Season 4 Podcast 34 Adversity
Agency cannot exist in a world without both God and Satan. When Satan was cast out of heaven, he was thrust to earth. Luke records the words of Jesus:
Luke 10:18
18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Having lost the war in heaven, Satan continued his war on earth. Satan is allowed on earth that we may have agency. Agency only occurs when we are enticed both by Christ and by Satan. Both God and Satan, like law, are invisible that faith may increase, but their enticing influence is everywhere. In heaven, after this life, Satan will be eternally absent, and we will be forever happy only because we came to earth and experienced misery brought about by his inveigling lies.
We must learn opposites on earth because there will be no opposites in heaven. If we keep the commandments of God, if we endure the miseries of this world, we are guaranteed unlimited happiness in the next life.
Revelation 21
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
However, regardless of how good we are in this life, goodness untried by adversity contains no wisdom and develops no patience and no faith.
James 1:3
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Romans 5:3
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience.
The Apostle Peter speaks of opposition as the trial of our faith.
1 Peter 1:7
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Everybody suffers, but the cries of those who suffer in patience are heard by heaven and call forth the power of God. The patient inherits the kingdom of God.
Hebrews 6:12
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Romans 2:7
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Revelation 14:12–13
12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.
Patience in suffering is the cauldron out of which pours forth humility, understanding, wisdom, faith, hope, miracles, and the still small voice.
2 Peter 1:6
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
Patient suffering is life’s greatest teacher because it blends the spiritual with the temporal and gives meaning to life. Suffering without patience often turns to revenge and leads to greater suffering.
Revelation 13:10
10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
It is a greater blessing to be tried in our obedience than to be punished for our disobedience. We gain greater wisdom in our patience in suffering than in our serenity. As some fruit is sweetened by frost, some frosty countenances are sweetened by adversity. Christ suffered that he may have empathy for our suffering. We suffer that we may have empathy for other’s suffering. Those who suffer in patience are often spared that they may show forth the power of God and become a witness to others that God is merciful.
