However, that does not mean He is mysterious because He has revealed Himself quite extensively in the Bible, nature, and especially in Jesus, who shows us a wonderful picture of what the Triune God is like, to the point that we can truly and intimately know Him well.
I hear the phrase "God works in mysterious ways," most often when an event or experience is beyond human comprehension or understanding, whether it be good or bad, and deemed impossible, leaving people totally bewildered, frustrated, and in despair because there are no ready or easy answers to explain their experience or circumstances. If you search for this phrase on Google, you will discover 22,800,000 results!
The phrase is related to the "everything happens for a reason" response when people believe God is working things for good, and though they might not immediately know that good outcome, if they look for it, they will find it. These phrases are a 'spiritual' way to say God is responsible and or allowed something to happen, whether good or bad. It is an eternal truth that God's ways and thoughts are different and higher than ours, but does that make them a mysterious Biblical truth or act of God?
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV)
The truth is if we seek, we shall find (Matthew 7:7–8), and "those who seek the Lord understand all things" (Proverbs 28:5).
The Mystery of God's Hiddenness
As Isaiah wondered at the unsearchable mystery of God's ways, he personally said numerous times that God could hide Himself (Isaiah 1:15; 8:17; 19:20). The Psalmist asked, "Why do You hide Your face and forget our affliction and oppression? (Psalm 44:24) Human beings don't always know what God is doing (Isaiah 55:9).
The word 'mystery' is not found in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the word "mystery" does not involve any idea of mysteriousness in the modern sense. The Greek word most often translated as "mystery" is "mustérion" (moos-tay'-ree-on) which means a secret that is known to some but incapable of being known to all until it is revealed in time in one form or another and is first used regarding the will of God and His counsels that were once hidden in the Old Testament but now revealed in the Gospels as particular truths or details of Christian revelation. The word is a derivative of 'muo' (to shut the mouth), a secret or "mystery" through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites.
Jesus used 'musterion' once to refer to the mysteries or secrets about the Kingdom that He revealed and explained to His disciples (Matthew 13:11; Mark 4:11; Luke 8:10). The Apostle Paul used it 21 times, and the 'secret' was already known from previous revelation or revealed and explained in the context (Romans 11:25; 6:25; Ephesians 1:9; 3:1–13; 5:32; 6:19; 1 Corinthians 15:51; Colossians 1:25-27;2:2; 4:3; 1 Timothy 3:16).
He gave a definition when he wrote:
"Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." (Colossians 1:24-29 ESV)
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the MYSTERY of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth." (Ephesians 1:9 ESV – emphasis mine)
The greater use of the word "mystery" is about things that were a mystery in the Old Testament but are now disclosed (unveiled) in the New Testament in the person and work of Jesus only after a person surrenders in repentance and trusting-faith to Him as Lord and Savior (Ephesians 6:19; 1 Timothy 3:9,16). It includes the Jews and the Gentiles becoming interwoven in God's plan of redemption through Jesus (Romans 11:25; 16:25; Ephesians 3:4-9; Colossians 1:26-27; 2:2; 4:3). God will reveal what He wants when He wants to whom He wants (Exodus 33:19).
The word is also used regarding God's timing at the end of days when the man of lawlessness is "revealed" while "the MYSTERY of lawlessness is already at work" (2 Thessalonians 2:6-8 ESV – emphasis mine). The mystery is known to God and Christians as well as to the enemy. The word "mystery" stands in sharp contrast with the word "revealed" that the secret has not yet come. The final four uses of 'musterion' refer to a symbol that needs to be decoded (Revelation 1:20; 10:7;17:5,7).
The phrase "God works in mysterious ways" is not found in the Bible in any derivative. It is a line from the Church hymn originally titled "Light Shining out of Darkness" and later changed to "God Moves in a Mysterious Way" in 1773 by English poet William Cowper [Cooper] (1731-1800).
"God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform; he plants his footsteps in the sea, and rides upon the storm.
Deep in unfathomable mines, of never-failing skill; he fashions up his bright designs, and works his sovereign will.
Ye fearful saints fresh courage take, the clouds that you much dread, are big with mercy and will break in blessings on your head.
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust him for his grace; behind a frowning providence, he hides a smiling face.
His purposes will ripen fast, unfolding every hour; the bud may have a bitter taste, but sweet will be the flower.
Blind unbelief is sure to err and scan his work in vain; God is his own interpreter, and he will make it plain."
