After you've suffered a little while...
Omar Soto
(Audio: Spanish)
SUMMARY: The speaker shares a message of encouragement and hope from Isaiah 41:10-13, reminding listeners not to fear because God is with them and will support them. They then reflect on the hymn inspired by 1 Peter 5:10, which acknowledges that suffering is a necessary part of growing and maturing in faith. The speaker shares various passages from 1 Peter and James that speak to the role of suffering in the Christian life, and encourages listeners to cast their anxiety on the Lord and remain vigilant against the enemy.
You are not alone in your suffering, there are others going through the same thing and God is with you. He will perfect, affirm, strengthen, and establish you. Trust in God's plan for your life and give Him the glory forever.
You are not alone in your suffering, there are others going through the same thing and God is with you. He will perfect, affirm, strengthen, and establish you. Trust in God's plan for your life and give Him the glory forever.
Isaiah 41, from 10 to 13 says: "…Do not be afraid because I am with you. Do not lose heart because I am your God who strives for you, I will always help you, I will always support you with the right hand of my justice. Behold, all those who angry against you will be ashamed and confused, be it principality, be it power, all those who are angry against you, all those who try to attack you will be ashamed..."
Someone on the internet needs to get this word. So that they see me well. See how the Lord tells you, do not fear because I am with you. So whoever is watching right now this word is for you. Do not fear because the Lord is with you. Do not faint, do not faint in your cause because the Lord is your God who strives you, he will always help you, he will always sustain you with the right hand of his justice. That is a word for you, not just for us here, it is a word for you too. Receive that word today. I think so, that word reached you.
You will look for those who have a dispute with you and you will not find them, they will be as nothing and as something that is not those who make war on you, because I, Jehovah, am your God, who holds you by your right hand.
Raise your right hand and squeeze God's hand, and say thank you, Lord, because you support me, thank you Lord, because you are the one who supports us, God. You are the one who holds our hand, Lord, you never leave us, you do not allow us to faint, Lord. You are there to lift us up, to encourage us, Jesus. And I thank you for having disturbed my sister Mercedes, Lord, and for bringing this word to seal with a flourish this time of prayer that we have had, Jesus. This word right now gives us peace, it gives us confidence, Jesus, and that's how we receive it from you. Thank you because you are the one who sustains us, Lord, and you will continue to do so for the rest of our days until you decide to come back and take us with you, Lord. And even there, your presence will completely envelop us, Jesus. We thank you, for your Son Jesus. Amen, amen. Thank my Lord. Thank you Jesus.
John, were you going to say something? I just wanted to share with the women that God is with you. Amen. The Bible says that no one formed against you will prosper. Amen. And that every tongue that rises against you, God will bring it to judgment. So he wants to communicate to you in the spirit of the Lord there is freedom, there is freedom, there is freedom. Amen. Glory to you Lord. I tell you, go to this women's retreat with faith, firmly, the enemy is under the soles of your feet. So the Lord be with each one of you. And may God, may the Lord, cover them with his blood in the name of Jesus. Amen. Amen. Thanks we give you.
You can feel free to come forward here and give your offerings to the Lord. God, in this atmosphere, Lord, we just want to thank you. Thank you Lord for your visitation in our midst. Thank you Lord for the way you move, in the way you affirm us, Jesus, in your purposes, in your calls on our lives, in your truths on our lives, Jesus. To you we give glory and honor forever, Jesus, receive these offerings that we are bringing before you, Lord, that they rise like a pleasant smell before your presence, Jesus, and that in your hands they are multiplied, my God, for the expansion of your kingdom, here where you have put us and wherever you take us too. We bless each of our brothers as they give, Jesus, and we declare that you are our provider at all times, at all times, Lord, you are the one who provides for our need. We thank you, Jesus. We thank you, Lord. Amen and amen.
I tell them, the truth is that God is such an interesting being, so mysterious, God does not miss a thing. Today during the day I was bandaging myself to the Lord, what message can I bring tonight? What can I preach? I was checking my notes and I said to myself, oh, I had a message pending from 3 weeks ago, but no, that was not what God wanted.
God led me, my brothers, to a hymn that we know very well. It is the hymn that says, 'plus the God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory, perfect and affirm us, strengthen and establish... "
We all know that anthem, right? you know that this hymn is inspired by a biblical verse. I would like to take you there. For some reason the Lord made me meditate on this passage. It is such a precious hymn, my brothers, every time we sing it we are transported, as if to say, to seventh heaven, we are transported to the presence of God. God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory, we quickly imagine a beautiful sky, that eternal glory of God, ah, how many of us would like to be there. We give all the glory to the Lord, right?
But you know what? The Lord directed my attention to a part of that biblical text, in a segment of that biblical text that this song kind of omits, the obvious one, it doesn't sing it, and it's like you go and suddenly... like it crashes. Look how it says First Peter, chapter 5, verse 10 says:
“….But the God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory in Jesus Christ…”
What it says? "...After you've suffered for a while..." There's the slowdown, there's the... Sounds pretty nice, right? The God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory in Jesus Christ, and suddenly, after you have suffered a little while. Oh!
