And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22:44.
Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. 2 Corinthians 1:3-7.
In view of the continuation of the anger and the persecution of the dragon on earth in his warfare against the remnant of the seed of the woman which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ, the offence (irritation and indignation) of the cross will not cease (a) against the few who have truly crucified themselves to the world and the world is crucified to them by striving daily, ascending up to heaven through the straight gate and narrow way: (b) and until the church is taken away from the earth. Revelation 12:17.
Whenever you read or see the word strive to enter in (Luke 13:24) or let us labour to enter into that rest (Hebrews 4:11) it signifies that you must make great efforts to achieve or obtain the goal set before you through self discipline and determination which on the words are the sacrifice or the prices of your faith. Has not the Lord says you must deny yourself to follow him? Has he not says you should keep your focus and your eye should be single, so your whole body is full of light? This is the heat and burden of the cross which must carry or bear as the pain of faith – the sacrifices of faith, – and whosoever shall faithfully endure to carry his cross to the end, the same shall be saved. 2 Corinthians 11:20-32.
The believers redeemed and purchased by the blood, death and resurrection of Christ Jesus are known or called as the travail (painful and laborious efforts of Christ) of his soul (Isaiah 53:11), for he poured out his soul unto death.
From the text before us today, we see the agony and the mental or emotional – strenuous pain that our Lord Jesus has to endure because of his love for us in order to secure our salvation. Christ sorrow and pain at Gethsemane and his death on the cross are the sacrifices of love and faith, for no man takes his life from him, but he gave it up willingly for our ransom.
We are also called and saved to make similar sacrifice (s) of faith and love – the sacrifice (s) of unflinching loyalty, – to stay true to the cause of Christ as we continue with him in his temptations, shame and reproaches to the end (Luke 22:28); for through many tribulations must we enter into the kingdom of heaven. Acts 14:22.
The pain of sin should not be mistaken for the pain of faith. The former is the fruit and consequence of man’s iniquity, and the retribution of his iniquity (Psalms 25:18), just as David brought his entire household under the curse and pain of war for his sin against Uriah who he killed after committing adultery with his wife. The present moan of pain of the whole creation which is the pain from the sin of the transgression of the first Adam (Rom 8:22) is nothing in comparison to the inevitable eternal torment and pain of sin (as the final wages of sin) awaiting the unrepentant sinners and the rebels who are not obey the gospel of Christ – sinners in Zion.
Unlike the pain of sin – eternally regrettable, the pain of faith is rewarding (O Lord, thou know: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke. Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation. Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed? Will thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail? Jeremiah 15:15-18) if we continue to live, walk and wait patiently, though we are under suffering for righteousness sake in the world that is hostile to God (he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked. Proverbs 27 b) as spoken by the Lord that tribulations, persecutions and afflictions shall arise because of the word of God –gospel: you need to bear the heat, and be not offended – behold, we count them happy that endure: it is the pain of faith, – you should count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations. Mark 4:16-17.
Joseph made a very tough decision of godliness and holiness to serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear which unfortunately earned him serving time in prison, not mentioning the deformation on his name as a sex offender because he rather died doing the will of God than to be lavishly spoilt by his master’s wife in exchange for unlawful sex – his was the pain of faith, but God was with him in the prison.
It was nearly fourteen years between his first two dreams (concerning his brothers and father, moon and stars) and the time he left prison to become the second in command of Egypt. This is the difference between the pain of faith and the pain of sin. In one, sin make as if God hides his face from us (Isaiah 59:2), but in the another, he is with us in all our afflictions to deliver and to reward us with double for our troubles, – many are the afflictions or the pain of faith of the righteous, but God delivers him out of them all. Psalms 39:14.
As a believer in Christ Jesus, the continuous striving of the flesh against the spirit shall not cease until you put off the earthly tabernacle, but the choice you make to live and walk daily in the spirit is your pain of faith – the prove to the sincerity of your love and submission to God’s law – the law of the spirit of life in Christ – peace be unto them that love our Lord Jesus in sincerity. Eph6:24.
