THE FELLOWSHIP OF HIS SUFFERING - PART 2: CONCLUSION
BY TODD BENTLEY
Date: May 22, 2006
This is a two-part testimony teaching entitled, The Fellowship of His Suffering, by Todd Bentley.
Last week, Todd presented the wilderness process through his own recent six-month wilderness journey, through the lives of biblical characters, and through a metaphorical examination into the molting process of the majestic eagle. We also discovered that suffering is growth, that it’s a process, that it is rest, hope, and death. In this final part, Todd will conclude his teaching on what suffering is, and examine in detail what it definitely isn’t. Discover the apostle Paul’s secret to rejoicing in light of suffering, and learn how to release joy in the midst of it. Finally, Todd shares how our scars from the deep wounds and dark nights, can encourage others.
SUFFERING IS JOY
“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). Christ endured the cross, “endure” being the key word here. The only way we can endure suffering is in the joy that is set before us. If we lose sight of the joy before Him, we can’t make it through the fire, the hunger, the molting. If it wasn’t for God’s anchor and His prophetic word and promises to me in the midst of my own shaking and suffering, I would not have made it through to the other end. There has to be a prophetic word, hope, and encouragement because it is the joy that was set before Christ, that enabled Him to endure His hour of suffering. The joy set before Him was the resurrection.
I didn’t actually rejoice when God’s fire and hand came down and it began to hurt. I winced, but I didn’t rejoice. In fact, it was like, “See you later God, we’ll talk later.” In the midst of the pain, I wish I could have arrived at the place where I am now, where I’m really rejoicing, where I’m so drunk in the Spirit with the joy of the Holy Ghost, that I wonder sometimes how that could have ever come out of suffering.
It hurts so much when God begins to strip us of our pride and all the other hindering issues of the heart. How do we release the joy? By carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body:
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.
And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, "I believed and therefore I spoke," we also believe and therefore speak, knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you (2 Cor. 4:7–14). It’s going to take death and suffering to get to the joy. We have to desire the life of Christ manifested within.
SUFFERING IS A GIFT
Most Christians understand that salvation, faith to believe in Jesus, is a gift from God. But suffering? Here, Paul actually compares suffering with salvation: “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Phil. 1:29). It has been granted to you to suffer. You’ve won the prize of suffering. It is granted to us not just to believe in Christ, but to suffer for His sake. “It has been granted” derives from the Greek verb charizomai, which comes from charis, meaning, “grace.” The noun form of this word is used to denote spiritual gifts. It also means to show favor or kindness. Thus, suffering is a gift and a privilege. Usually gifts come from people who love you and have your best interests at heart—they favor you, not because you deserve it or have earned it, simply as a gesture of love.
We, in turn, are usually thankful for the bestowment of gifts, aren’t we? Are you thankful to God for the gift of suffering for Jesus’ sake? God gives us suffering as a grace gift, as compassionately, and lovingly as He gives us salvation, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8).
Paul says not to be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon us to test us, as though something strange were happening to us, but to rejoice insofar as we share Christ’s suffering, that we may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed (1 Peter 4:12, 13). This wilderness trial is not a punishment, nor does it happen by chance. God loves you and favors you, and has “given” you this grace gift for His eternal purpose. “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32).
We must open the eyes of our heart and realize that we are not alone. God has given us His comforter, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16), and His messengers, the angels watch over us. There is no test, no trial, no struggle, and no hardship that lacks God’s heavenly care, “Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:14).
Suffering is weakness, brokenness, and humility so that we can become totally dependent on God, for when we are weak, then we are strong. It’s hard to fathom or grasp, especially when we’re smack dab in the middle of it. All we feel like doing is praying it away. However, think of it as a gift, and seldom, if ever, do we pray gifts away. If we keep sight of the fact that suffering, as faith, is a gift of grace, it will help us focus on the glory to come.