The author, and his brother John, were the only two among seven children to survive past infancy. At age six, his mother died giving birth to John, leaving William deeply distraught. He moved from school to school before landing at Westminster School in 1742, where he was bullied mercilessly by older students. While studying for a career in law as a young adult, he fell in love with his cousin Theodora and sought her hand in marriage. Her father refused to consent to the marriage, and they never were. William was left bitter and heartbroken, adding to his suffering from bouts of relentless depression that bordered on insanity throughout his life.
In 1763, he was offered a position as a clerk of journals in the House of Lords, but the examination for the job terrified him and he tried to drown himself in the River Thames. As he was ready to jump in, he noticed a strange man observing him and returned home in search of a more private way to end his life. The next day he fell on a knife and the blade broke off! He then tried to hang himself but was rescued while unconscious and revived. Following these unsuccessful suicide attempts, Cowper was sent to an asylum for treatment, which turned out to be a place of grace because he was under the care of Dr. Nathaniel Cotton, an evangelical believer who showed him the love of Jesus. Cowper picked up a copy of the Bible he found at the Asylum and opened it. The pages fell upon the following verse;
"Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God." (Romans 3:25 KJV)
He came to believe that it was God who intervened in his suicide attempts and had sustained him through his life and opened his blind spiritual eyes that day. It is said that he was converted to a saving hope in Jesus Christ, but apparently not the propensity for depression and feeling sorry for himself. In 1767, two years after leaving the asylum, Cowper moved to Olney, England, and met John Newton, who had been a slave trader turned preacher, author of the famous hymn "Amazing Grace," and a member of the clergy of the church at Olney. Newton mentored and encouraged Cowper to use his gift of words for evangelistic purposes. Sadly, there were numerous additional suicides attempted afterward, and seven years later, Cowper was finally successful in murdering himself and died on April 25, 1800.
The Spiritual Root of Depression
All forms of depression, which is the state of feeling sad, dejected, and hopeless, including the type Cowper suffered from, have its roots in constant worry and anxiety. It is often a result of not getting what we want - the way we want it - when we want it. It can show up as irritability, anger, and discouragement and can even lead to thoughts of suicide. It can be very difficult to recognize and is often masked behind problems such as alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence, troubled relationships, excessive work hours, poor grades at school, and difficulty in thinking and concentration.
Researchers know that adults who suffer from depression are often anxious as children. The stress of unresolved negative emotions that cause depression have their spiritual and emotional roots in self-bitterness, self-condemnation, guilt, anxiety, hopelessness, unforgiveness, anger, rage, and hostility and have been credited for up to 75% of all hospital stays.
When a person doesn't forgive those who have caused them hurt or suffering for any reason, or even if they have experienced a painful tragedy, they will have great difficulty dealing with any stressful situation throughout their life.
Is God Incomprehensible?
The infinite Majestic God revealed in the Bible is not some impersonal universal mind or consciousness that fills space and matter. There is only one eternal God who always existed in eternity past and into eternity future in three persons – God, the Father, God - the Son, Jesus Christ, and God, the Holy Spirit, who each have their own personal spirit-body, mind, and spirit. Jesus is not the Father's offspring, nor is the Holy Spirit the "ghost" or effluence of God. They are unique and separate individuals with their personalities and are not the essential parts of one Being. They have always existed together with no point of origin, which is beyond all human comprehension and understanding. Hence, it is an act of futility and can lead to heresy trying to explain it.
God is ultimately unknowable (incomprehensible), yet He makes Himself known through His communicable attributes, which are those we share with Him, such as love, mercy, goodness, and kindness (Job 5:9; 36:26; Psalm 145:3; Isaiah 40:28; Romans 1:19-20; 11:33). It is His incommunicable attributes that will forever remain a mystery, including His omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, omnibenevolence, omnificence, and aseity.
The Goodness of God
God is a good God, and He would never actively bring about overt acts of evil, suffering or pain, or sin even though He has foreknowledge of evil deeds (See also Deuteronomy 28:51-57; Proverbs 4:11; Jeremiah 38:17-18; Ezekiel 3:6-7; Matthew 12:7; 17:27; 23:27-32; 24:43, 26:24; Luke 4:24-44, 16:30-31, 22:67-68; John 15:22-24, 18:36, 21:6; 1 Corinthians 2:8). God does not unilaterally or causally determine every outcome of any unforeseen event as that would be at the expense of human freedom.
