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Prayer &
The Holy Spirit Part 11 The Problem of Pain We live in a fallen world for two reasons. These
basic reasons are why Satan has so much success in the world and sometimes in
our own life. Temptation, trials and suffering test our ability to pray.
James was convinced that our suffering was linked to sin, either Adam’s or
our own. James 5:14-16. 1. Suffering because of Adam’s sin and it’s During temptations or trials, we need to use prayer
the most, but that is often when we neglect it. The old saying, “we are our
own worst enemy” describes our human desires being the opposite to God’s
desires. He wants us to ask for help and healing. God (love) desires us to
faithfully ask, believing that He will help us through any trial. 1st Pet.
5:7. This is the same emotion every good father has towards his children.
Good parents love to be asked for help and guidance. The apostle Paul used prayer in reference to his
“thorn in the flesh”, and he was given a divine answer which is the same
answer we are given, when it seems our “thorn in the flesh” is left to
‘fester’, 2nd Cor. 12:6-10. We learn to count these things as joy, and not as
an infestation of more pain, James 1:2-5. Not that trials are joyous, but
that we can choose to focus on the future strength to come, and wisdom to
learn about. This is not accomplished by ignoring prayer! This begins in
trusting God for the future outcome of a trial to be positively strengthening
or enlightening. This very attitude takes faith, and once we believe God has
our best interest at heart from within the trial, THEN, we can actually pray
thankfully for the trial to be used by God in strengthening and/or
enlightening us. We cannot do anything about the consequences of
Adam’s sin. But we can do something about our own sin. Repentance is
essential in pleasing God and having a good conscience towards Him. But how
do we repent? Peter lived and taught the practice of prayer in repentance.
Acts 8:22, Here Peter prayed for Simon to change. Do we use prayer to deal
with our motives which cause pain and suffering? John the Baptist told
followers, “bear fruit worthy of repentance” Mat. 3:8-10. There is A LOT we
can do about the temptations and trials we face today, to stop them from
becoming sin, prayer is essential. There is a vicious never-ending circle of
sin causing suffering and suffering causing more sin, which can only be
broken with the practice of combining prayer with faith in the written
promises of God. The Holy Spirit ‘grieves’ in respect to our
sinfulness, Psalm 78:39-41 & Eph. 4:30. But a grieving Parent will always
listen to a remorseful child. It’s the rebellious child which Parents find
hard to tolerate. God will turn away his ears from apostate children. If our
lives wander away from his will and word, we may be grieving Him. The Holy
Spirit will intercede if we remain honest in confession with our prayers.
Asking for forgiveness in the midst of suffering is sweet incense to God,
acceptable and desired, Mat. 6:12. No matter how mature and innocent we may
feel we are, there is always a need for us to confess our sinfulness and ask
God to cleanse us from sin unknown, Psa. 73:21-23 & Prv 5:21, making in
us a pure heart. Proverbs 20:9 & Psalm 51:9-10. The apostle
John was convinced that we are sinners of sin which can kill us, and sin
which is not unto death. 1st John 5:16-17. Sin is sin, and when we are in
Jesus Christ, we need his holiness to cover our sins we are ignorant of. The Holy Spirit’s role is to intercede in our
prayers and to apply the blood of Christ on our hearts, Heb. 11:28, 1st
Peter 1:2. He also writes the law of God on our hearts, Jer. 31:33 & 2nd
Cor. 3:1-3. So why do we neglect confession of sin in prayer? If we walk in
the light and have fellowship, the blood of Christ continually cleanses us.
1st John 1:7. This of course will not automatically eliminate pain, but it
will strengthen us to cope with pain, temptations and trials. If you believe
and pray! |