Your ‘it is written’ response (s) and choice (s) to stand on God’s word and not to make any concession for the flesh to fulfill any of the lusts thereof shows before God that you have chosen to get to heaven through the straight gate and narrow way, rather than the wide gate and broad way of self pleasing of delusional believers to eternal destruction – hell.
Those believers with the form of godliness but are denying the power thereof who are not walking daily in the newness of life, – not putting off the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts shall not make it to heaven, except those who have chosen to live godly in Christ Jesus, though they shall face the drum in the world such as name-calling (s) with unpleasant treatments from their brethren in the church and hatred from the unsaved in the world (yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 2 Timothy 3:12-13) because they have chosen to defend faith once delivered to the saints.
Sometimes, they willingly chose to lose on earth, that they might gain heaven, and they willingly let go of an earthly gain, fame or position which may jeopardize against the purposes of God in their lives that might he should not be glorified, – these are the true heroes of faith like Moses of old, – by faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward. Hebrews 11:24-26.
Why should you hide your face from shame and spitting for Christ sake? Isaiah 50:6. It is your pain of faith, – be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled. But sanctify the Lord God in your heart: and be ready always to givean answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
The violent it requires to take or possesses the kingdom of heaven is the power to endure the pain of faith, to stand up against the bullying of the enemy in the world, resist his threats and assaults by your steadfast declaration of faith and acting on the word before the Lord, as it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the daylong, we are accounted as sheep for slaughter, but in all those things, we are more than the conquerors through him who loved us (Romans 8:36), – wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. Heb.13:12-13.
The reproach of Christ spoken here is the mark of his yoke on the true yoke bearer which could not be found in any worldly believer (though he profess Christ as Lord) because of their conformity, friendship and love of the world. The world cannot hate them because they are of the world; therefore they speak and live like them, and the world hear them because they have things in common with the world. 1 John 4:5.
Today, many Christians want an easy going and quick fix for everything without paying any price to remain at ease in Zion – woe unto them that are at ease in Zion, by not taking their time to seek the Lord through fast or enquire for him by earnest prayer, – no self discipline to go through the pain of faith in order to bring the body under subjection (you have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. Heb.12:4) as Christ once suffered for us in the flesh, they should also arm themselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banqueting, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you. 1 Peter 4:1-4.
What are you overcoming daily? it is necessary and unavoidable, endure whatever pain of faith your love and loyalty to Christ is unfolding before you without murmuring or disputing; for consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Hebrews 12:2-3. He that overcome, says Christ, I will give to sit with me in my throne: as I also overcome, and am set down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:21.The old saying is where there is no pain, there’s no gain, – no cross, no crown: for it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. Heb. 2:10.
How can say you are Christ’s and will not go through some of his painful earthly experiences of faith – if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you, says Christ. If they called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household?
There is a cup having certain measure of Christ sufferings reserves for anyone who shall be counted worthy of heaven to drink. It is called the fellowship of Christ suffering (then came to him the mother of Zebedee’s children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. And he said unto her, what wilt thou? She says unto him, grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, we are able. And he says unto them, ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. Mathew 20:20-23) of which apostle Paul declares that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death. Philippians 3:10.
Was not our Lord Christ learnt obedience by the things he suffered according to the scriptures? Hebrews 5:8. And by your going through the fellowship of Christ suffering, you’ll come into the conformity to his death, meaning, it is God’s method of operation to disarm the old man in you, so that the body of sin might be destroyed, that you should not serve sin again through the process known as spiritual brokenness, whereby God is remaking, reshaping and remolding you into the image of Christ, – to the end that you keep sowing to the spirit in hope to attain and obtain the resurrection from the dead – the first resurrection. What have you endure or enduring for Christ? What are you learning from the experiences you are going through? The bible speaks about men who have hazarded their lives for Christ – what have you risked or what are you going through for Christ as the pain of faith? Acts 15:26.
If you don’t gladly and faithfully go through your pain of faith, you won’t have access into the city which streets are made of pure gold: (b) you won’t be given any heroic reception to heaven where God will wipe away all tears and there shall be no more pain – after this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindred’s, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they?And I said unto him, Sir, thou know. And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sits on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Revelation 7:9-17.
