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Prayer Amid Suffering
Prayer amid Suffering
David W Palmer
(James 5:13 NKJV) Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. …
The Holy Spirit says that prayer is the solution to the type of suffering he mentions here. He is speaking of undergoing hardship, affliction, or suffering evil.
Basically, there are several types of suffering that we can face:
(1 Peter 4:15 NKJV) But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.
(Genesis 3:16 NLT) Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. …”
(Mark 4:14–17 AKJV) “The sower sows the word. … but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution rises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.”
We emphasise that this attack of “affliction” or “persecution” rises for the “word’s sake.” In other words, there is no other reason for this onslaught except that God has sowed his word into the person’s heart, and they begin to cooperate with him in bringing it to harvest. The enemy hates this; he fights against it with full force.
We see this principle illustrated with Jesus. At his baptism, he heard Father speak living word into his heart:
(Luke 3:21–22 NKJV) When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. {22} And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Then, expecting Satan’s onslaughts and counter offensive, Jesus retreated to an isolated place to concentrate on the spiritual warfare. He faced what this would mean, and he positioned himself ready to expend whatever it would take to win this fight of faith. He was prepared, vigilant, and focused to annihilate every enemy lie, accusation, and attempt to thwart God’s word and to stop it coming to harvest.
We note that Father said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” Satan’s countering attack began with, “If you are the Son of God …”; the sower sowed the word, Satan came immediately to steal that word:
(Luke 4:3–4, 13 NKJV) And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” {4} But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” ... {13} Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.
Even though Satan had overcome Adam and Eve with his lies and accusations, he was no match for the living word that Jesus wielded as a sharp two-edged sword. The enemy backed down: “He departed from Him.” He will back down from you too; but not without a fight that will test your faith.
This is a major part of the suffering that James refers to when he says: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” Of course, we should pray while enduring any form of suffering.
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By DAVID W. PALMERPrayer amid Suffering
David W Palmer
(James 5:13 NKJV) Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. …
The Holy Spirit says that prayer is the solution to the type of suffering he mentions here. He is speaking of undergoing hardship, affliction, or suffering evil.
Basically, there are several types of suffering that we can face:
(1 Peter 4:15 NKJV) But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.
(Genesis 3:16 NLT) Then he said to the woman, “I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. …”
(Mark 4:14–17 AKJV) “The sower sows the word. … but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution rises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.”
We emphasise that this attack of “affliction” or “persecution” rises for the “word’s sake.” In other words, there is no other reason for this onslaught except that God has sowed his word into the person’s heart, and they begin to cooperate with him in bringing it to harvest. The enemy hates this; he fights against it with full force.
We see this principle illustrated with Jesus. At his baptism, he heard Father speak living word into his heart:
(Luke 3:21–22 NKJV) When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened. {22} And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Then, expecting Satan’s onslaughts and counter offensive, Jesus retreated to an isolated place to concentrate on the spiritual warfare. He faced what this would mean, and he positioned himself ready to expend whatever it would take to win this fight of faith. He was prepared, vigilant, and focused to annihilate every enemy lie, accusation, and attempt to thwart God’s word and to stop it coming to harvest.
We note that Father said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” Satan’s countering attack began with, “If you are the Son of God …”; the sower sowed the word, Satan came immediately to steal that word:
(Luke 4:3–4, 13 NKJV) And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” {4} But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’” ... {13} Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.
Even though Satan had overcome Adam and Eve with his lies and accusations, he was no match for the living word that Jesus wielded as a sharp two-edged sword. The enemy backed down: “He departed from Him.” He will back down from you too; but not without a fight that will test your faith.
This is a major part of the suffering that James refers to when he says: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray.” Of course, we should pray while enduring any form of suffering.