HOW CAN YOU GET TO THE PLACE WHERE YOU ARE REJOICING IN YOUR SUFFERING? Part 1 -{PERSEVERANCE}-

{Read Romans 5:3-5}

THE WORD “REJOICING, EXULTING” IN THEM, IS LITERALLY “BOASTING OR GLORYING…” REJOICE… CONFIDENT JOY

We can Get There “Because …”

  • We are “FULLY AWARE” of what God is doing… shaping our character to conform and develop Christ-likeness in us and in this passage HE is doing it through… 4 Things…He is…
  1. Producing Perseverance in us –

Some translations say “patience.” The Greek word literally means, “To Abide under, to remain under pressure.”The Greek word,” hypomone” speaks of steadfastness, endurance, and constancy.

“Hupomone” is the ability to keep working, and keep going in the face of great opposition and obstacles. It speaks of someone who is under a great load and yet continues on, it describes the character of one who will not or does not allow a person to surrender to difficult circumstances and trials. It has a forward look, like the LORD Jesus, “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”-{Hebrews 12:2}. The future Joy encouraged Him to “endure.”

“Hupomone” is also translated “patience,” and describes a person who bears up or remains under trials in a God-honoring way. There is a triumph to it “knowing” that God is at work producing a Godly character trait. It perseveres and will not give up or quit, and does this with a triumphant hope-filled attitude. It deals triumphantly in whatever trials or life bring to the person. The person doesn’t quit, they keep on going. They have not turned aside by suffering, or tribulations but continue on…consistently and persistently so.

It’s been said that the one who perseveres uses suffering, and tribulation as stepping stones!

You need perseverance when you are under pressure, or distressed.

“Perseverance” keeps on going, like the advertisement for “The Energizer Bunny” that keeps going and going and going using a certain battery. Perseverance doesn’t quit. It doesn’t panic, it keeps going. Steadily. Assuredly. And with each new trial, trouble, and pressure, you can build on it as you look back and see His faithfulness to empower you to THINK right and do Right and keep on going! Perseverance, persistence, a lifestyle of continuing on…staying power!

The words, Endurance, and Perseverance, are interchangeable.

“You need to persevere{endure} so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.”-{Heb 10:36}

” Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.“-{James 1:2-3}.

“being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, “-{Col 1:11}

“Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,”-{Rom 15:5}

“Endure suffering with me as a good soldier…” -{ 2 Timothy 23}

We can “Exult” Glory, Boast, and Rejoice in confident joy not because we try harder, or will it into being but again because God supplies us His Spirit and Word to meet us…and as we consider and trust Him and consider what He has done and promises we can “Exult in our sufferings because we know…” In Romans 5:1-2 we see some of these great traits to meditate as a primer to Exult and rejoice not in the sufferings themselves but because of what God has done and is doing and will do through our suffering. We look beyond to Him and His Promise and what He will “produce” from our pain, suffering, and great pressures we are presently in or will go through. We do not go through them alone but we go through them all with our LORD Jesus our faithful High Priest, Savior, LORD, and MASTER IN WHOM ALL THINGS ARE UNDER HIS CONTROL, OUR GOOD AND GREAT SHEPHERD, WE WALK THROUGH THEM ALL WITH HIM! Because God has “justified us”… THROUGH our LORD Jesus… we have “ACCESS” to God THROUGH Our LORD Jesus and we STAND IN GRACE- That is we stand no longer separated from God without hope, without desire or power, but we STAND IN THE DIVINE FAVOR of God and He imparts His Spirit to produce this Joy in us and as we Trust Him and His promises focussing on these we find He will Give us the desire and ability to GLORY, in Confident Joy as we face each difficulty knowing we are neither alone or impotent but with the promise ringing in our ears and rooted in our hearts “For God is working IN you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases HIM“-{Phil 2:13 NLT}
 
You can “EXULT” in your suffering because you are not ignorant but informed from Romans 5:3-5 of some of what God is doing in your life! 
We “EXULT” …”BECAUSE WE KNOW”- te word “Know” means to be “Fully aware”. We know what God is doing as we read Romans 5:3-5 in our sufferings and we can rejoice because we know He has an end and He will produce perseverance, proven character, and hope ” in us.
The sufferings are not SOVEREIGN- They do not control me or you, God is in control, He is Sovereign King, just as Job could not be touched without His permission neither can you or me! Glory our God is in control! He is the sovereign King over all our sufferings, and tribulations. He is LORD over our circumstances and will work them all out for good according to His will, in His time, His way,His Name and Fame the end and our being conformed to Christ along the way as He develops us spiritually, for His glory!
He is not out to destroy you but to develop you spiritually and put Himself on display to and through you as He transforms you more and more into the image of Christ in your thinking, desires, and doing!

 

God uses Suffering and tribulations to produce what? “Perseverance!” You need trouble to develop perseverance!

God bless,

Aidan