"6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 10 AFTER YOU HAVE SUFFERED FOR A LITTLE WHILE, THE GOD OF GRACE, WHO CALLED YOU INTO HIS ETERNAL GLORY IN CHRIST, "WILL HIMSELF" PERFECT, CONFIRM, STRENGTHEN AND ESTABLISH YOU."
There is no smooth way that I can think of to transition into the first verse of this study! Being HUMBLE is usually not something a person endeavors to be known for. But when one thinks of "the mighty hand of GOD" being the entity to WHOM you are comparing yourself to, it becomes easier to palate humility! And to think that JESUS "WILL HIMSELF" exalt you at the proper time is an undeniable promise of scripture!
Our enemy, or adversary, the devil is always seeking to deceive all he can. He knows he has been defeated, but he wants to take all he can with him into hell. Peter instructs us to "resist him", as our suffering is not limited to ONLY believers, but to people of the world also. The enemy wants to make us think that suffering is because we have done something wrong. But suffering for the Kingdom is more common than most realize!
1 Peter 5:10 is a verse that a whole devotional can be written on. 'After you have suffered for a little while' is a promise that few want to claim! However, the act of SUFFERING can be one of the most productive "growing" times in one's life. Very seldom do crops produce a high yields on a mountaintop. It is in a valley where the most growth occurs! Our lives are very similar. Trials and tribulations often drive us closer to The LORD in our faith. But for me, the best part is the "WILL HIMSELF" portion of the verse!
Scripture indicates that WHEN (not if) we go through suffering, CHRIST "WILL HIMSELF" bring us out of the valley into HIS GLORY! It doesn't say we "may" be delivered, or we "could" be delivered, it says CHRIST "WILL HIMSELF" deliver us. I have read numerous Bible translations and the VAST majority of them use the word "WILL"! Not "IF" or "CAN", but "WILL"! The enemy will try to dampen your zeal and enthusiasm, but the enemy was defeated on CALVARY and he MUST submit to The KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS! There is no doubt in my mind, CHRIST "WILL HIMSELF" deliver me, and when HE does HE will get all praise and glory!!
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