Saturday, August 25, 2012

Are you suffering for doing good or for doing evil?

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

If you are in a period where you are suffering, you must examine the issue to see whether you are suffering for doing good ... or whether you are suffering for doing evil.

For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.  I Peter 2:20

Several years ago, I wanted to marry.  I was suffering greatly when I would see other women with husbands.  Then I had the above scripture called to my attention and I realized I was suffering because of a "fault" ... It is not that I wanted another woman's husband.  But I was jealous and troubled because that woman had an husband and I had none.  It was a fault in me.  When I gave up that fault and agreed to the will of God being done in my life, the suffering stopped.

There are men who rob others and when they get caught they suffer.  But their suffering is not for doing good but for doing evil.

John the Baptist was put in prison for doing good.  He spoke up against adultery and was put in prison and later beheaded.

So if you are suffering, is it for doing good or for doing evil.  If it is for evil, repent and give up the evil and agree to the word of God and agree to the will of God being done in your life.  If your suffering is for doing good, then God will sustain you in the suffering, so just commit yourself to God.

You can examine the following to see if the suffering is for doing evil.

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Gal. 5