I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the snake’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:2-3
After my last Blog (God loves me so why do I still feel so sad?) So many things have impacted on me, including a really excellent sermon by one of the preachers from my church, telling us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus so that we can win the prize not letting anything distract us from Jesus. It is really worth listening to and I have included it here, and with huge apologies to Chris, I am going to heavily plagiarise it. Sorry Chris.
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So I have felt compelled to have a further look at why, despite God’s overwhelming love for me, I still feel sad.
1. Temptation
I have been “deceived by the snake’s cunning” and “led astray from [my] sincere and pure devotion to Christ“. I have been lied to by a cunning and devious enemy, whose greatest weapon is lying; Satan, who is desperate that I should fail and not be with Jesus in eternity. So he lies and says things like “Did God really say…. ?” (Genesis 3:1) and worse than that, for me anyway “God Doesn’t care about you“. Because I am fleshy and weak, and insecure, all to easily I believe these lies and distance myself from God, my loving and caring father. Pushing nearer to the world of war, death, violence, sadness and selfishness. So let’s stamp on these lies, and end them because God loves me SO MUCH he sent his son to die for me, to redeem me from death and to bring me home to Him (John 3:16). Also “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.“. So draw near to Christ, the one Husband, with sincere and pure devotion; leaving sadness behind.
I do not think I am in the least inferior to those ‘super-apostles’. I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!
And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
2 Corinthians 5 – 25
2. Persecution
The promise the Bible gives (many times) is that the world will hate us (John 15:18 – 19, 1 John 3:13…), here we see Paul is being persecuted by the Corinthians, the church he founded, only to find them, and these so-called “Super Apostles” turn against him. Did Paul turn with his tail between his legs and run away and sulk. By no means he goes on the offence defending himself (with true grace) and denounces the “Super Apostles”. Paul points out “Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.” so we must be on the look out for false teaching, form “his servants also masquerad[ing] as servants of righteousness.” even from within our own ranks, for Satan “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
Persecution is yet another lever that separates us from God, or to put it another way to separate us from the love of God, so beware of false teaching, beware of spiritual persecution. My friend and mentor, the late Arnold Bell, always impressed onto me to verify EVERYTHING against the Bible, including his preaches. We should also draw close to wise elders we trust and above all draw close to God and leave sadness behind.
Whatever anyone else dares to boast about – I am speaking as a fool – I also dare to boast about. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have laboured and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
2 Corinthians 11:21-30
3. Suffering
Here Paul is addressing an issue with Corinthian “Super Apostles”, but this demonstrates that Paul was not only persecuted but suffered acutely for his faith, and though he suffered much more than most; his response was “If I must boast, I will boast of things that show my weakness.” Because he knew the truth “My (God’s) grace is sufficient for you, for my (God) power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9) So Paul rejoices in weakness because he knows that God uses it to make His power perfect.
Recently I watched a film called “Unbroken”, which I can throughly recommend, a film based on the pacific war-time experiences of Captain Louis Zamperini, a bombardier in the US Airforce. After a nearly fatal crash into the Pacific Ocean, he, and two others, were adrift in a rubber raft for 47 days, during which, in a storm he made a promise to God that if God got him through “this” he would serve God for the rest of his life. After 47 days he was “Rescued?” by the Japanese who then Interred him in a POW camp, where he suffered incredible beatings, physical privation, unbelievable hardships and forced labour. But when the war ended and he returned home, he kept his promise to God and served him for the rest of his life, till he passed away in 2014.
Both Paul and Captain Zamperini suffered far more than most of us, yet the effect on them was to be drawn closer to God, where they found Joy, the Joy of the Lord
Conclusion
Through temptation, persecution and suffering, the earthly route is into sadness, fear, depression and feelings of failure. [But] our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians 6:12) so we “put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.” (Ephesians 6:13). Finally, “in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.“(Romans 8:37″) and “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8). Continually Draw near to God, and know the Joy of Lord and gain HIS strength to succeed in all the things He has called you to, receiving his abundant blessing.