Truths That Set Free 6 of 7

 

Welcome to MemCare. This is another program of the series Truths That Set Free. Edmund is with us again and today he will speak to the theme “Is there rest and freedom in Christ even in adversity?”

 

We all experience the daily challenges, setbacks, sickness and other kinds of real problems and trials in life.  Nobody is excluded. For those who expect that because they belong to Christ their life will be without adversity, they are not well informed.  Actually Christ never promised His disciples an easy life. When he prayed to God the Father, before he went to the cross, He said, “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.” A Christian cannot expect that God makes an exception for him when it comes to the normal things of life, but he can expect to have the presence and protection of God from the evil one in whatever circumstance or situation he is.

 

Scott, you are so right in saying that. If any believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is under the impression that his life will be like a sweet walk in a park because the Lord of the Universe will look after all his wants and desires, he’d better start looking into his Bible. That is not what Christ has promised.

 

He said,“In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33) He also says, “Let not your hearts be troubled, believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.” (Jn. 14:1.2) Actually, besides the normal struggles in life there is an additional dimension of adversity that  a disciple of Christ must expect, and that is to suffer for the sake of the Gospel.

 

Our question, though - is there is rest and freedom in Christ even in adversity?

 

Scott, as I started to prepare for this message at a prayer summit this week, a man I had never seen before walked into my room.  He was an African American and introduced himself as my roommate. Later in the conversation he mentioned that he had just lay to rest his dear wife of almost 40 years.  She had died because of cancer and her funeral was four days before.  Wow!!  This man was in pain but he wanted to be with God’s people at the summit!  Ron, that was his name, had children and grandchildren but he mentioned a couple of times how he is alone now and has to deal with that. But he also mentioned a couple of times how he is okay in spite of it all. At one point he said, “She loved the Lord. We had a good life and she died in peace.”

 

Since we had some free time that afternoon, Ron soon excused himself and left the room again. He wanted to walk around the campground.  When I looked up, I saw that he had placed a very small bag with his clothes on the bed and right beside, he had lay his big and well used Bible. That picture spoke to me.

 

No doubt that Ron was in deep pain. He certainly had begged for his wife to be healed, but God had not answered according to his desires.  Nevertheless, he was still okay because he knew that God’s ways are perfect even when we do not understand Him. Ron, while dealing with pain and grief, had also peace and was resting in the Lord because he trusted the eternal promises of God. A Christian has hope!  The Bible speaks about that day when the dark night of grief is over and the resurrection morning comes; when God will wipe away every tear from our eyes.

 

Edmund, you affirmed that Christians are not exempt from suffering. They experience the same kind of problems and trials that other people experience, the difference being that they can count on the promises of God. Tell us, are those promises just for the future or is there real help and peace and even rest in adversity right now and here on earth?

 

This is an important question and requires us to look back into what Christ accomplished through His coming to earth and dying on the cross. The fall of man into sin and the consequent curse that came on creation has brought this world under the rule of Satan, the enemy of God.  Christ, through his perfect life and vicarious death on the cross, paid the price for mankind’s redemption. He forever overcame the powers of darkness. Satan has been defeated.  The head of the serpent has been crushed.

 

This is why Christ could say to His disciples before He gave the Great Commission, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given unto me!” We are living in a world that has been set free from the domain of evil. 

 

Nevertheless, God has not gotten rid of the devil yet, nor is He taking all those who believe immediately to Him in heaven. Rather he has given us the mandate to proclaim the Gospel to all nations. Why? The Bible says that God is patient, not wishing that any should perish but that all come to repentance.

 

In the meantime the godly go through suffering on this earth, as anybody else, until Christ’s return.  But there is a difference - he is not alone. Those who believe in Christ are made a new creation. They become children of God. Christ lives in them.  Through redemption, the great mystery the apostle Paul speaks about, which is Christ in you the hope of glory, has taken place.

 

Therefore believers can experience the presence of Christ even in adversity.  This is also why the apostle could pray, “And may God supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. And the peace of God, which passes all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19,7)

 

Edmund, you mentioned that believers are not exempt from suffering. You also mentioned that while the believer goes through suffering he can count on the presence and peace of God because Christ lives in him.  Then you mentioned the freedom in Christ that a believer can experience in suffering. What do you mean when you say freedom? Could you please elaborate on that for us?

 

Freedom is the opposite of slavery or bondage. Slavery and bondage generate a spirit of fear and the Bibles says that God has not given us a spirit of fear, rather of power, of love and of a sound mind. I am free when I can choose what is pleasing and in accordance with the nature of Christ, who lives in me.  I must not be anxious about anything. I can by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make my requests known to God.  The Bible says that my free choice to keep my mind focused on what pleases God will produce the peace of God in me.

 

The Bible also says that when we use our freedom in Christ to fill our mind with whatever is true, is honorable, is right, pure, is lovely, is of good repute, is excellent and worthy of praise, the God of peace will be with us.

 

Even in the darkest hour, when the devil roars like a lion or when he attacks from within and without, I must not give in, but rather have the freedom to chose. The Bible invites the believer to “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

 

We have a lot of food for thought and certainly great promises to base our life and faith on.  Dear friend, may you today experience the rest, the freedom and the peace that is found in Christ alone, even when you go through times of trials and adversity.