Power Suffering with Power

Power 

Suffering with Power

We all try to avoid suffering 

Paul asked the believers who had the Spirit of God

The Spirit of power, love and self-discipline

To join with him in suffering, Greek sugkakopatheo

“to suffer hardship in company with” 

He is asking them to join him with the “Power of God”

So next time you see suffering don’t be ashamed

Don’t be fearful

You are an overcomer by the Spirit of God that lives in you

God has gifted you with power to help the suffering

Suffering with Power

sugkakopatheo

NT:4777 sugkakopatheo (soong-kak-op-ath-eh'-o);

from NT:4862 and NT:2553;

to suffer hardship in company with

If a fellow Christian asks you to go with them on an

all-inclusive vacation of your choice would you go?

It is wonderful to share the joys of life together.

 Those times are not only enjoyable,

 but they build relationships.

The apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 1:8 is asking

for those who have received God’s

Spirit of power, love and self-discipline…

Those who don’t live with the spirit of timidity…

 To join with him in suffering.

Paul says don’t be ashamed about the message of God or

ashamed of him as a prisoner because of the message.

Paul recognizes he is in a place of suffering

and suffering makes us uncomfortable.

I know people who say they can’t go

to visit a hospital or a funeral home.

They are too weak to help

their friends in suffering.

When society justly or unjustly condemns a person,

 people become afraid to be around the condemned.

Remember the suffering Jesus went

through, where were His friends?

Yes, we all try to avoid suffering.

  

Paul asked the believers who had the Spirit of God…

The Spirit of power, love and self-discipline…

To join with him in suffering.

 Greek sugkakopatheo

“to suffer hardship in company with”  

He is asking them to join him

with the “Power of God”.

Christians are not weak.

Christians are “overcomers”.

Christians are not afraid of suffering.

Christians are grateful not only because we are

saved, but because we are called to a holy life.

Paul is rallying the saints to suffer with him

and for the Gospel not because of anything

Paul has done but because that is God’s purpose.

We are to suffer – “not because of anything we

have done but because of his own purpose and grace.”

God’s purpose is that we face suffering with power.

The power of the Spirit.

Paul says…

“…And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” 2 Timothy 1:10 -12

The gospel has always suffered.

Suffering and the Gospel go hand and hand.

Why? Because the Gospel is

“Good News” to the suffering.

The Gospel reaches into the dark places of suffering.

To seek and save that which is lost.

You and I have received “Power”.

Remember…

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity,

 but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

Why? …

“Because of his own purpose and grace.”

2 Timothy 1:9

So if you are fearful or timid when it comes

to suffering, pray for more of God’s Spirit.

God’s Spirit is powerful enough

to get you through suffering.

God’s Spirit gets us to the finish line.

Matthew 10:21-23

21 "Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

Matthew 24:12-14

12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

1 Corinthians 1:6-9

 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Revelation 2:26

26 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end,

 I will give authority over the nations—

So next time you see suffering, don’t be ashamed.

Don’t be fearful.

You are an overcomer by the Spirit of God that lives in you.

God has gifted you with power to help the suffering.

Scripture Reading

2 Timothy 1:7-12 NIV

7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life — not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. 12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.