Our sufferings in the Lord‏

Romans 8:16-17
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

I have suffered many years in this world for my own prosperity. I worked hard day and night, but did not receive the right reward worthy of my labour. Prosperity was mere a mirage for me.

Then I chose the path of the Lord for the same prosperity, but this time too I found myself suffering day and night without having the right reward. However, the Holy Spirit was revealing me that there is a difference between my sufferings in the past and my sufferings in the present time for the same prosperity.

Yes, the difference is, in the past, I suffered without the Lord, but now I am suffering in the Lord. There is no other difference, but the sufferings are the same.

For every suffering we endure in the Lord there is a reward. But my sufferings in the world which I had undergone were in vain as there was no one to reward me, but the devil to devour me more and more.

When we choose the path of the Lord for our prosperity, we shall not see an immediate change in our sufferings. But when we continue, this time we begin to notice that the Lord is counting our sufferings that we endure in Him in order to bless you.

The devil would show us a wrong picture to prove that there is no difference by choosing the path of the Lord for prosperity by showing us our sufferings. The devil would tell us that there is no difference in sufferings even though we have chosen the path of the Lord.

But those who have patience would see the outcome of sufferings that they take in the Lord. The Lord is our great Rewarder. He never forgets our sufferings if we endure them in Him. Therefore, we should not despise the promises in the Word of God looking at our sufferings.

I notice many Christians losing their inherited blessings because of their own mouth. Every negative thought they entertain in their mind and every negative word they utter from their own mouth hinder their own blessings from the Lord.

There is a powerful revelation here. If our negative thoughts and words can hinder our blessings, then every positive thought and every positive word we utter concerning the promises in the Word of God, have the supernatural power to change our environment and bring such promises to fulfillment in our life. Until we understand this truth, we may not inherit the real blessings of the Lord.

Abraham had to wait for twenty five years to receive Isaac even after the Lord gave him the promise. Joseph had to wait more than twenty years for the fulfillment of his dreams that he had when he was just seventeen years old. King David had to wait for many years to become the king over Israel, even after he was anointed for the kingship.

All these people never lost their vision looking at their sufferings. They never uttered a single word against their vision. Their vision gave them faith and this faith gave them patience which enabled them to receive their promised blessings at the due times set by the Lord.

But today, the Lord never expects us to wait for so long, but we are in such a hurry that we do not want to wait at least a couple of weeks or if not, couple of months until the Lord answers our prayers. Most of the time, we need everything instantly as we try to race with the world.

Remember, the devil, (the deceiver from the beginning) has set the whole world on a race in order that people have no time to think about God, their creator. But as the children of God, we should not be on this race, as it finally leads to the destruction.