When the fire falls, you can thank God that all hell is breaking out against you. The devil doesn’t want God’s glory manifest in your life. He’ll try to dissuade you from persevering through spiritual fainting, depression, and lies. Paul learned to delight in difficulties; however, this wasn’t dysfunctional thinking or masochism. Delighting and rejoicing is not enjoying. No one enjoys suffering. Paul didn’t enjoy hurt or rejection, because there is no inherent good in that. However, he tolerated the beating and persecution, to remind him of the greatness of the power of God. Just as with Paul, our strength is taken away that we might draw on the strength of the living God. Then, humbled, the glory of Christ magnificently shines through as we finish the race.
SUFFERING IS WEAKNESS
Here’s where things really get exciting.
It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago--whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities (2 Cor. 12:1–5).
The word “infirmity” in the Bible can mean disease, illness, sickness, or weakness. The context of this passage refers to it as the latter, weakness from the Greek “astheneia,” (Strong’s #769). This word appears often in Paul’s letters to the Corinthians, and in fact, this same word is used in Romans 8:26a, “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses.”
So therefore, Paul’s weakness doesn’t come from sickness, but from suffering, and this is the only way God brings humility and brokenness so that He can lift us ever higher. He leads us out of our hidden places, the caves and rock clefts, and we soar to new heights with greater vision and strength than we ever had. How high? High enough that we soar the heavenly realms like Paul, and get caught up to the third heaven and heavenly revelations.
Paul knew persecution; in fact, persecution followed him wherever he went—the stonings, the beatings, riots, rejection. Who would want to hang around a guy with that much facing him? This was my mindset at one time. But like it or not, we’re all going to go through it; we’re all going to know what it means to carry the cross and bear the cup of suffering.
SUFFERING IS STRENGTH
God allows us to suffer so that we can be in a constant state of strength, in the strength of resurrected power, “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” We cannot do this without living in the state of weakness, and this weakness is only possible through God (“My grace is sufficient for you”). Why? Because we cannot bring ourselves low and humble enough. Only God can bring us there. Obadiah 1:3, 4: “The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; you who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground? Though you ascend as high as the eagle, and though you set your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,’ says the LORD.” The sobering truth about our pride is that God can bring us down low anytime. Pride is so ingrained in our nature, that even if we don’t have much to be proud about, we’ll find something to exalt our self. We don’t have to be rich, powerful, or great to be filled with pride. Sometimes those who have the least reason for pride have the most of it.
We can try to go lower and lower, and lay in the dirt, prostrate, but only God can truly bring us down. It takes the grace of God to break and strip us so that we can go low enough to live in resurrection power.
WHAT SUFFERING IS NOT
SUFFERING IS NOT SICKNESS
It’s very clear that God separates suffering and sickness: “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:13, 14).
The word “suffer” means being subjected to or inflicted with pain from an outside influence, whereas sickness is from within. It’s on the inside and affects our physical body, whereas God would never allow biblical suffering to affect our physical self. However, He will allow the distresses, the persecution, the hardship, the accusations, the gossip, the rumors, the misunderstandings, and many other sufferings of the trials.
In biblical suffering, you have to go through it—it cannot be prayed off you, fasted off you, or anointed off you. In fact, God may give you another drink of the cup of suffering. If you are suffering, your mindset should be that of “Yes! Bring it on Lord, but I want Your presence in the midst of it.” Consider that the apostle Paul experienced joy while sitting in chains in prison in Philippi. Consider that he endured thirty-nine lashes, five times, but returned rejoicing. Paul was beaten with rods, stoned, shipwrecked three times, spent a night and a day treading water, encountered danger in the rivers, the wilderness, on journeys, from Gentiles, from his countrymen, among false brethren, and experienced many sleepless anxious nights in hunger and thirst, in the cold and the elements. Yet, he says, “If I have to boast, I will boast of what pertains to my weakness” (2 Cor. 11:30 NASV).
SUFFERING ISN’T CATCHING
I remember in the early part of my ministry when I’d soak in God’s presence for hours every day, and soar high in the spirit into heavenly realms and visions. I didn’t want anything negative to rub off on me and spoil my experiences. A minister friend of mine came to hang out with me. He’d suffered burnout for several years and was in the midst of the wilderness. Depressed, even suicidal, he shared his pain, his exhaustion, and his sadness that he couldn’t feel the Holy Spirit. I thought, don’t you bring that cup of suffering here! Instead of listening to him, I boasted about my glory liquid honey clouds, and about how very real and present the Holy Spirit was in my life. I thought he must be doing something wrong, like not praying or fasting enough, and I didn’t want that around me. I dreaded his visits, because I didn’t have a grid for what he was going through. I couldn’t relate, nor understand that what he needed was a compassionate ear, someone to understand.