Quantum Physics helps us understand that human beings possess libertarian free will to choose or do anything because they are more than mere physical beings. It is a phenomenon of the present rather than the past. God does not want anyone to die an eternal death because of what they have done.
"This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:4 ESV)
The Triune God wants everyone to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, repent of their rebellion and sin, and submit their life to Him as a free act of love. He gave them the freedom to make that choice (See also Ezekiel 18:23; John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9). When a person chooses to accept the gift of salvation, God instantly chooses them out of the world of lost, guilty sinners. This choice was already made in eternity past for those who would call upon Him (See Ephesians 1:4). The purpose of this choice is their perfect standing before Him because of what Jesus did on their behalf.
"If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." (John 15:19 ESV)
As a result of the price Jesus paid for the release from the bondage of sin, the Born-Again Christian no longer belongs to the world; they now belong to Jesus! When a person becomes a child of God, they are predestined to be conformed or molded into the likeness of Jesus.
"For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers." (Romans 8:29 ESV)
Christians should naturally grow and mature as children of God, so it is only natural that they reflect His character and qualities, including love!
God's Possession
"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you."... "Therefore the world hates you." (John 15:16,19 ESV)
Every Christian is God's possession and is considered "holy and blameless before him" (Ephesians 1:4 ESV). He owns them and has the exclusive right to authority over them. They are now and forever more without blame. Their sins have been forgiven, and the guilt of sin has been pardoned. They are holy in position because the righteousness of Jesus completely covers them.
The election of the Born-gain Christian is "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be yours in abundance" (1 Peter 1:2 ESV).
The proof that a person is a Born-Again Christian and now the possession of Jesus is made evident by outward signs and will automatically bring about changes in their moral character and behavior. They must intentionally "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience” (Colossians 3:12 ESV).
The Foreknowledge of God
Because God is, well, God, He can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants, and however He wants because He has sovereign control over the unfolding of history while human beings remain genuinely free. He knows everything, including every possible future and all possible outcomes, and retains His divine providence without hindering the libertarian freedom of each human being (See Genesis 50:20). It is altogether natural for God to know the logical truths of the Cosmos, such as how many solar systems there are, as well as all potential events that might occur in different circumstances.
The Quantum world reveals that because of God's omniscience, He has complete free knowledge of all logical truth in every potential situation, whether before the beginning, at the ending, or in the middle, under all possible interpretations of any component. In His infinite wisdom, before He spoke the universe into existence, He knew independently what a person would freely chose, whether good or bad. He planned for every contingency because He knows everything that will or does happen, including what each person would do given any possible circumstance, and then arranges the world in such a way as to bring about His will using their free choices just as a parent can understand their child's choices in a given situation, whether or not they actually make them. He perfectly accomplishes His will in their lives (See Matthew 11:23).
The sovereignty of God's providence can elect the Christian, and they can also come to God freely by their choice without being contradictory or predetermined. It affirms that God grants salvation while allowing every human being to freely accept, resist, or even reject the Gospel message of His grace because He definitively knows if a person were placed into a particular situation, they would not reject it.
God's grace is unequivocally necessary for any act towards salvation. He does not create a world based upon assessing a person's choices that are freely made in a specific situation and circumstance and then creates the world based upon that evaluation. God has providential control and foreknowledge of multiple possibilities that every free will choice could bring or cause.
I have concluded that the condition of grace is dependent upon the free consent of the will. God alone grants salvation. Because God is love, He gave humans the free will to choose to accept or reject Him and to love or hate Him. God knows everything within the past, present, and future simultaneously. He knew that sin would enter the world, but He is not the author of sin, suffering, or pain because He is a good God. He knows the possibilities of every circumstance and every different choice a human might make. He knows logically all possible and necessary things, as well as all possible combinations of every event and choice. God can draw those He knows will be drawn by the relevant circumstances, and they will experience Him working in all things to produce good in a situation they are in or a message He wants them to hear.
Do All Things Work Together for Good?
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28 NIV)
I have hung my life on this verse, which has been used historically to teach that every situation, no matter how terrible, will turn out "good" if a person loves God. A major reason for that is the way it has been translated into many versions, such as the KJV and ESV.
The context of the verse is the fallen world, and the entire world is subject to the bondage of corruption, which is so widespread that the whole world is groaning in pain. The Christian groans in pain, and even Jesus and the Holy Spirit groan in pain (See Romans 8:21-26). The groaning in this context is worldwide and covers all of creation itself.
