The true apostolic ministry is returning to the church. Christ will be formed in His remnant. The arising of the sons of God is at hand.
Recently, while listening to a message at a church meeting, the Lord began to speak to me regarding the sufferings of Christ that church leaders and disciples must endure. The guest pastor was giving a message on blessing. He was preaching about how it is God’s will to bless all His children, how blessed he and his family are, and how, if we follow certain steps, will also have the blessing of God.
I felt that the Lord wanted His people to know how to endure suffering and difficult times, because many of His people are currently going through very hard situations in life. I felt that He wanted His people to know that suffering is normal and the reason for it. The Lord’s focus is not currently on blessing but on helping His people with what they are currently going through so that they will not lose heart. Believers being told that they should be experiencing blessing when the Lord is actually allowing suffeirng in their lives, can cause them to lose heart.
The pastor read the following Scripture to demonstrate that we have the blessing of Abraham:
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by being made a curse for us—as it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” — so that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13-14 MEV
During the message, the Lord began to speak to my spirit. He drew my attention to the phrase, “cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” I felt the Lord tell me to look at how many of His apostles were crucified or hung on a tree like Jesus. I discovered that, according to church tradition, around four of the twelve apostles were crucified (or considered cursed by hanging on a tree). Most of the other apostles were killed in equally brutal manners.
So why didn’t the messengers of Jesus Christ in the first century live fully blessed lives? It seemed they were spiritually blessed but endured many hardships. I’m sure they did experience physical blessings, as many of us do today, but they also suffered physically for Christ. Paul bore in his body the marks of the Lord Jesus Christ (Galatians 6:17).
“Are they servants of Christ? I speak as a fool. I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, often facing death. Five times I received from the Jews forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I suffered shipwreck; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by my own countrymen, in perils by the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brothers; in weariness and painfulness, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness. Beside the external things, the care of all the churches pressures me daily.” 2 Corinthians 11:23-28 MEV
How many of us would consider ourselves blessed by God when we are beaten, whipped, stoned, robbed, persecuted, rejected, hungry, deprived of sleep, and experiencing accidents while traveling? Are these blessings?
Many modern pastors have developed their theology from the modern church rather than from the Scriptures. In reality, Jesus doesn’t even consider us disciples unless we pick up our crosses of suffering and follow in His footsteps (Luke 14:27).
It would be great if a life full of blessing and comfort brought us to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. I would much rather experience that than pain and suffering. Unfortunately, when we are too comfortable for too long, we can stop growing and progressing. The Lord will allow certain things in our lives so that we continue to mature as sons.
The Father treats little children differently than mature sons. Little children are protected and blessed, and they do not have the same requirements as mature sons. Many leaders and pastors are keeping believers in spiritual immaturity through their ministries and messages. They do this because they are not mature sons themselves and they are refusing the cross of Christ. It is the will of the Lord for us to move on from the elementary principles of Christ that are necessary for children, so that we can consume meat and become mature sons of our Father.
As a spiritual leader, father, and apostle, Paul had to partake of the sufferings of Christ. Paul wasn’t focused on his own material and earthly blessings, but on what pleased his Father. Mature sons seek to do that which is pleasing to their Father. Their blessing is to seek and carry out His will. Mature sons do not seek their own comfort and benefit; rather, they have the mind of Christ and seek the welfare of His church. And they certainly don’t refer to His church as their church.
“I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly to you, that I also may be of good comfort when I get word concerning you. For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your welfare. For all seek their own, not the things of Christ Jesus. But you know of his proven worth, that as a son with a father, he has served with me in the gospel.” Philippians 2:19-22 MEV
The Sufferings That Remain
Christ purposely left afflictions for His apostolic leaders to partake of on behalf of the body of Christ.
“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake and fill up in my flesh that which is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church. I have been made a servant of it according to the commission of God, which has been given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, even the mystery which has been hidden from past ages and generations, but now is revealed to His saints. To them God would make known what is the glorious riches of this mystery among the nations. It is Christ in you, the hope of glory, whom we preach, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present them complete in Christ Jesus. In this I labor, striving according to His power, which effectively works in me.” Colossians 1:24-29 MEV
It’s interesting to see that true apostles like Paul had to experience the afflictions of Christ in their bodies for the sake of the church. This was the Lord’s will so that Christ could increase in the apostle and that His power could effectively work through them toward the church. The goal was that the church would become complete, or fully mature—that Christ would come to fullness in a people.
It seems that many in the modern church are preaching and leading believers into a different gospel than what the apostles preached in the Scriptures. I feel the Lord calling us back to His Word and to the truth that was revealed to the first-century apostles. The Lord surely blesses His children and will continue to do so with us. However, His focus is on our becoming mature sons of God who allow Christ to come forth in full measure.
Satan will do whatever he can to keep believers in spiritual immaturity so that the full measure of Christ does not come forth in the church. Satan is not afraid of children because he still has a great deal of influence in their souls. He is, however, terrified of the coming of the sons of God. He does not want to see mature sons of God arise from whom the fullness of Christ is coming forth.
Paul, as a mature son, understood that if he suffered and bore in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus, then the life of Christ would come forth through him and be infused into the church.
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, the excellency of the power being from God and not from ourselves. 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; and always carrying around in the body the death of the Lord Jesus, that also the life of Jesus might be expressed in our bodies. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that also the life of Jesus might be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then, death works in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-12 MEV
This is how Christ has chosen to work and bring life to His church. The suffering and difficult times that you are currently experiencing are not for nothing. The Lord wastes nothing. He is working in you and perfecting you. He is forming you into His image. I know this is a difficult season, but yield control to the Lord. Rest in whatever He is allowing you to go through. This season will pass.
There is a difference between suffering that is allowed by the Lord and attacks from the enemy. If the enemy is attacking then we resist him. We must hear from the Lord and discern properly between the two. Anyone willing to do the Lord’s will, will be able to discern and know the truth.
The true apostolic ministry is returning to the church. Christ will be formed in His remnant. The arising of the mature sons of God is at hand.
Quisque iaculis facilisis lacinia. Mauris euismod pellentesque tellus sit amet mollis.