Key verse:
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. – 1 Peter 4:12-13 NKJV

Introduction

We have a habit of defining things by their condition.  For example, relationships are defined by the condition the two mates are in.  When we get ready to go out and buy a car, we want to know if the car has been used or if it is brand new.  When you’re shopping online, especially on Amazon, the seller tells you whether or not the product is used or brand new.  The determined condition of these products sets the position of the product in our eyes; typically we are going to purchase the product with the better position – the new, shiny, pristine object.

Don’t let your condition define your position!

Your Condition

What is your condition? Who actually determines the condition that you are in?  We define ourselves just as we define those products that we may consider purchasing; the shape you are in, your condition, is something that you chosen to define and determine.  We like to think that it is others around us that make such a determination, but it’s really we, ourselves, who determine our condition.

We define our condition by: what we are currently going through; our health; job position and wealth; where we are in life.  From those things we decide that we are in either good condition, ok condition, or in bad condition.  For those that have chosen to take the spiritual journey in this life we live, we will then try to let our condition define our position with the Lord.  Remember, this condition is something that we have created or determined.  We let this perceived condition determine that God is either with us or against us; that God is either blessing us or not blessing us.

By our doing this, we give the devil the power to come in and toy around with our relationship with the Lord.  We allow the devil and his minions to come into the mix and play on our beliefs.  The devil and his minions are quick to point out what you don’t have, or what you’re going through, to say that God don’t love you – this couldn’t be any further from the truth.  Don’t let your condition define your position with God!

Your Position

We need to understand where we stand in God’s eyesight – we need to understand our position! First and foremost, the Lord does not judge you according to the parameters by which we define our condition.  The Lord’s judgement is nothing like man’s judgement!  The Lord is only concerned with your soul! Therefore, your position with the Lord is determined by the condition of your soul!

The greatest example of the Lord’s concern for the human soul can be found in the gospel of John.  Nicodemus, the Pharisee that came to Jesus by night, wanted to know his position with the Lord.  Jesus spoke to Nicodemus and told him that he must be born again to see the kingdom of the God.  You see, the position that all of us want to be in is one that results in us being in the kingdom of God.  When Nicodemus heard that he must be born again he was completely baffled.  You see, being born again is not about being born of the flesh, once again, but being born of the Spirit.  You will notice that Jesus did not talk to Nicodemus about wealth, job title, or what it was that he may have been going through – Jesus was concerned with Nicodemus soul!

Are you born again?  Do you believe in the only begotten Son?  Your answer to those questions determines your position with the Lord.  Are you part of the Good Shepherd’s flock?  Are you a child of God?  Your answer to these questions determines your position in the Lord’s eyesight.  If your answer is yes, you can see how the Lord treats his children in Matthew 7:9; if the child asks for bread, you don’t give that child a stone – this is what Jesus taught.  Jesus went on to say, “how much more will your Father (our G0d) give good things to those who ask Him?”

Right where God wants you

Understand, if you are a child of His, no matter where you are in life, you are where God wants you!  No matter what you are dealing with, or going through, you are right where God wants you! We somehow think that because we’re suffering that somehow God is not with us.  We allow that ol’ devil to get into our ear and attempt to separate us from the Lord because of this train of thought.  If you are a child of my God, He will neither forget nor forsake you! Don’t ever think that what you’re going through somehow defines where you are in God’s eyesight!

Let’s use for an example the children of Israel.  The children of Israel were conquered by the Assyrians in the northern kingdom, and the Babylonians in the southern kingdom.  We would say that they were in a bad condition with them being in captivity.  Throughout the Babylonian captivity, God never abandoned them.  The Lord revived their spirits through the Babylonian captivity, and ended up bringing them out of captivity and back to Jerusalem where they rebuilt the temple and worshiped the Lord!

Let’s use for an example, Job.  We all know the story about Job and how he lost everything; the morale of Job’s story is usually pointed to his patience.  Actually, Job was a man that wanted answers and his friends were there telling him that he suffered because he must have done some wrong against God.  Job’s friends wanted Job to believe that his condition was due to his bad position in God’s eye sight – they couldn’t have been any further from the truth.  Job certainly suffered but at the end of his suffering the Lord blessed him twofold!

Let’s use the world for our next example.  Our world was completely lost in sin – the world was a corrupt world.  The world was so lost that the Lord decided to send His only begotten Son.  The only begotten Son came to this world, and His shed blood washes away our sin.  Through Jesus’ suffering we can be born again and enter into the kingdom of God!

One more example, the apostles.  The apostles went about spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, and most of them ended up being killed.  Stephen was one of the early ones that was killed for spreading the gospel of Jesus.  As they stoned Stephen to death, Stephen looked up to heaven and saw the Son sitting on the right hand of God.  Stephen, in my personal opinion, saw the most beautiful image one could possibly see.  Stephen is now a part of that kingdom! People like my grandparents, my dad, and other family who have passed before me may not have had what others had, in this world, but they now have the kingdom of God!

Don’t ever let your condition define your position with God.  Remember that you are a child of His – you have been born again and have the right to both see and enter into His kingdom!  You cannot lose your position in God’s eyesight if you’re part of the Good Shepherd’s flock!

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; – v.12

Don’t think it some strange thing when you are tried or have some things that you have to deal with; this life we live is a rough life, all of us have things that we go through.  Don’t ever think that what you’re dealing with is a result of the position you’re in with the Lord.  One thing those examples show us is that suffering actually lead to blessings; in our trials and tribulations is where Jesus shines!

but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. – v.13

We will one day behold His glory and shall rejoice!  These days are short compared to the days of eternity with our Lord.  If you have professed your faith and genuinely believe in the Son, you will one day rejoice in the Lord!  We, the genuine believers, will never lose this position with the Lord.