2nd Cor.1:8] For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
[9] But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
[10] Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
Throughout our lives, all mankind will experience the physical pains, and the emotional stress of life itself. And that being the case, man has also designed many ways to help ‘ease’ the physical pains of this life, and to help elevate the emotional stress the life will bring. And through the doctrine given unto us by “the God of all comfort,” we are given the “salvation” from those things. But this salvation is not of a ‘physical’ nature, meaning; our flesh is not going to receive ‘healings,’ or ‘blessings,’ and God is not going to change our circumstances, or give us deliverance from these troubling things, but we are given the essential doctrine to have an effect upon our thinking concerning our sufferings. And many in Christ Jesus have the desire that our Father who has saved us from the debt and penalty of sin against us, that He would now save our flesh from experiencing the sufferings of this present time, and bless our lives as we walk in our daily lives. But this is not what we are taught by our Father concerning the “doctrine which is according to godliness.” Notice what Paul says in the verses above, Paul and the disciples suffered “above strength,” insomuch that they even “despaired even of life.” But Paul teaches us that he trusted in God to deliver him, but this deliverance was not physical at all. The “inward man” was delivered, and knew God as “the God of all comfort,” and therefore, Paul could “glory in” the Power working effectually within him, and for him. This is the effectual working of the Father in a “son” who desires to live unto his Father.
2nd Cor.11:24] Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
[25] Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
[26] In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils In the city, In perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
[27] In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Moreover, Paul said that He “delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us.” But notice all the sufferings that Paul wrote about in chapter 11, and this is only a fraction of what the Apostle Paul suffered for Christ’s sake. And the only reason why Paul wrote about those in chapter 11, was to “glory in” his “infirmities,” this is what Paul means by “if so be that we suffer with Him” in Romans chapter 8:17. Paul said God delivered him, but he physically went through each, and every one of those things which he was “pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that” he despaired even of life. And as he suffered ‘physically,’ his inward man received the deliverance “with” the Word of “the God of all comfort,” this is how Paul suffered “with Him.” And as we see in Romans 8:37, “nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Notice the “through Him?” But how? It’s through the provision given unto us by the God of all comfort. And the Apostle Paul never prayed for ‘traveling mercies,’ and that his flesh would be spared of physical afflictions, or death. It was his prayer that in his travels that all would hear and believe, and that he would be “delivered from” those who sought to corrupt the Word, and deceive the Saints. Paul desired that they would pray according to godliness, and that it would be for the inward man of Paul and those who would hear and believe.
2nd Thess. 3:1] Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
[2] And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.
[3] But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
Therefore, because God has provided for us His effectual working Word to give us deliverance from these troubling things; then we can with ‘godly confidence’ say that it is Himself which delivers us. And because it is our inward man only that receives this salvation, our outward man will experience those things, but our inward man not only receives the salvation from those things, but we can rejoice, and glory in those things knowing that our Father loves us so much that He has given us the Living Word of His Son to operate upon when we suffer, and when we suffer, we are ‘suffering together’ with the doctrine and Christ Jesus our Lord. And not only did Paul “glory in” those Saints and their faithfulness, but our Father also gloried in their faithfulness by all their ‘persecutions and tribulations that they endured.’ These saints were experiencing a ‘present’ suffering “together with Him,” and were producing a ‘present’ glorification by their sufferings for Christ’s sake.
2nd Thess. 1:4] So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
[5] Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
Finally, those Thessalonian Saints did not want the physical deliverance from their sufferings, they knew what was at stake. Those faithful Brethren became “followers” of Paul, “and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.” They as “followers” knew full well the glory that the sufferings of Christ produced, and were also suffering “with joy of the Holy Ghost.” They also became “followers of the churches of God which are in Judaea,” not according to following God’s plan and purpose for Israel, but according to the sufferings of Christ that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Their emphasis was upon being a Living Sacrifice, and the selfless love of Christ abounding within them. This godly thinking does not include the physical endeavors, the hearts desires of men, and the physical healings of the flesh. An ‘adopted son’ would desire what his Father desires! His “affections” would be upon the things which are not seen, and the things of his Father above. But unfortunately, not all Saints are going to desire to “live godly in Christ Jesus,” and would rather live unto themselves, and “continue in sin” But we too ought to be “followers of God as dear children,” and “dear” children would understand and appreciate the essential Power and will of his Father, we ought to as well.
1st Thess.1:13] For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is In truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
[14] For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
[15] Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:
Rod Jones
SUPPLY OF GRACE 
Leave a comment