Joy in Spite of Death

In addition to Scripture, God has given us more than adequate spiritual resources to meet suffering and death.

Wall Street, the name synonymous with the American stock market and financial investing, is a place where confidence can rise and fall with great force and unpredictability, right along with the rising or sinking level of stock prices. Prices always seem to even out, but who can be certain about how they will behave in the future?

The apostle Paul’s spiritual confidence was not based on the changeableness of financial markets but on truths that are stable and reliable. Yesterday we saw his confidence in God’s Word, and today we’ll look at three more reasons Paul could confront death confidently.

First, Paul had confidence in the prayers of other believers. But it was not a presumptuous confidence because he believed in asking others to pray (see Rom. 15:30). Paul was convinced that “the effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16).

Second, Paul was confident that the Holy Spirit would supply all necessary resources to sustain him through any suffering, even death. All Christians can have that same confidence: “The Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Rom. 8:26).

Third, Paul had the utmost confidence in Christ’s promises. The apostle was sure that God had called him to a specific ministry (Acts 26:16) and that if he was faithful, he would never suffer shame (Mark 8:38). Jesus never abandons His sheep, no matter how bleak and frustrating their circumstances seem (John 10:27-28).

Our verse from Philippians summarizes Paul’s confidence and joy in spite of possible death. As long as he was serving Jesus Christ, he’d just as soon die because death frees the believer from the burdens of earth and lets him glorify Christ in eternity. We can rely on the same promises and provisions as Paul did and have his kind of joy. Jesus “is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever” (Heb. 13:8).

Confess any ways in which you have a misplaced confidence. Ask the Lord to reinforce in your heart a Pauline confidence that rejoices no matter what.

Read Romans 8, and list as many spiritual resources and reasons for rejoicing as you can from the chapter.

Thank you mm. This verse has been important to me since my husband died suddenly not quite 2 years ago. As I wade through the messy grief process, it is a real comfort to know where he is, but also that when it is my time, what gain I will have!!!!

Not long ago, though, the Lord has been pressing on my heart that I have only focused on the first part of that verse - the looking ahead when I will also be in glory (oh, how wonderful that will be!!!). He has revealed His face to me in more ways than I could ask or imagine, and has made me yearn for that eternal gain.

But lately, instead, He is having me to realize has me here and is driving home the point that while I am still here, now, it is time to realize that to live IS CHRIST... He has done great and marvelous things and has shown His face to me in these last 23 months. His purpose was not just for me, and I am here to proclaim Him, because I am still living. He has made me bold to speak where I was not before. To die IS gain indeed. More than we can ask or imagine. But...to live is CHRIST. Although I will never, ever be a Paul, I know that I am still here to do the work He has for me.

When I found his body, the first verse the Lord put on my heart, immediately was that He had finished the work He began in him. And now, the Lord is directing me that I am to set my eyes and my life on Christ. for that IS the chief end of man.

Weird as it sounds, death is almost a gift to man. Because without it, we’d be forever in a sinful, corrupt state.

Because of the gift of redemption God offers us, we have a chance to start over again.

I’m sorry to hear of your loss and grateful that he is sustaining you through it as He has.

Joy in Spite of Death

Oh?

How about: Joy BECAUSE of Death!??

Psalm 116:15
Precious in the sight of Yahweh is the death of his saints.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.