Did you ever get a gift for Christmas that you didn't want?
I have. When I was a Kid, at Christmas time, when other kids were getting foot balls, skate boards race tracks, etc.
I was getting converse tennis shoes, pants, shirts, Etc stuff like that.
I confess, I'm ashamed of myself now, because I didn't understand how important those things were, and the expense on my parents.
But as a little kid, it seemed to me like my parents had this conspiracy with anyone in the family, that if they got us anything it had to be clothes.
Like I said, I'm ashamed of it now, but at the time, I didn't appreciate it at all. I felt like I was being cheated. I didn't want clothes. I wanted toys.
And I wasn't very good at hiding my disappointment. In fact I didn't even try to hide it. My face broadcasted it to everyone in the room.
Mom and Dad smiled as I pulled the pants or the shirt out of the box, and they said isn't that nice, aren't you thankful? But the truth is, I wasn't thankful at all, why? Because I had received an unwanted gift.
As we study the Bible we come to know and recognize Jeremiah as the weeping prophet.
Jeremiah said of himself... Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people. Jeremiah 9: 1
Why was Jeremiah known as the weeping prophet? Or let me make it clearer. Why was Jeremiah always weeping?
You could say that it was because it made him sad to see all the horrible things that happened to the children of Israel, and you would be about 10% right. I'm sure it did grieve him to see the suffering of the children of Israel. But the real reason Jeremiah wept, was more than just what he saw, it was what he felt.
You see, to be a true representative and spokesman for God, he had to not only see, but he also had to feel. When God chooses someone to speak for him, be doesn’t just want their mouths, He wants their hearts also. Jeremiah not only wept for all of Israels sufferings he also wept for their sin, their stubbornness, their pride and their rebellion.
Jeremiah was like a giant tornado siren, that didn't just blast a warning, but he poured out his heart through his tears.
Jeremiah's heart was knit with the heart of God. His weeping was a visible expression of Gods mercy, his long suffering, and also of the Judgment that God had to bring on his rebellious children.
Have you ever had to punish rebellion in your children? You punished them, and it hurt your heart to do it, but you knew that rebellion had to be punished. Jeremiah wept with God, as he pronounced Gods Judgement on the rebellious children of Israel.
Jeremiah never once took joy in the suffering or the punishment of the children of Israel.
But he stood and faithfully and tearfully warned the children of Israel of the consequences of their sins. But they continuously rebelled, and resisted God's will, and chose their own rebellious path. This grieved the heart of the weeping prophet and he finally said, I can’t do this anymore.
Jeremiah 20:9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him nor speak anymore in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in mine bones, and I was weary with forbearing and I could not stay.
One of the things that brought such grief to the heart of Jeremiah was that he saw so much corruption and deception in the ministry. Priests, prophets, pastors, they had all forsaken the paths of righteousness, and they all were working together like a syndicate to make money off of the people. They had no heart for the people, they saw them only as a business proposition.
In Jeremiah 5:30-31 the prophet said... A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; [31] The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
Then in Jeremiah 6:13-14 he said... For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. [14] They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
Jeremiah identifies the horrible thing that is happening, how the whole religious system had become a syndicate, a racket for taking from the people. And then Jeremiah said… My people love to have it so.
In other words, the people didn't care that it was all a racket, as long as the priests, prophets, and pastors, would tell them what they wanted to hear.
The same attitude was expressed here in Isa 30:10 Say to the seers, see not, and to the prophets, prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.
I want you to hear what really stirred Jeremiah 6:14 He said… They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, peace, peace; when there is no peace.
Jeremiah is saying that the priests and prophets and pastors were dealing deceptively with the people, in a sense like as if a Dr would put a band aid on a cancer and tell the patient, you will be fine. This was one of the things that broke Jeremiah's heart.
But it was not just the deception of the ministry. But it was also the addiction of the people to the deception. God offered the children of Israel the path to true healing and soundness and wholeness, through humility, submission, and obedience.
But it was the gift no body wanted. They didn't want correction, instruction, and submission and obedience.
Now I want us to pick up our text again...
Philippians 1:29 KJV For unto you it is "given" in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.
Now let's look it this verse in the message Bible...
Philippians 1:27 MSG - There’s far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There’s also suffering for him. And the "suffering is as much a gift" as the trusting.
We're at the time of year when most preachers, especially prophets, and pastors, Start casting their vision for the new year.
It's usually about more blessings, more breakthrough, greater harvest of souls, greater anointing, restoration and healing. And you very rarely hear anything that would sound like a negative confession. And I have to confess that I want to be as positive as possible, and I want to agree with every positive prophecy of the future.
I'm like Jeremiah, I don't want to be the lonely voice speaking out contrary to all the prophets who are only prophesying more, more, more. More Joy, more people, more prosperity More stuff, more money, more anointing. Who doesn't like that?