Grammatically, the Greek text can be translated in two different ways, with two completely different meanings. In Greek, the phrase "all things" can be nominative (the subject) or accusative (the direct object or used adverbially). If it is nominative, then the verse should be translated as it is in many versions: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God…" (KJV). This particular translation has a lot of defenders. That is in part because, since the time of Augustine (AD 354-430), the majority of the Christian theologians have been Augustinian/Roman Catholic/Calvinist/Reformed or of that theological persuasion. They believe that everything that happens, good or bad, is God's will, and they translate the Greek in a way that supports that belief.
The problem with this interpretation is that it is very clear from both the Bible and life itself that everything does not work for good for those who love God. In fact, everything does not even work for good for God Himself. God wants everyone to be saved, but they will not all be; He wants people to come to a knowledge of the truth, but they all do not; He wants people to obey and love Him, but they do not.
"This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:3-4 ESV)
"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9 ESV)
These verses do not mean God makes all people desire to seek Him, nor do they insinuate He alone determines a person's actions by coercion, and free will has nothing to do with it because that would mean there is actually no human freedom of willful choice.
The simple fact is that all things do not work together for good just because a person loves God. God cannot make everything good, but in every situation, He works for the good of those who love Him. Just as by His sovereign power, He entered into the world as human flesh in the person of Jesus, He will put forth power "sunergeo" on behalf of every Christian in every situation they find themselves in and come alongside to work together, assisting and helping in every event they will face in their life in order to produce what He knows to be the very best for them because He is a good God.
God uses the mysterious things that happen in our lives to mold us into the image of Jesus and transform/renew our minds (Romans 12:1-2). Just because a person can't make sense of what is happening around them doesn't mean that God is causing the confusion because His ways are mysterious. God simply does not work in mysterious ways, and all things do not work together for good. It is an empirical fact that God does desire ALL people to come to repentance and be saved.
The 'Allow' Issue
The English word "allow" is defined as 'to permit with full approval, consent to, forbear or neglect to restrain or prevent.' There is NO instance in the Old or New Testament that the words ‘allow,' 'approve,' 'permit,' or 'consent to' (Heb: 'Nathan' - Gk: Aphiemi; Eao; Suneudokeo) are used about evil directed by God at a covenant child, let alone a Born-Again Christian. It is most often used quite to the contrary as "not allow," "not permit," "not approve," or "not consent."
God does not 'cause' or 'allow' bad things to happen so that He can test or try one's faith to make them a "better" or "stronger" person or to discipline or punish them. His great promise is that He will enter into every circumstance to make it right and work it out for the best. God doesn't create horrible circumstances so that He can provide "opportunities" to prove He is faithful or so that people can prove they trust Him during hard or trying times or grow spiritually! Nor does He use or allow suffering as "loving" correction of His children.
God desires only the best for His people, whom He calls His Bride because He is head over heels in love with her (Revelation 21:9). He desires to pour out (not restrain!) blessing upon blessing to those who trust Him with their entire being. He will never neglect His Bride or prevent her from experiencing deep intimacy when she cries out in desperate longing for more of Him. He has blessed His people with every spiritual blessing (See Ephesians 1:3). He only gives gifts that are good and perfect (See James 1:17).
"Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every GOOD gift and every PERFECT gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1:16-17 ESV – emphasis mine)
It is the kind and merciful goodness of God that leads a person to repentance.
"Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? "(Romans 2:4 NKJV)
If a person allows/permits someone drunk to drive their car, and they kill someone, they are legally responsible, just as the person who got drunk. God does not condone, permit, allow, give, punish, or approve of suffering, sickness, or any evil thing. To say or infer anything contrary is to impugn the character and nature of God, who is love.
Jesus is God and is patient and kind, not envious or boastful, not arrogant or rude. He does not insist on His own way; He is not irritable or resentful; He does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. Jesus bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things, and His love will never end. There is nothing in the universe greater than His love (see 1 Corinthians 13:4-8,13).
God gives each Born-Again Christian good and perfect gifts (Revelation 18:23, 19:7, 21:2,9, 22:17; James 1:17). Pain, suffering, sickness, and tragedy are absolutely opposed to good and perfect.
The Enemy of God
Many evil things happen to those who love God. The earth is a war zone, with the forces of good fighting the forces of evil. Sometimes the devil can hinder God's purposes. The Bible says every Born-Again Christian does not "struggle" daily "against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (Ephesians 6:12 NIV).
Humanity has an enemy who is determined to terrorize and destroy them. He is the arch-enemy of God, a real, personal being who is a created cherub that God gave great wisdom and beauty, which leads to his pride and is at the root of his downfall. He sinned against God and subsequently fell from Heaven. He afflicts human beings with physical suffering (Acts 10:38). He is the absolute opposite of the Triune God, who is love and whose character and nature are diametrically opposed to him.
The Bible calls him 'satan' (Gk: 'satanas [sat-an-as]), which means "adversary, to lie in wait." He is also known as the "devil" (Gk: diabolos), which means "an accuser, a slanderer," the "tempter" (Matthew 4:3), the "evil one" (1 John 2:13), the great "deceiver" (Revelation 12:9), the father of lies, and a murderer (John 8:44). Jesus called him the "prince of this world" and never brought into doubt the authority he continues to hold today (See John 12:31).
The devil is the ruler of the dark world full of evil spiritual forces and is at the heart of all evil. Contrary to popular belief, he is alive and well today. He is the great 'tempter' and enticed the first humans to sin and do evil by deception (1 John 3:8; Ephesians 2:2,4:27). He is the "accuser of the Brethren" who seeks divine permission to tempt every Born-Again Christian (Genesis 3; Job 1:6-11; 2:1-5; Revelation 12:9-10). The devil had the power of death brought about by sin, but Jesus triumphed over him through His death and will ultimately bring him to his end in the "Lake of Fire" (Jude 9; Hebrews 2:14; Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:10).
There is only one "devil," but there are many demons. The devil was "the model of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty." He was with Adam and Eve "in Eden, the garden of God." He was adorned with "ruby, topaz and emerald, chrysolite, onyx and jasper, sapphire, turquoise and beryl [set in] mountings made of gold." He was anointed by God and walked "blameless" in his "ways from the day" he was created until wickedness was found in him. His heart "became proud on account of" his "beauty," and his wisdom was "corrupted" because of his "splendor." God "drove" him away "from the mount of God" and threw him "to the earth" (Ezekiel 28:12-19 NIV).
The devil is still "the ruler of this world, the "prince of the power of the air," and "the god of this world" until He is cast into the "lake of fire" (John 12:31,14:30,16:11; Ephesians 2:2; 1 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 20:14 ESV). He is a "spirit" that actively "works" daily in the children of disobedience (the lost). The Greek meaning of the word "works" is energy. The devil energizes the lost to do his will. The whole world and every person who is not Born-Again is under his control (1 John 5:19).
The Bible says that all people who are NOT Born-Again are considered spiritual "children of the devil" and habitually walk in the "ways of the world" and are directed by him (John 8:44; Ephesians 2:2). The Bible tells us, "…it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother" (1 John 3:10 ESV).
Jesus told His opponents that if God had been their Father, they would have loved Him because He came from God. Like begets like. When we love and forgive, we prove we belong to God. Jesus said to those who hated Him:
"If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:42-44 ESV).
The devil waits to find our weaknesses and attack us. His primary purpose is to blind "the minds of unbelievers so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV).
One day Jesus was asked what caused a person to be born blind (See John 9). Many people of that time believed that a person could be cursed by their sin or even by their parent's sin, resulting in sickness, disease, or physical deformity. Jesus gave an amazing answer by declaring that the works of God were to be manifested in the person regardless of the cause. He said, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him" (John 9:3 ESV).
The Merciful Kindness and Goodness of God
Given God's character and nature, saying He works in mysterious ways and allows/ordains terrible things, such as sickness, is the same as saying He is responsible for it - which He is not. Saying it is His will is blaming Him indirectly for it. There is simply no Scriptural support for that supposition. The Holy God abhors evil and is separate from it (Proverbs 6:16-19; Jeremiah 7:31; Isaiah 6:3; Exodus 15:11). He does not tempt humans to sin (James 1:13).
God is a good God and the redeemer of sinful choices who only wants the best for His Bride. Sickness is not one of them. It is one of a legion of things brought about by the Fall of Adam and Eve and sin affecting the DNA of everything. The disease of dying and death is one of those things that will never be healed in this life.
God will never neglect His Bride or prevent her from experiencing deep intimacy when she cries out in desperate longing for more of Him. He has blessed her with every spiritual blessing (See Ephesians 1:3).
Suffering is as much a part of this life as air and water because we live in a sinful world. The Creator is not the author of pain and suffering, nor is He the cause. Only satan can be accused of tormenting Christians (Matthew 12:22; Acts 10:38; John 10:10; 1 John 3:8). Jesus is the great healer. He does not make people sick and miserable in suffering so He can heal them to prove He is good.
Ultimately, it doesn't matter who is to blame for sickness or disease. Most importantly, God is looking for those who will trust Him no matter what. The Bible tells us how to live a long and healthy life, but it does not promise a sickness or disease-free life because we will all die from it one day. Blame it on Adam and not God.
The devil, Jesus said, has been a "murderer from the beginning" (John 8:44). Who else would do such terrible things but the liar, deceiver, and accuser himself? The devil is the author of suffering who comes ONLY "to steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10 NIV - emphasis mine).
We should give the blame to satan where blame is due. God is not a tormentor! God does not put or allow sickness and disease or great suffering on a Born-Again Christian to teach them something or because they sinned! He does not kill loved ones or sabotage their business.
Jesus said that people "may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10b NIV). The Bible tells us that Jesus physically healed all those who were under the power of the enemy (Acts 10:38). The enemy has NO authority over a Born-Again Christian. In Greek, the word oppressed means to 'exercise dominion (rule and authority) against.'
Sickness is part of the devil's kingdom. Through the shed blood of Jesus, every Born-Again Christian has already been 'rescued'… 'from the dominion of darkness and brought" "into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1:13-14 NIV).
Jesus gave His Disciples power over the devil and all sicknesses (See Luke 9:1-2). Every Born-Again Christian has authority over the devil's power because 'greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world!" (1 John 4:4 NIV). They have already overcome the enemy (See 1 John 2:13-14). Jesus destroyed the works of the enemy and now lives within them (See 1 John 3:8). The physical body, which includes the mind and spirit, is God's dwelling place (See 1 Corinthians 6:19).
The heavenly Father does not 'put' or 'allow' suffering into a person's life to punish them, teach a lesson, or test their faith, nor does He guarantee deliverance from the suffering of this world. Suffering in any form is inevitable while living on this planet.
A great deal of suffering people experience is brought by what they do, think, and speak, just like William Cowper. The devil and his minions cannot indwell the spirit, mind, and body of a Born-Again Christian because it is now God's dwelling place, His Temple (Greek: ‘naos’), the Holy of Holies, but the enemy can motivate them by whispering in their ears. No one can say, "The devil made me do it," but they can say, "I allowed the devil to persuade me to do it."
The mind is the devil's playground. It is there that he can talk a person into doing something they should not do, and it is there that he can talk them into not forgiving themselves as well as others. Poor choices and sin cause more suffering in this world than anything else. No one wants to take responsibility for their actions, so they find someone or something else to blame. The result is that people tend to look to either God or satan to blame when, in fact, it is most often the wrong actions taken on their part and by their own free choice that cause the problems.
How do We Conquer the Forces of Darkness?
The devil is playing checkers, but God is playing Ten-dimensional chess. Pride is what gives the enemy permission to attack because "God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6 NIV). The ability to resist the enemy is contingent on walking in humility. We need to be "sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" (1 Peter 5:8 ESV).
The devil is constantly testing us. He stalks us like a lion, making a lot of noise and putting fear into the hearts of God's people. However, the devil is not a lion; he just makes noises like one. Jesus is the "Lion of the tribe of Judah" and has already triumphed over the works of satan (Revelation 5:5). The Cross defeated him, and the war's outcome has already been determined. However, daily battles still need to be fought.
"…put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." (Ephesians 6:13-18 NIV)
Resist the Devil
We are commanded to resist the devil so that he will flee from us. However, that means more than just saying "no." A condition must first be met for the devil to flee. When we intentionally sin, such as not forgiving someone, God resists us like a soldier in full battle armor. We must first "submit" ourselves to God through repentance. Then we will be able to "resist the devil" so that "he will flee from [us]" (James 4:7 NIV).
Submitting to God means laying aside our agendas and aspirations so that we will do His will. By submitting, we are, in essence, surrendering all to Him. We say, "You know what is best for me," and, "Not my will, but Yours be done."
It doesn't matter what someone does or why something awful happened to us. What matters is how we respond to it. Even in those times of suffering, we "should commit" ourselves to our "faithful Creator and continue to do good" (1 Peter 4:17-19 NIV).