I understand now. Last year I found myself in that same place, and people were essentially saying, “Don’t come near me with that . . . get away from me . . . we don’t want that anointing of suffering . . . it might be transferable . . . catchy . . . we’ll just come when it’s healing time.” Sad, isn’t it? However, this is the mindset of those who do not understand what suffering is. The eagles understood the pain, the process, and the cycle of the molting eagle and dropped food down for encouragement and strength.
For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me. And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities [weakness], that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities [weakness], in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:6–10).
SUFFERING IS NOT DEMONIC WARFARE
The only way you can boast of your infirmities, is to know unshakably, that the power of Christ is upon you, that God is in your wilderness with you. There are differences between the suffering that God brings and allows, and just plain old demonic attack and warfare. The one thing in the midst of my own suffering was that I was assured it was the Lord, and that my faith that God was in it, never wavered. I never lost the sense that God was over my season, and the One orchestrating it the entire time. If you don’t have that confidence, the suffering you are going through may not be suffering at all, but rather, a demonic attack. You have to be confident that God is anchored to your season, or it’s probably not God at all. I was confident because one day, just as I entered into my season, God audibly said, “Todd, I am taking you into a dark night of the soul.” Later, and during my dark nights, I received prophetic words from several prophets that kept me in the sense that it was God, and therefore, there was hope through it. There was joy set before me, and if I didn’t lose perspective of that joy, I would make it through.
FALSE SUFFERING
Many try to live under false humility just because they’re trying to do things by their own strength, but there’s no way they can become humble enough. I mentioned earlier, only God, the Spirit of holiness can bring us to that place of true suffering, and true weakness. When it is God, trust that He is in the midst of it. We can only take pleasure in our suffering and weakness and reproaches when it’s truly “for Christ’s sake.” This suffering is not self-inflicted, nor does it arise because of dumb decisions, or mistakes, or if we fall into grievous sin. This type of suffering is not the wilderness suffering and it won’t bring you to that place of resurrection and renewal. Biblical suffering is Christ’s suffering and a suffering in you that is birthed because of your conviction, your stand, and your work for Christ. It’s not a “woe is me, the world is doing me wrong,” type of suffering, but a suffering that renews and strengthens you.
Thank God for suffering! It’s working greater revelations and visions in us. It’s bringing us to resurrection power. It’s bringing us to the place of always carrying the load in our bodies of the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Christ may be manifest in our mortal flesh. The affliction of the Lord helps us understand His decrees (Ps. 119:71) so that we will not go astray. I thank God I was afflicted, weak, and totally dependant upon Him. For in that secret cleft of His tabernacle, an awesome anointing comes out of that place of dependence, trust, and weakness. Oh that we could live there in a constant state, in a supernatural state of weakness and trembling, so that the power of Christ may rest on our lives.
SUFFERING ISN’T LASTING
Believers all over the world, and throughout history, have endured the wilderness of suffering. Sometimes it seems as though it won’t ever end, but take heart. Despite the duration of your trial, believe that God will keep you safe, provide for you throughout, and accomplish a mighty victory in your life!
The Bible uses several words for “waiting” in the sense of waiting on the Lord. One of those words describes trusting hope and that word is yachal (Strong’s 3176) which is a hope that produces great endurance under extreme pressure. Consider its use in Job 13:15: “Though He slay me, yet will I trust [wait, hope, trust] Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him.” Job’s hope in the Lord enabled him to endure and stand firm, even under difficult conditions. He had hope that he would come forth as gold.
Another word often used in the Bible is qavah. This means “to bind together, look patiently, tarry or wait, and hope, expect, look eagerly.” This is the context used in Isaiah 40:31, “But those who trust [hope] in the Lord shall renew their strength . . .” This is a waiting, expectant hope! A certain and sure hope in the future gives us supernatural strength, “They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Mankind can live forty days without food, three without water, up to eight minutes without air, but zero seconds without hope.
