The Power Of Pain

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:”