Whatever God has designed for you to go through to heaven (Job 23:10), you should set your face like a flint, – stand strong in the face of adversity and oppositions, and be not self-conscious or self-pity, it won’t help you: whosoever will save his life shall lose it, for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us (Romans 8:16): if you suffer with Christ, you will also reign with him: but if you make a wrong choice (s) to walk after the order of the world for a faith walk free of pain, by seeking to escape the same affliction or pain of faith which all your brethren in all the world are going through (1 Peter 5:9), this is a betrayal and denial of Christ, but he will also deny you hereafter. 2 Timothy 2:12.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33. Note: it is better to go through hell on earth and make it to heaven of eternal bliss. It is better to be disown by an earthly father, mother and friends of the world than to compromise for the friendship and peace of the world to be rejected and thrown into the lake of fire where there shall be unimaginable eternal pain – weeping and gnashing of teeth – but we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 2 Corinthians 4: 7-11.
The Lord was once there, tempted in all things, yet without sin, being despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. He perfectly understands and knows what you are going through, for he identify with us in all your afflictions, and the angels of his presence saves us. Isaiah 63:9.
The pain of faith could be the selfless sacrifice of service (s) in your labor of love for other’s in the kingdom (yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. Philippians 2:17.
The pain of faith includes taking the wrong, though you are right, but you patiently bear the injury for his name’s sake like a man in whose mouth is no reproof….when someone exalt himself…when a man smites you and you walk away without pressing any charges for the assault against you to be redressed…..you are enduring certain difficulties and troubles in your ways of duty to please God by giving no offence in anything, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watching, in fasting; by pureness, by knowledge, by long suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2 Corinthians 6:3-10.
Though the night of weeping (pain of faith) may be long, but joy (triumph of faith) comes in the morning. Recompense to no man evil for evil (it is your pain of faith) give room for vengeance. Endure the insults, mockeries and the threats – they are your pains of faith, for Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us back to God (1 Pet.3:18): for unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. Philippians 1:29.
Sometimes, a strange and unexpected thing happens to believer to try them. The bible calls your pain of faith ‘as the trail of your faith’ which is precious than gold and silver thought it is tried by or with fire, might be found unto the praise and glory of God. 1 Peter 1:7. This indicate that such as the fire is hot and fiery, so shall your trials be (beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:12-13): though your trials are as hot as fire, and the enemy is trying to press you out of measure, and your flesh have no rest, without is fighting and within is fear; rest in the Lord, you shall not be hurt nor burnt by the fire of your troubles because you will not be allowed to be tempted than what you are not able to endure or overcome. 1 Cor.10:13.
Eternity is at stake, heaven to gain and hell to avoid. The celebrants of the world to come are those who are presently and patiently enduring each day, overcoming their challenges and temptations, having gone through the pain of faith in the world for Christ’s sake. Though, some of them are made rich, yet not high-minded, but they serve God with all meekness and lowliness with longsuffering in all moderation in their devotion and stewardship before him, not overcome by uncertain wealth and riches, but they consciously and laboriously laid up treasure in heaven, distributing to the poor, giving to the necessity of saints.
Though, some of them are poor in Zion (Isaiah 14:32), yet they are living daily in godliness and contentment: not covetous to fall into the snares and pits of perdition and destruction of ungodly men that seeks wealth by illegitimate means on earth, thinking that gain is godliness. 1 Tim.6:5. Though hungry, but they will not ear the bread of a man with evil eye (Prov.23:6), neither will they consciously sit to feast at the table of Satan because they constant attendance at the Lord’s Table.
Faith is a double- sided coin – the power to claim and obtain any given promise from God’s word: moreover, it is also the power to endure hardness (pain of faith) as a good soldier of Christ (2 Tim 2:3-4): but call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly, whilst ye were made a gazing stock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. Heb.10:32-35.
