• Suffering For And With Christ
• The good news:
• It is only temporary.

• Introduction
• WHAT IS SUFFERING?
• It is "to undergo, be subjected to, or endure (pain, distress, injury, loss, or anything unpleasant)" - Dictionary.com
• Who in this audience does not suffer?
• Right, suffering is universal and worldwide.

• Are You Suffering?
• If not you should be. (will explain this later).
• Actually we all suffer day by day, and if we are not currently suffering, our day will come.
• Jesus never promised that the life of a Christian is going to be easy.
• It may be comforting to know that we are serving God in His ways, but we are still suffering.
• Jesus warned that we will suffer.
• So we must be strong in our faith and resolve.
• We must learn to be strong in the Lord,
• We must learn to be strong in His word.
• We must be courageous and faithful.
• 2 Timothy 3:12 “…everyone who desires to live godly will suffer persecution”.

• Suffering Is Two-Fold
• Negative suffering happens when people find themselves on the wrong side of the law, whether God’s or mans.
• They suffer because someone has taken something from them.
• They suffer because someone hurt them.
• Perhaps they suffer losing their freedom if they are caught and sent to prison.
• 1 Peter 4:15 shows that this suffering is condemned by God.
• Positive suffering
• Only Christians suffer positive suffering.
• 1 Peter 4:12-16
• We must anticipate suffering for Christ’s sake.
• In this we should rejoice, because Jesus will turn that suffering into eternal joy.
• Matthew 5:10-12
• Positive suffering will bless us because God will see our plight.
• Acts 5:41
• Matthew 10:32-33
• Remember that if you are ashamed of Christ, He will be ashamed of you (Mark 8:38).

• But, Why Do We Suffer?
• James 1:2-4
• 1 Peter 1:6-9
• James 1:12
• Romans 5:3-5
• Acts 14:22
• Because Satan wants you to give up serving God.

• Suffering Is Temporal
• The suffering won’t last long.
• Romans 8:17-18
• Romans 8:35-39
• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
• 2 Timothy 1:12

• What Should We Do If Suffering?
• Rejoice if for the right reason.
• Pray for deliverance if God so desires.
• James 5:13
• Seek assistance from the church.
• You might realize you are not the only person going through your ordeal.
• Psalm 34:19

• Conclusion
• Where there are righteous people, there will be sufferings.
• This suffering tests our resolve towards serving God.
• Revelation 2:10
• If you take nothing else from this lesson, remember that the suffering is only temporal.
• Invitation.

By Carey Scott

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