TOPICAL BIBLE SUBJECTS
 Messages of Encouragement, Promises and Prayers

"THE ANOINTED WILL SUFFER, WHY?"
By Evangelist Diana Gray
Copyrighted (c) 2000, All Rights Reserved
 KJV Bible For All Scripture

     When a person is in Christian ministry they will suffer far more of the pains of this world.  Persecution is there in one form or the other.  All the way from the Sunday school teachers to the Pastor of the Church.  If anyone is in ministry of any kind, one way or the other they will suffer.  Pain and suffering come to us all but especially those in ministry.  They get hit harder! Why? Because they are doing the Lord's work and God has an enemy, Satan.  The Devil desires to see the anointed of the Lord fall.  If Satan can take a spiritual leader down, the rest of the followers will follow or at least be hurt and scattered.  I am sure that in your lifetime, you will have personally seen or heard of a Pastor or Evangelist falling from grace.  They have been found out to be walking in sin and shame.
     Look at it this way, if a couple are living together the world thinks nothing of it.  They say it is their choice and if they choose to live that way, well, it is all right and the couple can go about their merry little way.  The world hardly batting an eye at their sins openly being displayed for the whole world to see.  Now on the other hand if a Pastor or Evangelist were to do that or less even..............it is in all of the scandalized newspapers and gossip columns.  Even if it is not true but just some false rumor, the "scandal is incredible."  Why, because they are men and women of God who are supposed to be Holy and pure.  Any open display of sin is a tremendous sign of weakness.  The world expects perfection in showing sin free lives for those in ministry.
     The world doesn't want to live a righteous life before God, but they expect those who are in ministry to live Godly lives.  This is one time I agree, those in ministry should live Godly lives.  They should set a Holy, righteous example for the world to see.  Are any of us in ministry perfect, no! We sin, all of us sin!  It is in our carnal bodies to sin and try as hard as we may, we still sin by thought, word and deed.  The key thing here is to "try not to sin."  The closer the walk with the Lord, the harder Satan tries to pull the person down.  Those in ministry get hit harder with temptations, sicknesses, trials and problems.  Not only do people in ministry have their own problems but they also have the problems of the whole congregation as well.  The weight of every one's problems can be hard to bear.
    What is the greatest sin that the world can throw against the Lord and His anointed?  "Selfish Pride!" Satan started with "Selfish Pride" and is still using it.  The devil never repented and hates anyone who loves the Lord.  Who does Satan hate the most on earth? The spiritual anointed leaders of the body of Christ!  If he can persecute, humiliate and bring down anyone in ministry then he's happy.  Sadly, many of the anointed do fall under the weight of the world's problems, why? Selfish pride and feelings of horribly inadequacy.
     What happens here to many full born again Christians to make them fall? Selfish pride, selfish ambition, selfish jealousy and envy.  I could go on and on but the root words here are "Selfish Pride.  You see when a person gets their minds and hearts onto themselves and the "Me, Me, Me, I, I, I," words, they take Jesus off of the throne and place themselves on it.  Jesus no longer is Lord of their lives and their eyes are off of Jesus and onto themselves.  People get to feeling like they should be number one........... a leader to be looked up to and respected. 
     Jesus said to be great in the Kingdom of God, one must be a servant.  Servant, humble, lowly with Jesus as Lord of their lives.  When the whole focus is "Jesus, Jesus Jesus" instead of.... me, me me than true spiritual leadership happens.  To be a true spiritual leader, one "must" be a humble "servant." 
     Now why does God allow persecution and trouble to happen to His anointed? To keep them humble.  To remind them who is Lord of all.  To purify and make as gold those who stand the test of time.  Strength and courage is needed to follow the Lord through everything that the world can throw.  Run the good race! Enduring trials and always looking for the higher calling, the great prize of Heaven. 
     The anointed must suffer to keep them humble, reminding them that they need to lean upon the Lord for their strength and not their own power.  It must happen and it "will."  Christians in ministry are going right into the face of Satan and he "hates" them!  The Lord didn't promise that we would be without problems and heartaches.  He did say He would help us find a way through them with Him right by our side.  We will have many battles throughout our whole lifetime, but we do have the assurance that through the Lord, the war against Satan, is won. 
     True anointing that is pure and sweet comes from a great deal of pain and sorrow.  Suffering brings about repentance and obedience.  "Every time we are down, the only place we have is to look up." Every time we get knocked down it purifies us a little more and a little more.  Trials and suffering can bring a person into the will of God if one "surrenders" one's selfish self to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  "True humility is the mind and heart of a servant."  To lead as one called by the Lord to be His anointed, a person will have to suffer.  This brings about a surrendered heart and will before the Lord God.
     Emotions play a big part in all of this.  Our bodies can get hurt but generally they heal.  Our wounded emotions take sometimes a lifetime to heal.  Pride gets broken during times of great suffering and the Lord can use us best when we are broken vessels.  Suffering then has a purpose and a Godly design.  The Lord can then mold us and make us into what He knows is right for us to become.  Servants of the most High God!  Remember, we praise God in all things and in our weaknesses, we become strong in the Lord.  Have you surrendered all and allowed Jesus to be Lord of every area of your life? 

     Lord I love you and worship you.  I glorify your name above all names.  This problem I am having is hard and it hurts but I know that you are with me.  I know that I will learn from this and I pray that it will spiritually grow my faith into a deeper walk with you.  Help me, oh Lord, because I can't get through this without your help.  I don't like going through this and if possible please take this cup from me.  Lead me where you will, Lord, as I surrender all I have to you.  If there are any areas of my life that still need to be surrendered, please show them to me so I can give it to you.  Thank you for teaching me the lessons that I need to know in order to be a  humble servant. 
     Help me to surrender my pride because if it keeps me from being close to you than I don't need it.  Help me not to let my pride stand in the way of following you.  I would rather not have to have this problem but...... not my will but yours be done.  Carry me, hold me and nurture a deeper compassion for others through all of this.  Let me see people through your eyes, Jesus, full of love and compassion.  Let people not see me but you through my eyes.  I love you, Lord, with all of my heart.  In Jesus' wonderful name, Amen.

May the Lord keep you and help you through your problems as you spiritually grow. 
God bless your special heart Sister Diana Gray

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