I love to speak prophetically of the more, the double portion, the fresh anointing of fire.
But I have to say something... Here it is, I believe our text is a prophecy for 2024.
I'm not saying that we shouldn't expect more from God, and greater things as we move toward a new year. But what I am saying is that I believe in 2024 the church is going to get the gift nobody wants.
I don't think you have to be a prophet, or even prophetic to see that suffering for Jesus is in our future.
The animosity, the anger, the hatred that is being directed at the Jews, will ultimately be redirected toward Christians. Because the truth is, this antisemitism and hatred of the Jews, is really about one Jew, and his name is Jesus Christ. And anyone who identifies with him, is going to be the target of persecution.
I think instead of just practicing our rapture lift off, I think we should be trying to help people get ready for what's coming in the earth.
I do believe that God is going to bless his people. I do believe in divine prosperity. But I also know that Bible says... All that live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution.
And many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of them all.
What I feel the Holy Spirit is saying to us in this hour is this. Help my people to identify and embrace the gift that nobody wants. Help them to recognize that suffering for their faith with me, is not a evil curse cast upon them, but it is in fact a gift from God.
Let's go back to our text in the Message Bible...
Philippians 1:27 MSG - There’s far more to this life than trusting in Christ. There’s also suffering for him. And the "suffering is as much a gift" as the trusting.
There's more to this life than just trusting in Jesus. That's a tremendous gift. For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves, it is the " gift of God", not of works lest any man should boast.
But now Paul is speaking of another gift, it's called suffering for Christs sake. Paul says, it is given, meaning we have been gifted the gift no body wants... The gift to suffer for Jesus sake.
Nobody wants to suffer just for the sake of suffering, but it is actually a gift, a grace, an honor, a privilege to suffer with Jesus, and for Jesus.
In fact the scriptures actually go so far as to say that suffering is actually the door way to the throne...
2 Timothy 2:12-13 KJV If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: [13] If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
Then look at this verse...
1 Peter 4:13 KJVS But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
And here's another verse...
1 Peter 3:14 KJV But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled.
I'm no different than you, in my flesh, I do not want to suffer. The truth is, I go out of my way to avoid suffering. But the Holy spirit is shining a light on Biblical suffering. And the Holy Spirit is making the point that to suffer for Jesus sake is a gift.
The point is, the majority of the body of Christ looks upon suffering as an evil demonic work that is never supposed to touch our lives, and that we are to make every effort to avoid at all costs. But the Holy spirit is saying that you are honored by God, if you accept the gift of suffering for Jesus.
Here’s another Scripture...
1 Pet 4:19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a Faithful creator.
I think the Holy Spirit is trying to prepare us to receive the gift that nobody wants... Suffering!
Too many times we have suffered a little bit of criticism for our faith, and instead of receiving it joyfully as a gift from God, we do like I did, we're unthankful, we feel like God some how is cheating us, because we wanted the toys, we didn't want to suffer.
But Paul said: 1 Co 13:11 KJV When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
I believe we're at a time in the Spirit when God is saying, it's time to grow up. As I have grown and matured in life, I have discovered that some of the greatest gifts in my life, we're unwanted and unappreciated at the time.
Do you realize that the greatest gift you can give a giver is to be thankful, and show appreciation. It will probably sound crazy but the truth is, the greatest gift that we can receive as a Christian is to suffer for Christ sake... to be so identified with him that we share in his sufferings.
Listen to these words from the great Apostle Paul.
Philippians 3:10 KJV He said...That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.
*So I get it, yes praise God... that I may know him.
*And yes hallelujah I get it... that I might know the power of his resurrection.
But here comes the gift that hardly anyone wants "the fellowship of his sufferings"
Paul says... I want the gift nobody wants. I want to know the fellowship of his sufferings.
In other words Paul is saying... I want to fellowship with him in his sufferings.
Paul is saying, I want to be so identified with Jesus that the anger, the hate, the criticism, the persecution, and the abuse that comes to him, also comes to me.
Wow, what a way to rip victory from the jaws of satan.
Think about this... When suffering for and with Jesus becomes your hearts desire, and you consider it a feast to suffer with Jesus. You have just ripped the fangs out of the jaws of hell, and left the devil with a mouth full of broken teeth.
This is what the Holy Spirit deposited in my spirit to give to you... Persecution is coming to the body of Christ in America, on a level we have never known before.
We can either fear it, and dread it, and run away and try to hide from it. Or we can square our shoulders, and pick up our heads, and slap the devil across the face, and embrace the gift that nobody wants, and count it a badge of honor to fellowship with Jesus in his sufferings.
2 Co 1:7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
Are you ready to receive the gift that nobody wants?
