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FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD
IN PAIN
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5.3  He Who Has Suffered in the Flesh Has Ceased From Sin

Pain Brings Obedience

  • "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God" (1 Peter 4:1-2).


Reader, I have prayed for you.... that you will drop to your knees... that you will fix your spiritual eyes on our creator and Lord and beg for understanding. If you will not, I fear that you will reject this truth. 



(Pause for prayer)



(Pause for prayer)



As the emotional pain of my youth resulted in my conversion when I cried out to the Lord... physical pain in my later years brought me to fix my spiritual eyes more steadfastly on Him, to feed in greater depths on divine fellowship... to walk by the Spirit with increasing clarity.


I will repeat the passage:

  • "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God" (1 Peter 4:1-2).


Yes, sin can cease. Cessation from sin can come about through pain... lots of physical pain. And, yes, it is worth it. Notice that the passage from 1 Peter says, "arm yourselves also with the same mind". We should arm ourselves with the mindset that Christ had. He was willing to suffer to do God's will. That willingness is armor. It is hard for Satan to intimidate or tempt a saint into sin, when the saint is willing to suffer for His Lord. 



Cessation of Sin in This Life

I will repeat the passage again:

  • "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,  that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God" (1 Peter 4:1-2).


We know that this cessation of sin takes place in this life since the passage states: "that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God".



Walk by the Spirit

  • "walk by the Spirit, and you won't fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).


Yes, walking by the Spirit also results in cessation from sin. Walking by the Spirit is fellowship with God, also known as walking in the light (1 John 1:7). And 1 Peter 4:1 above has shown us that "he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin". Pain brings us to God, to hear and obey. To hear and obey the Holy Spirit is to walk by the Spirit (subchapter 4.7).


So, pain brings us to God, to walk by the Spirit. 


Over half a century I have watched myself. Suffering came and my eyes became fixed on Him. When pain subsided, my eyes drifted from Him. Renewed suffering caused me to turn my eyes back to Him... to "behold the Lord" in the spiritual realm. 


We are never tested (tempted) beyond what we are able to withstand (1 Corinthians 10:13). Please be aware that the Greek word translated as tempt in 1 Corinthians 10:13 also means test. A temptation is a test and a test is a temptation. So, we know from 1 Corinthians 10:13 that God will not allow more pain that we are able to handle. 


But pain brings cessation of sin, obedience and fellowship with God. Fellowship with God is also known as walking by the Spirit, as walking in the light. 


God brings about obedience through suffering. Jesus never sinned. But even Jesus learned obedience by the things which He suffered:

  • "though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered" (Hebrews 5:8).


I suspect that the more we suffer in doing His will, the greater the cessation from sin. I do not know for how long each one who suffers will walk without sin. But I do know that we can "please him in all respects", at least for a time (micro-subchapter 4.2c).



Turn, Turn, Turn and Behold the Lord

So, I prayerfully invite you to Walk by the Spirit in your pain. In your suffering turn your eyes to Him... feed on Him. If your pain passes away, don't let your spiritual eyes turn away from Him. In every event of life, turn your eyes to Him. Watch in prayer (subchapter 2.4). Watch for Him to open a door for the word, that you may bear witness to Him (micro-subchapter 4.4c). Every event of your life is the catalyst for you to turn your eyes to Him... to behold Him:

  • "But we all, with unveiled face seeing the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18).


So, in every event of life, Turn, Turn, Turn and Behold the Lord. This is the Sixth Path... fellowship with God... walking by the Spirit.


I have seen... that I can endure long periods of extreme physical pain... by meditating... with my spiritual eyes fixed on Christ on His cross. If the pain diminished to the extent that I could pray, I would pray. If not, I fixed my spiritual gaze on Him. This pain was not wasted. My Lord was glorified and I was sustained by His power...  by His Spirit!


I have spent many hours meditating alone in physical distress, both dull and extreme, sometimes suffering through night after sleepless night... meditating on God's words. We should make good use of all of our pain. Instead of focusing on the pain, we should dwell on Him. By prayer, we can do this. We Turn, Turn, Turn and Behold the Lord (subchapter 1.3).


He grants obedience to those who ask for it, in prayer (micro-subchapter 4.3f).



Suffer to Make Disciples

I will repeat the passage again:

  • "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesharm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin,  that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God" (1 Peter 4:1-2).

We are to arm ourselves with the attitude of Christ as He "suffered for us in the flesh". 


How did Christ suffer for us in the flesh? 


The previous chapter of 1 Peter has told us. He suffered to make disciples. Making disciples is something that all Christians are commanded to do (A5 in the appendix). 


Here are some relevant passages from chapter 3 of 1 Peter:

  • 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "Don't fear what they fear, neither be troubled." 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts. Always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, with humility and fear, 16 having a good conscience. Thus, while you are spoken against as evildoers, they may be disappointed who curse your good way of life in Christ. 17 For it is better, if it is God's will, that you suffer for doing well than for doing evil. 18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God," (1 Peter 3:14-18)


To "give an answer" for "the hope that is in you" is making disciples. Christ suffered "that he might bring you to God". That is making disciples. To arm yourselves also with the same mind as Christ, as 1 Peter 4:1 says, is to suffer to make disciples.



Fast and Pray

As we fast and pray, we arm ourselves with the same mindset that Christ had. In Matthew 9:14-16 we see that fasting is mourning, possibly a mourning of the loss of face to face intimacy with God because of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden. In that passage, Jesus said that when face to face intimacy with Him was lost after His death, that His disciples would fast. And they did. In Acts 13:2-4 they fasted and the Holy Spirit communicated with them. So, this passage from Acts connects fasting (suffering) with intimate communication with God. Verse sixteen of Matthew 9:14-16 reveals that in the New Covenant, we don't fast according to the Law of Moses because we are not under law (A3 in the appendix). But fasting with prayer is not limited to the Old Covenant (Acts 13:2-4, 14:23). 



Turn, Turn, Turn
Walk by the Spirit

Make Disciples

I will repeat the passage one more time:

  • "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind; for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin that you no longer should live the rest of your time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God" (1 Peter 4:1-2).

Now is the moment to fall again to your knees. Fix your spiritual eyes on God the Father an ask Him to grant the mind of Christ to you. If God leads you to fast and pray, then fast and pray. But, arm yourselves with the attitude of Christ, to suffer in the flesh to make disciples. And in every event in life, turn, turn, turn to the Lord... walk by the Spirit.


God Bless!

Jim Phillips

"though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered" 
Hebrews 5:8

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