Faith is a double- side spiritual coin; namely, the rejoicing side of faith, and the enduring side of it. There is a side of faith to subdue kingdoms, – wrought righteousness, – obtained promises, – stopped the mouths of lions, – Quenched the violence of fire,- escaped the edge of the sword, – out of weakness were made strong, – waxed valiant in fight, – turned to flight the armies of the aliens, – women received their dead raised to life again. Hebrews 11:33-35 a. Also, there is the other side of faith where some are tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection, – and others had trial of cruel mocking and scourging, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; of whom the world was not worthy: they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. Hebrews 11: 35 b -38.
He – Christ that walks in the midst of the seven candle sticks know your pain, labor and poverty, but he has equally made you are rich in faith to endure whatsoever you have to go through. Like the Smyrna church, the Lord will say unto you not to fear any of those things which thou shall suffer. Though your dwelling is among false brethren who says they are Jews, but they are of the synagogue of Satan: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. Revelation 2:8-11. Note: you can’t run from pain, not in the Lord or from the world, you just must choose your preference – temporal pain of the righteous or future eternal pain of sinners. It is better to bear the present pain of faith with the eyes on the reward reserved in heaven for you, than to rebel against the light and truth to be caught by the sudden destruction that shall come shortly upon the world of ungodly sinners, for when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 1 Thessalonians 5:3.
Psalms 31 verses 15, my times are in your hand….certain promises of God do take a longer period of time than we anticipate for their accomplishments which make such period of waiting time as the time of the pain of faith to bring forth the promises.
This is the period of time the promise is in the making as God is working maturity in you to be able to handle the blessing upon its arrival like a pregnant woman carrying a fetus or embryo for nine months until the baby’s birth (estimated day of delivery and she comes to labor in pain to bring forth her child), then her joy is completed that she has delivered a man or woman into the world. Note: he that is hasty with his feet sins (Proverbs 19:2): therefore have I cried concerning this, their strength is to stand or sit still (Isaiah 30:7): but to desperately seek to rush out of any problem against much longsuffering required before God is to foolishly rush into another problem, probably, a greater and consuming problem of life – woe unto them that goes down into Egypt for help.
Like Sarah erroneously thought that the end to her period of pain of faith (childlessness) was not in sight as to patiently keep waiting on God continually until the full time set for Isaac’s promise to be fulfilled, so that she made a misleading suggestion to Abraham to begat another pain – Ishmael into the world, which is also a pain for the present day church as the children born after the flesh are persecuting those who are born after the Spirit till this day. Galatians 4:29.
Hannah wept yearly at Shiloh and will not be comforted until she got Samuel. Those years of weeping were her years and period of pain of faith. As a teenager, David was anointed as the next king over Israel. It was then that he faced Goliath, but for his brave and heroic act, he was banished by Saul into exiled, wandered and hid in the desert, lived on the run like a vagabond. It was nearly fifteen years between the time that he was anointed king and actually became king. He was tested twice as occasion presented itself to kill Saul, but he rather endures the pain of faith according to God’s timing to bring an end to Saul’s life or led him to be killed in the battle to pave way for him to the throne the right – godly way, than to hastily kill Saul to reign in his stead. 1 Samuel 26:10.
Caleb had to wait for forty five years, having being promised by God to inherit Canaan when he was forty years old – those are the period of his pain of faith: for you have needs of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.
Be in pain, and labor to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail. Micah 4:10….can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment? As soon as Zion travailed, she brings forth her children.
Great revivals and conversion of sinners in times past by the mighty move and manifestations of God’s power on earth were as the result of the sacrifices and pain of faith by the consecration certain faithful men and women with the heart for God and love for lost souls through rigorous fasting, prayers and self-less giving they offered before him.
The power of God is still at work and available for those who will give themselves continually to prayer, fasting and ministering of the word, – like as a woman with child, that draws near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and cries out in her pangs; so have we been in thy sight, O Lord. We have been with child, we have been in pain, we have as it were brought forth wind; we have not wrought any deliverance in the earth; neither have the inhabitants of the world fallen. Isaiah 26:17-18. Note: the agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane gave birth to the church as the fruit and outcome of his pain of faith – the travail of his soul, – so your pain of faith in Christ Jesus is designed to give birth to the things of God in your life (Colossians 4:12) and in the life of others (Galatians 4:19) as well as for the benefits of the world according to his will. Daniel 2:30.