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THE UNIVERSAL CONFLICT
LORD’S DAY, APRIL 3
Ephesians 6:10-13

Revelation 20:7-10

 

“…we glory in tribulations also

…tribulation worketh patience.”

 

THE UNIVERSAL CONFLICT
 
Righteous Christians often suffer simply because the world is a wicked place. This suffering for the Lord has a beneficial result. We are promised that such suffering by obedient Christians results in spiritual growth and strength (Rom 5:3-5).
 
However, there is another reason why Christians living in obedience to God suffer. This is one of the themes in the book of Job. The answer to this issue can be found by understanding the universal conflict. This conflict is between the forces of evil under Satan and the forces of good under the Almighty God. This unseen and often untaught area of conflict occurs in the spirit world. God’s people are often involved in this for reasons unknown to them. The opening portions of Job give us a good example of this conflict. We will see that Job became involved not so much because of what he did, but because of what he was – an obedient child of God.
 
In our introduction to the book of Job, we saw three reasons why Christians suffer. Those living in disobedience suffer as part of God’s correction to bring them back to righteousness and away from sin, which destroys their spiritual well-being. Righteous Christians sometimes suffer simply because the world is wicked and hates the Lord they follow. Christians, living in obedience, also suffer because, like Job, we are called upon to play a part in the universal conflict when we live for God. Knowing these things will make us better prepared when difficulties come. We will then realise that it is not because of “bad luck” that we suffer as God’s hand is always upon us. Moreover, we are reminded that His eye is even upon the tiny sparrow, and He cares much more for us (Matt 10:29-30). When God allows hardships to come, there is always a reason. If we honestly examine ourselves, we oftentimes can see what the reason is. Should we be unable to, we can then be sure that, like Job, we have been drawn into the universal conflict and, thus, we must praise God for this privilege.
 
THOUGHT: Obedient Christians may also suffer.

PRAYER: I thank Thee, Father, for Thy hand is always upon me.

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