Here’s where God does for us what we can’t do for ourselves… through enduring sufferings.

We learn to rest in Christ mostly by experiencing the negative Circumstances & Situations of life that WE can’t fix. We then learn to rest in Christ, realizing His Ongoing Work within our soul.

• Suffering failures reveals our self-weakness, causing us to see our need of HIS more capable life.
• Enduring the Circumstances and Situations of life work to help us BRIDGE ‘the Gap’ between Who We Once Were (our Old Man) and our New Man “In Christ” to enjoy our new life.

Only then will we know and express Christ’s life within us. This is the Glory or Expression of His life.

• A flower’s life from its seed grows to ultimately be fully expressed in its flower blossom.
• A flower seed is buried, suffers death to itself, and … but then new life is released out of death!

Our Soul is as a seed’s shell. It must be broken to Release the Life of the “Seed, which is Christ” (Gal 3:16). Jesus said He is as “a Seed’ whose life is released by dying. 1Pet 1:23 says Christ is “the incorruptible Seed.”

“Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. 24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn (grain) of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.” (John 12:23-24) (The broken shell (soul) loses its self-identity to the Christ-life flowing out of us)

Thus there’s a great connection between Suffering & Glory (expression). If there is No Suffering then there is No Realization of who you really Are. We learn to turn to trust our Christ-self mainly in times of recognized need. Suffering pushes us to find and yield to Christ in us, thus the C & S of life works for our eternal good, and yields peace and rest to our soul in this life.

Romans 8:28-29 And we know that ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, (those) he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Who oversees our Suffering? These trials and tribulations actually are the Father’s best for us!

John 18:11 (Jesus said) … the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

2Tim 2:12 If we suffer (remain under His will), we shall also Reign With Him:

The Evil Doing of Joseph’s brothers… was Meant for Joseph’s Good… being ordained of GOD.

“But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.” (Genesis 50:20)

Paul in prison, said he was “the Prisoner of The Lord” - Not prisoner of the Roman Caesar.

“I (Paul) therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation… ” (Eph. 4:1)

Paul says we will be persecuted by other people … who are ignorant of the Truth (Christ)

“(believers) being reviled (vilified), we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: 13 Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth (refuse) of the world, and are the offscouring (scum) of all things unto this day. (1 Cor. 4:12-13) (We will be misunderstood and look strange… if we follow Christ within.)

It’s Not At All Strange for God’s people Suffer just like all people suffer, but ours is purposeful.

Suffering is God’s purifying furnace for CHRIST’S GLORY (expression) to be Revealed in You.

“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45 (KJV)

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery (smelting) trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; (so) that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye…” (1 Peter 4:12-14)

Suffering is …for Our Eternal Good. Suffering does for us… what we cannot do for ourselves.

“But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, After that ye have Suffered a while, make you perfect (complete in soul), stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10)

Jesus came “in the name,” or in the authority and person of the Father who He expressed.

Now as ‘Spirit of Christ,’ He comes INTO US… to flow out of us as we live by the power of His life.

Ephesians 1:18-19 (KJV) The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance IN the saints, 19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

His Glory (His expression) from Within Us … is Revealed… Out of our Suffering

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; If so be that We Suffer With him, that we may be also Glorified Together (together with Him. 18For I reckon that the Sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the Glory which Shall Be Revealed (not to be “given” to us, but ‘revealed’ as was already there) in us. 19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the Manifestation of the Sons of God.” (Romans 8:14-19)

We are brought to Express His Life that is Resident Within US… through Sufferings as believers.

“For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus (Spirit of Life) might be made manifest in our mortal flesh (earthly life in body). 12So then death worketh in us, but life in you. 13We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; 14Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you (to the Father). 15For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 16For which cause we faint not; but though our outward (body) man perish, yet the inward (soul) man is renewed day by day. 17For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Cor. 4:11-18)

He Favors Us With believing & Suffering

“For unto you it is “given” (‘given’ favoring us with good things) in the behalf of Christ (on the part of Christ), not only to believe on him but also to Suffer for his sake;” (Phil 1:29)

God permits every situation that we endure in our lives for the purpose that He may meet our inner need by Christ’s innermost supply. Actually, sufferings needs, shortages, and problems are... summonses to trust Him.

The Practicality of Suffering:

• Suffering is something permitted by God… that is out of our control.
• Suffering pushes us and wrenches our hands open… to let go of the illusion of control.
• Suffering forces us to trust the Lord for all - just as Jesus did (cf. Jn 8:28, 38).
• So suffering is the Cure for Self-reliance, realizing that which WE are not the god of our own lives!

Paul suffered greatly being opposed and stoned, saying “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, (so) that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead” (2 Cor. 1:9)

Intense suffering may be necessary to crack our façade, opening us to face reality “in Him.”

We may have hidden behind a once necessary façade; to conform or please parents etc. So He must break down our facade in order for us to come to Know Him as our life, our master, and our innermost guide.

1. By suffering He causes us to see our Self-Loving Selves as inadequate…Vs. His all-sufficient life within us. We see that we need to know the Reality of Him being our ALL!
2. He makes us to see and know Him by experience, to differentiate between our Soul-self & Spirit-self.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the Dividing Asunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

We must become confidently ‘Resigned’ to trusting Him & His way as being best for us.

Philip. 4:11-13 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed (‘museo’ from mustrion - taught to be silent,’ resigned to’) both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth (empowers) me.

So the Lord places us in situations where we must… yield, to ‘let go’ and be Resigned to His will for us.

Yielding permits His very life & expression to flow out through us in obedience.

2 Cor 12:9 he (the Lord) said unto me (Paul), My grace (Christ life within you) is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in (your) weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory (exult triumphantly) in my infirmities, (so) that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Our Union and Intimacy with Christ becomes more valued by us as we endure Sufferings.

“And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation (Gk. parakaleo, “being called near”). (2 Cor. 1:7)

Intimacy is in ‘Knowing Him” and enjoying ‘His Life’… as we embrace ‘death to self-rule.’

Philip. 3:10 That I may ‘know him,’ (Gk., ginosko, come to know Him) and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.

Mutuality in “Suffering With Him”…leads to reigning in heaven with Him

2 Tim. 2:11-13 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also ‘live’ (in common) with him:

If we suffer (remain under His will), we shall also Reign With Him: if we deny him, he also will deny us (of the reigning with Him) 13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.”

Our Victory is “in Christ”

2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ…