THE POWER OF PAIN
SCRIPTURE: Romans 8:22 “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.”
INTRODUCTION:
All nature suffers at the present time with the strong injuring the weak, the rich charming the poor, the wild animals destroying the weaker ones, and thorns, thistles and weeds destroying the crops. The
earth groans under this torture. "Dictionary of Bible Types"
Pain (n) 1. A feeling of distress resulting from the stimulation of certain nerve endings by some physical injury or disorder. 2. Mental suffering, as anxiety, grief, etc.
One of the lessons from the scripture lessons today may be one we don’t particularly want to hear. Before the resurrection there is a cross. Good Friday comes before Easter. The hard lesson for today is: sooner or later life will involve us in real pain. Russell Metcalfe
THE POWER OF PAIN
I. PONDERING OVER PAIN
II. PROFITING IN PAIN
III. PREVAILING THROUGH PAIN
IV. PERISHING IN PAIN
I. PONDERING OVER PAIN
A. National Liberty by pain.
1. Our [national] liberty was purchased by pain and death; and our liberty has been protected by pain and death. Warren W. Wiersbe
2. History itself shows us that human progress can only be made when somebody
suffers for that which is true and right. Warren W. Wiersbe
B. Protected by pain.
Pain in the body is a signal (alarm) that something is wrong. Without it, we would die
from neglect.
C. Purified by pain.
1. Pain will insist that you stop your daily routine.
2. Pain will cause you to stop and think.
3. Pain will cause you to look at your priorities.
4. Pain (physical, emotional, or spiritual) often will bring you to, or closer to Christ.
Some people turn against God when they go through suffering, but this need not
be so. You and I can be drawn closer to God by faith when we are going
through the furnace of pain. Warren W. Wiersbe
People purified by pain can minister to people in pain.
D. The deepest pains are not physical; they are emotional and spiritual. W. W. Wiersbe
Consider the rejection of Joseph by his brothers. Genesis 37:23 – 24 Picture in your
mind Joseph looking up from the pit at his ten brothers. Ten pairs of eyes
looking back at Joseph.
II. PROFITING IN PAIN
A. It requires pain to grow.
I Peter 5:10 “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory
by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”
B. Pain is humbling.
Paul’s thorn in the flesh helped him remember that he was still human walking in flesh.
II Corinthians 12:7 “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance
of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.”
C. Birth requires pain.
1. Physical birth.
John 16:21 “A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is
come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.”
Females accept the certainty of pain and the possibility of death when they desire to have a baby.
2. Spiritual birth.
Genesis 30:1 “And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die.”
a. It is painful when the Church is not growing.
b. It is painful when the Church is growing.
Rachel later gave birth to Joseph, a type of Christ.
Rachel died giving birth to Benjamin.
Genesis 35:16 “And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labor. 35:17 And it came to pass, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said unto her, Fear not; thou shalt have this son also. 35:18 And it came to pass, as her soul was in departing, (for she died) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin.”
[As we encounter pain on behalf of our Lord and Savior], we must remember that pain today means glory and honor tomorrow. Warren W. Wiersbe
Romans 8:18 “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
III. PREVAILING THROUGH PAIN
A. The weeping of a prophet. (Emotional)
Lamentations 1:15 “The LORD hath trodden under foot all my mighty men in the midst
of me: he hath called an assembly against me to crush my young men: the LORD hath trodden the virgin, the daughter of Judah, as in a winepress. 1:16 For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed. 1:17(a) Zion spreadeth forth her hands, and there is none to comfort her:”
B. The singing of an apostle. (Physical)
Acts 16:16 -->
Acts 16:22 “And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 16:23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 16:24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”
C. The crucifying of the Christ. (Spiritual)
1. Acquainted with grief.
Isaiah 53:3 “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”
2. It was pain, in the Garden of Gethsemane that brought forth the sweat as great drops of blood from Christ.
Luke 22:44 “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
3. It was pain that caused Christ to say “remove this cup from me.”
Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me:
nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”
4. It was pain that Christ endured for your healing.
Isaiah 53:4 “Surely he hath born our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did
esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”
5. It was pain that Christ endured for your salvation.
6. It was pain and death that a righteous and holy God required to settle the sin debt.
But Christ prevailed over the power of pain!!!
Matthew 28:18 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” This includes the power of pain.
IV. PERISHING IN PAIN
A. In Eternity for the Saint, there will be no more pain.
Revelation 21:4 “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall
be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”
B. In Eternity for the Sinner, there will be nothing but pain.
The unsaved person had better enjoy this world all he can because it’s the only Heaven
he will ever see!!! Warren W. Wiersbe
1. The beginning of sorrows for the sinner.
Matthew 24:7 “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
2. Throughout the Tribulation period.
Revelation 16:9 “And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. 16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.”
3. Throughout Eternity there will be Weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Revelation 20:11 “And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Matthew 8:11 “And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 8:12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
CONCLUSION
Are you in pain this evening?
1. Is your pain physical? Isaiah tells us that by His stripes we are healed.
James says in 5:14 “Is any sick among you? 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: 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
2. Is your pain emotional?
John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world
giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have
peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
3. Is your pain spiritual?
Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