Elijah had to wait [hope, expect] for over three years for God’s deliverance from the persecution of Ahab and Jezebel. God provided food brought by ravens and water from the brook Cherith. “The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook” (1 King 17:6). Shortly afterward, God further miraculously provided for him during his stay with the widow of Zarephath (v. 10). God kept Elijah safe, provided for him throughout those three years until finally Elijah realized victory against the priests of Baal (1 Kings 18).
When we’re under extreme pressure, we usually can’t wait for it to be over, but our patience builds faith in God and accelerates our spiritual growth. I pray that if you’re in the midst of the valley, that supernatural strengthening will come. Even Jesus in the garden had angels come to minister and strengthen Him for the hour ahead. Therefore, that is what I decree and pray for you: ministering angels to come to you in the midst of the fire, of the shedding, of the loss of vision, of the anxiety, of the dryness and brittleness of your bones—an impartation to get you through, to make it through.
There’s a certain point where it looks as though and feels as though you’ve lost every “feather,” but don’t draw back, don’t give up. Move toward your destiny, toward the joy, because the Lord is there. The tears wash away the grit so that you can see. Let them flow. Be patient that God will restore your vision. You will arise as the dawn, with a powerful, fresh, and new anointing. Transformed, changed, refreshed, renewed, so that you can soar into even higher heavenly realms.
You may still have some bald patches, because you’ve been so focused on what made you naked. You may have internalized the pain or disqualified yourself through your wounds to become angry, bitter, or hurt. Nevertheless, don’t let those scars wound you, let God transform them into badges of honor. There is a power of Christ—let it rest upon you to ease your trembling. There is power coming on you in your pain, and in your hurt. You don’t have to remain Jacob; you can be Israel. Yes, you’ll walk with a limp and scars from the deep wounds and dark nights, but “joy comes in the morning” (Ps. 30:5).
APOSTOLIC SCARS
If you’ve been through the wilderness, share God’s promises with those going through it, just as mature eagles drop food to the molting ones. Immature eagles may turn on them, but you’ve been through the molt, and understand. Those who likewise fed me, now I can count as true friends. That’s a good thing, because the ministry can be a lonely place. Some may only love you for what you bring, but those that truly love you will drop you meat. There are many eaglets in the Body of Christ looking for the covering of another. They are looking for love, transparency, vulnerability, acceptance, all that the Lord has given you through the process. It’s important that we tell each other how God has sustained us in these times and how our lives have been changed and transformed by the revelations God has given us. It’s important to remind others of the joy set before them.
Every wilderness time is unique, and every journey there because of different circumstances, but the one thing holds true, that God will never leave nor forsake anyone.
Not too long ago I was sharing with my friend Rick Joyner about some of the trials I’d been through during this season. I confessed the things that hurt and he told me that it was good to share and let people know what I’d gone through. He said that what I’d been through would follow me the rest of my life, like a limp. I said, “Limp?” Rick replied, “Yeah, like a limp.” Then I understood. “Wow, praise God, I’ve got a limp!” I said, “Praise God, I’ve got a cross! Praise God I’ll always carry about in my body apostolic scars and the dying of the Lord Jesus!” Why? So that Jesus’ life manifests in a greater way.
Whether your suffering spans six months or six years or more, guaranteed you’ll cry out to the Lord, “How long, O Lord? How long?” but trust with expectant hope, that God will lead you through the process and then out of the wilderness and that you’ll soar higher and with greater vision, strength, power, and vitality, than you can ever believe possible, just as I have. Remember that your body is carrying the dying of the Lord Jesus, so that His life may manifest there. Trust in this joy set before you, the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus Christ!
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GOD BLESS YOU!
You won’t want to miss the next two-part prophetic teaching, a powerful and perfect follow-up to this one, titled, The Forgotten Power of the Cross, by Kevin Basconi, an associate of Fresh Fire Ministries and founder of King of Glory Ministries International. His revelatory teaching will encourage you to move from a natural understanding of the cross, to a supernatural one. Learn what it really means to exalt, embrace, and bear the cross, and discover those things that hinder you from doing so.
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