“For to you it has been Granted for CHRIST’S SAKE, not only to BELIEVE in Him, BUT to SUFFER for HIS SAKE, EXPERIENCING the SAME CONFLICT which you saw in me and Now HEAR to be in me.”

Ther are two "gifts" from God in this passage,THE First Gift is – the Gift of SALVATION.

The word “GRANTED” is based on the word “Grace” and is a verb….WHICH MEANS “to give. To favor, to grant graciously….to render… Given freely, unmerited.” SALVATION – AND SUFFERING ARE BOTH GIFTS Unmerited , Unearned, Undeserved Gifts from God. Just as it is Gods Unmerited Favor to bestow salvation upon you, it is also His umerited Gift to GRANT You the PRIVILGE to SUFFER FOR “CHRIST’S SAKE”

ONE WRITER HAS PUT IT THIS WAY;

“Christ’s vicarious sufferings means , however, for His followers NOT DELIVERANCE  FROM Earthly Suffering, but Deliverance FOR earthly suffering.”… Having been tested by suffering and that without sin…He is our Pattern to follow in the way to Suffer that Honors God that enables us to WALK WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.

The Essential Goal which the Christian suffers for is for  the Kingdom of God. Like Bunyon, Like Paul and countless others before and since. Suffering is a GIFT FROM GOD ….FOR GODS GLORY AND IT HAS BEEN GRANTED – GIFTED….GOD HAS BESTOWED THIS FAVOR UPON THE CHURCH AT PHILLIPI not only to Believe in His Name- The Gift of Salvation but Secondly to “Suffer for His Name Sake.” Each Gifted by God. Salvation first then the suffering- But it has purpose. What are some of the POTENTIAL Blessings from the Gift of Suffering for  Gods People ….One writer has said “The Christian waits not for the end of the suffering but the GOAL”- which is GODS GLORY…

Lets consider some of the “BENEFITS” of Suffering for CHRIST SAKE.

1.    Suffering for Christ Sake is  - A Gift- Phil 1: 29- “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for Him.”

         2.    Suffering for Christ Sake is  - An Evidence of Salvation – Phil 1:28 – without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God.”

3.    Suffering for Christ sake is -An Opportunity to Spread the Gospel- Phil 1:12-13 –“Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard  and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.”

We also read in 2 Tim 1:8 Paul’s final words to Timothy in the midst of conflict “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, 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, 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. 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."

          4.    Suffering for Christ sake is - A source of encouragement to strengthen other brothers to speak Gods Word more boldly – Philippians 1:14 – “Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” AND IN VERSE 15 AND 16 we see their motivation –“ out of goodwill. The latter do so in love.”

5.    Suffering for Christ’s sake- Brings about / a Deep Yearning to Know Christ as Master Passion IDENTIFICATION with Christ- Phil 3:7-10 – V 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings,”

PAUL  when he writes the book of Philippians  it isThirty years after his conversion  and he wants to enter into the power of Christ and intimacy with Christ. His AIM is CHRIST.

6.    Suffering for Christ sake  - Equips us to minister COMPASSIONATELY into the lives of others- 2 Cor 1:3-6 – "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.”

Oswald Chambers wrote - “If you are going to be used by God, He will take you through a number of experiences that are not meant for you personally at all. They are designed to make you useful in His hands, and to enable you to understand what takes place in the lives of others.”

Lets continue and look at some other Benefits to the Gift of SUFFERING FOR CHRIST’S SAKE-

NUMBER…

1. Suffering for Christ sake is - A means to Learn Obedience- Heb 5:8 – “Although he was a Son, JESUS learned obedience from what he suffered.”

1. Suffering for Christ sake is - An opportunity to GLORIFY GOD- 1 Peter 1:6- “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

1. Suffering for Christ Sake - Does not go un noticed or unrewarded by God- Matt 5:11 – “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

1. - Suffering for Christ sake is - A PRIVILGE- Acts 5:40 – “The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus …”

      11. – Suffering  for CHRISTS Sake is- To Keep us from Pride- 2 Cor 12:7- “To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

 12. – Suffering For Christ’s Sake is - A Means to Unleash Gods Power in your life – 2 Cor 12:8 …Paul continues

verse 8 – “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

13. – Suffering For Christ’s Sake is - A means to Spiritual GROWTH – 1 Peter 5:10 – “And the God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ, after that you have suffered a little while, shall himself MATURE, establish, strengthen you.”

GOD HAS PURPOSE IN YOUR SUFFFERING;

And Throughout this book –Philippians has been called the Epistle of Joy. Paul finds his cause for rejoicing based not on his circumstances- for he is incarcerated but his foundation is because of CHRIST HIMSELF. In chapter 3 verse 1 he tells the people “Rejoice again I say rejoice for it is a safe guard for you.” Our Focus will determine our altitude, Rejoicing is a command and  it is an expression of love ….and partaking in the sufferings of Christ as we identify and suffer Peter wrote on account of that relationship we are to REJOICE. Suffering for  Christ’s Sake –is A CHOICE TO REJOICE – 1 Peter 4:13- “But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.""

SEVERAL TRUTHS FOR THE BELIEVER TO FIND COMFORT IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING-  "...for Christs Sake." And REMEMBER BELOVED- NOTHING CAN SEPARATE YOU FROM THE LOVE OF CHRIST AND NOTHING CAN TOUCH YOU APART FROM HIS CONSENT….

 And in your Pain for Christ sake remember...

 Firstly- There is GRACE to Suffer – 2 Cor 12:     

Secondly – There is A GOAL to Suffering – His Glory – 1 PETER 5:10 

Thirdly There is GAIN through Suffering – 1 Peter 3:15- The Spread of His Fame and Name in the Gospel

Fourthly- Suffering affords the opportunity for Spiritual GROWTH - 1 Peter 5:10

Fifthly -  INTIMACY with Christ can be known through Suffering - Phil 3:10

The Above are some of my notes from a radio mesage from the Philippian series titled " Suffering; The Gift No One wants"

I am not sure your cirucmstances or pain  and at times how difficult it can be to make sense out of it all, or perhaps its not you presntly but someone you know... maybe the above verses could be of some comfort to them and maybe you could pass them on....in the hope they may experince the Power of the Holy Spirit through His Word

God bless- and thanks!