We will never be able to "resist the devil" and have complete victory unless we surrender ourselves totally and completely to the Lordship of Jesus. He came for two purposes. The first was to reconcile human beings to God. Every Born-Again Christian has been given the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). When we are involved in that ministry, we are doing what pleases the Father and displeases satan. The devil finds much pleasure when we don't forgive and when there is no reconciliation with those who have hurt us or whom we have hurt.
The second reason was to destroy the "devil's work" (1 John 3:8 KJV). The good news is that we have a Savior, the Creator of the universe, living inside us, and His power has already won the war against satan!
Sadly, too many Born-Again Christians think "spiritual warfare" means saying "I rebuke you in the name of Jesus" like a magical mantra. As I previously said, if we want to resist the devil so that he will flee from us, we must first humbly submit ourselves to God. Then, as we "draw near to God," He will "draw near to [us]" (James 4:8 NKJ).
Only after a person submits to God will they be able to resist the devil so that he will flee. If a Born-Again Christian is not walking habitually in humility, submitted and obedient to the Lordship of Jesus in their life, and attempts to resist the devil, the only response they will get is the sound of his laughter echoing through the halls of Hell.
Seek Him
God "declares the end from the beginning," and we can be sure every event in a believer's life serves God's ultimate plan (See Isaiah 14:24; 46:10–11; Romans 8:28). To our minds, the way God weaves remarkable events in and through our lives may seem illogical and beyond our understanding. However, we walk by trusting-faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).
God's desire for us to seek Him is so important that it's mentioned over 8,000 times in the Bible. When we seek Him, He promises to open our understanding in supernatural ways and reveal Himself to us (See Proverbs 2:3-6; 25:2; 28:5; Jeremiah 29:13).
Ultimately God will make all the mysteries of the universe known. He's already revealed part of that mystery through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth.
"For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known." (1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV)
"For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants, the prophets.” (Amos 3:7 ESV)
The Greatest Mystery
Jesus, as a human being, loved and lived His life and spoke like no other human has ever done or ever will. Through His act of ultimate humility, He suffered and died on the Cross as completely God and completely as a human being. In His act of atonement, Jesus chose to be the legal substitute for every person, took all their sins upon Himself, and defeated the evil one completely for eternity at the Cross because He is love.
"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV)
The ultimate magnitude of God's love is manifested in the Cross, where Jesus experienced wrath on behalf of every person who has, is now, or will ever live in this world. At the Cross, the Trinity was involved as the Son paying the absolute price for the remission of sins as the final sacrificial lamb turning away divine wrath and the blood of Jesus offered through the Holy Spirit for the sins of all human beings. This act of love is the greatest mystery that came directly through love Himself (Romans 1:18, 3:25-2, 5:8-11; 16:25, 1 Corinthians 2:7, Ephesians 1:9, 3:4,9; Hebrews 9:14; Colossians 1:27).
It was the blood of God that was shed and poured out to redeem and set free all who willingly choose to accept Him as their personal Lord and Savior and become Born-Again by surrendering their life to Him (John 3:16; Acts 20:28).
The most profound mystery of God's love is that the King of the Universe - the beautiful God - the supreme Lord of all creation, knows everything we think, say and do, yet He loves us anyway and is so passionately in love with us that the Bible describes it as the love of a groom for his bride!
"Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready." (Revelation 19:7 NIV)
His heart is so ravished that He takes great "delight in us as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride" (Isaiah 62:4-5).
"You have ravished my heart, My sister, my spouse; You have ravished my heart With one look of your eyes, With one link of your necklace. How fair is your love, My sister, my spouse! How much better than wine is your love, And the scent of your perfumes Than all spices!" (Song 4:9-10 NKJV)
Jesus intercedes from Heaven for all Born-Again Christians (Matthew 3:17, 14:27; Mark 6:50; John 1:1; 1:14; 8:24,58; 10:30; Titus 2:13; 1 John 5:20). He is both love and the Word incarnate. He is the only mediator between the Triune God and human beings and is the proper and only object of a person's faith. Salvation is found in no one else (See 1 Timothy 2:5, Acts 4:12; Romans 10:9). He said that if a person does not believe He is God - the "I am" of Exodus 3:14, and receive Him a Lord - they will die in their sins (John 1:1,14, 3:18; 4:2-3, 8:24, 58; 10:30-33, 14:6; 20:28; Colossians 2:9; Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrews 1:8).
Let's Pray…
