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The Glorious Triump Over Suffering

1 Peter 5:8-11

Jeff Lyle

In this final message from the Book of 1st Peter concerning suffering in the life of the Christian, we get a glimpse and a reminder of the promised victory that all believers have over every form of suffering. Much of this victory will be experienced while we live by faith on earth. Perfect and full victory, however, only comes after we enter into eternity. The question remains, “Can we beat the devil and overcome all that he hurls against us?” The answer is a resounding YES. Our victory over suffering is contained in the paradox of discovering that, the more we die to what is temporary, the more alive we become to that which is everlasting. God takes every attack, loss, trial, suffering and pain and turns it to our good - both in this life and then for all eternity. Christians must live with a determined confidence that we are triumphant in Jesus. From that launching point, we walk in victory.

How Christians Should Respond To Suffering

Jeff Lyle

As we explore the topic of suffering from the book of 1st Peter, we now come to crucial place of discerning how Jesus-followers should respond to God allowing suffering into their lives. If God is good, and if He allows troubling seasons to find us, then those seasons must be ordained for our ultimate good. Whether or not we experience this goodness from God through suffering depends on how we respond to it. This message helps us to understand how our Father will empower us in suffering and actually harness our faith-fueled response to suffering to elevate us in the Kingdom. While God will accompany us and help us in times of suffering, He truly does expect us to respond properly toward Him and what He is working.

How God Uses Suffering

Jeff Lyle

As we have learned that God has never promised to insulate us from all suffering, we then should consider what possible good could come from Him allowing us to experience pain, loss and heartbreak. If He is truly good, what reason could He have for allowing these types of things to find us in life? Well, the answer is not unclear when we look through the Scriptures. Here is a hint: it is impossible to grow in holiness and Christlikeness apart from suffering. Every single character in the Bible whom we admire and long to emulate experienced some measure of testing, trials and trouble. By looking at their examples and also by reading what Peter writes in these two verses, we can prepare to experience both the suffering and the good that comes from it when it lands on our doorstep.

Why God Allows Suffering

Jeff Lyle

Message description: If God is truly good, why does He not prevent bad things from happening? This question has been a torment to many theologians and philosophers throughout the centuries. The answer for Christians is not really a mystery. Why god allows difficulty and pain to find us is answered clearly in the verses covered in this message. The issue is not whether the question can be answered, it is whether or not the answer will be received by us.