Victory Through the CrossShembull

THE CROSS OF SUFFERING & VICTORIOUS LIFE

INTRODUCTION

Suffering is a process and you need time and patience to handle a process. 

Other than process, suffering is also a test. For us, the believers, every test needs an unshakeable faith in the Lord. The word ‘test’ comes from Greek word ‘dokimion’ which means to investigate, to test, or to prove a characteristic. God wants to verify us and the quality of our faith through a test. The two verses mentioned above have the final purpose to ensure that all of us have perseverance, proven characters, hope, and victorious life in the Lord Jesus. 

SHARING

1. Why do believers have to go through suffering?

The Bible writes a lot about the suffering of believers such as Job, Abraham, Joseph, Daniel, and Paul, which is often described as the cross of Christ. Even Lord Jesus Himself experienced suffering, and His suffering was beyond any other sufferings that had happened to people in the Bible.

Jesus once said in His sermon, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Mat 5:10). This statement proves that suffering is real and shows that suffering is also a part of the life of believers.

During the Roman period, a cross is a sign of a curse and death. When someone carries the cross, it means he is cursed and he has to die on the cross. Jesus says that if we want to follow Him, we have to ‘die’ first. What does Jesus mean by ‘death’?

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Following God means you have to die from your old lifestyle which is filled with flesh desires. It means you have to let go of your rights, your wills, your wants, and your worldly plans and dreams. We even have to crucify our right to manage our own life, as written in the book of Philippians. Apostle Paul explains that there are great differences between new and old life. The right to live old life is always controlled by flesh desires while the new life is always renewed and led by the Holy Spirit. 

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:7-8)

Death involves suffering. Our flesh has a nature to rebel and disobey God. It does not want to be put to death.

2. What is victory for believers? 

Believers are victorious when they are able to handle and master their worldly nature, flesh desires, and sins successfully.

Christians should believe that Lord Jesus Himself has defeated the world on the cross. He has proven that the sins of the world are not able to hold Him. Even the tomb is not powerful enough to hold Him. He died but rose from the dead on the third day.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Therefore, our FAITH in Lord Jesus is our victorious KEY to defeating the world. When someone believes in Lord Jesus, Jesus’ victory upon the sins of the world belongs to this believer.

Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. By faith, we will have hope even though we have no basis to do it. By faith, we believe that the Word of God is yes and amen. By faith we believe that the Word of God will never fail. By faith, we believe that the Word of God is God’s promise and the Lord never fails to keep His promises. Therefore, the believers’ victory is to overcome the world.

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. (1 John 5:4)

3. What is the relationship between suffering and victory?

Started with suffering and ended with victory: this is the main meaning of the teaching of the Word. Do not consider suffering in the Lord as an obstacle to receive the fulfillment of God’s promises. On the other hand, suffering is a vehicle that brings believers to their victory. As stated in this promise of God:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

CONCLUSION

1. Suffering in the Lord is the suffering of the cross, where the name of Jesus is glorified and His truth is fulfilled. Everything will work for the good of those who believe.

2. Victory in the Lord is the victory of the cross, where Lord Jesus becomes a conqueror and even more than a conqueror. He is the One who gives His victory to the believers.

3. God is always there in every process and test that we have to go through. He gives His strength and guidance to all of us, the believers so that we could go through them and become conquerors and even more than conquerors. 

LET US PRAY AND STRENGTHEN EACH OTHER.