FROM THE PREACHER'S LENSES

Sam AwedaTuesday, November 19, 2013
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USA

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WHY DOES THE RIGHTEOUS SUFFER? (43):
THE REASONS & THE PURPOSES OF THE CHRISTIAN'S AFFLICTION & HOW ON OCCASIONS GOD TURNS THE AFFLICTIONS TO OUR BLESSING (8)


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Christian who is hot tempered and is praying for a good temperament might find himself praying that people should irritate him the more or how does he know that his prayers have been answered and he is already cool tempered until people start to irritate him?

A Christian who is praying for patience is only praying for tribulation or how will he know that he is already able to endure, except tribulations come his way? "Knowing that tribulation worketh patience". (Romans 5:3).

A Christian praying to be highly used of God is only praying for trials, temptations and tribulations. By the time the devil dealt blows on him here and there on few occasions, he would have become experienced enough to be a consultant to the various problems of the people he will be ministering to.

Initially, when the devil tempts the Christian, he does it with the intention to destroy him but when he (devil) doesn't succeed, the Christian becomes a terror to the devil.

A number of things have one time or the other perplexed Christians not knowing why they should happen.

A Christian wonders why he should be allowed to lose his job. A Christian student who has been doing fine before conversion wonders why he failed his first examination after conversion in spite of the fact that he has worked hard and also believed that the God whom he now serves is not a God of failure.

Another Christian student who has given himself totally to Christ and his studies and also believes in the promises of God to help him to succeed, finds himself failing examination badly.

A businessman / woman had his business grounded after conversion. A Christian businessman / woman found his / her business grounded at other times.

All these may be attacks of the devil to discourage the Christian right from the onset. But perhaps God allows it, to start afresh with to purge him, (if, there be) of any strange power or belief he might have had for the initial success.

Purge him (if there be) of any ill-gotten wealth he might have gotten while not including God in his business - so that he may appreciate God's working power in his life after everything gets better than even at the initial stage.

It could be a way of preparing him to be able to absorb any shock that will later come because surely the devil will chase him about as he continues on the way: It is a warning that it is not an easy road.

But it is better for the devil to come at that initial stage, though his (Satan) aim is to discourage the Christian right from the on-set, but for the praying Christian it is a test dose to get him immune.

Sam Aweda is President & Snr. Pastor, Jesus for the World Revival Mission (Peoples' Church)

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