are you when men hate you, when they
exclude you, revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's
sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for
joy! For indeed your reward is great in
heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
24 "BUT WOE TO YOU WHO ARE RICH, for you have received your
consolation.
25 WOE TO YOU WHO ARE FULL, for you shall
hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep.
26 WOE TO YOU WHEN ALL MEN SPEAK WELL OF YOU, For so did their fathers to
the false prophets. NKJV
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