He himself perfects, affirms, strengthens and establishes them. We have to review this song. To the members of the prayer advance, we have to revise this song, somehow or another we have to add that part of the verse in that song. Do you know why? Because that part of the verse has an extremely important message. In this letter from Peter, that idea of suffering is all over the place, everywhere in that letter, from the first chapter to number 5 at the end, they are there.
And I began to meditate, I said to myself, wow, Lord, what do you have here? And I began to break this text, plus the God of all grace, an undeserved grace, a grace that reached us at the moment when we were worst, an undeserved grace, a favor that someone extended to you, that you didn't even you were looking for it, as the Bible says, we were still sunk in our sins and still Christ died for us. You weren't even thinking about God and God had already thought of you and he extended his grace to you, he extended his favor to you. That's grace, it's not that he's saying thank you very much, he's extending you a favor. It's putting you in a special place. He is giving you a meaning, he is giving you a value that nothing and no one can give you, and that is something that he does through his grace.
Who called us to his eternal glory in Jesus Christ. Look at that. God invites us to share in one of the greatest attributes that define him, an eternal God. How many remember what happened a month ago? Maybe if you like me don't remember much, but God is there, God is here right now and God is waiting for you tomorrow. God is, God is eternal, and he invites you to share with him in all that space of time. I don't know how, it's something mysterious. Obviously I cannot be in the past, God wants me to live in the present and go confidently in faith towards the future, towards what he has in store for me. But in some way or another God is in everything, there, active, present. And he invites you to share with him all that eternity, so that you can enjoy all the benefits of God's glorious eternity, from now until what comes ahead.
But not before suffering a little. I had to add a shadow to the painting I was doing on them. Because? Why do you believe, my brothers? Why suffer? Without a doubt, suffering is what helps us to grow and mature in our life of faith. If you live a disease-free life, wow! You would be an alien, so to speak, you would be something out of this world. To be honest, I wouldn't even want to be friends with you, because you're going to be so weird that… you're going to be a really boring person.
How am I going to identify with someone who has not suffered, felt, at least the same thing that I have felt? How are you going to be able to advise me? I'm not going to have anything to talk about with you, no doubt about it. Now, but if you are like me, we have had our struggles, we have had our suffering and we have seen suffering at different levels in our lives, there are times when suffering is seen internally, on a personal level, and one can tolerate up to a certain level.
Be careful, but when the illness, the suffering comes with other loved ones, things take a totally different course. Those fathers and mothers who have to suffer from the suffering of their sons or daughters, it is hard, it is difficult. This is a condition that one often has to experience with people around one who, perhaps, or intentionally or unintentionally, but cause a series of frustrations that one says, like... why now? Because this? why is it? Why do I have to deal with him or her? More, however, it is part of... it is part of. It is in the design of God's mysterious plan for your life and for mine, which perhaps we will not be able to explain in detail with words, we will not be able to say it, but nevertheless, it is there.
That disease, that illness, that accident that happened, all of that in some way or another if we faithfully believe the word of God, all things work for good, for those who love God.
Look how Santiago says, I know that many of us know this passage from Santiago, James, chapter 1, says:
"... My brothers, have great joy when you find yourself in various trials, knowing that the test of your faith produces patience, but have patience your complete work, so that you may be perfect and complete without lacking anything..."
Perfect and sound in the inner being, it is not saying so that you do not lack a car, so that you do not lack a house or a piece of toast and cereal to eat. He's not necessarily saying that. It is that you do not lack anything internally, at the level of your being, the level of your mind and your heart, that you can be so equipped, so equipped that whatever may come your way, you know how to get it out of the park. Because you do not lack anything here or here, you are complete, you are complete, because you have had your sufferings, your sufferings, and God has glorified himself through that and has made you the man and woman that you are, not that you want that you be, the man that he wants you to be, the woman that he wants you to be.
Right there in Pedro, as I told you, Peter talks about this, about the test, in different ways. He talks about Jesus, about how Jesus endured the test of the cross, yet look how he emerged victorious on the other side of the grave.
In chapter 4 just before chapter 5 that we are reading now, he says:
“…Beloved, do not be surprised by the fiery trial that has come, which has come to you, as if something strange happened to you…”
Oh why is this happening to me now? Oh why did he die? Oh why did you leave me? Obviously I know that there are things that surprise one without a doubt, but look at how the word of God is that already comes forward and tells you:
"Do not be surprised when you find yourself facing that fire, when you find yourself facing that test, do not be surprised but rejoice because you are a participant in the sufferings of Christ so that they may also rejoice with great joy in the revelation of his glory... ”
Look at that. Ah, but how am I going to enjoy myself now? That passage is speaking of a future tense. No. What did I say? God is eternal. And that glory of God is manifesting itself yesterday, it is manifesting itself today and it is going to manifest itself tomorrow. That is the glory that God wants us to be able to enter and enjoy.
One last text, right there, in chapter 5, look how it says:
“…Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God – verse 6 – so that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your anxiety on him because he cares for us…”
Look, do like this. Do like this. Cast your anxiety in the hands of the Lord. Cast your anxiety in the hands of the Lord because he cares for you. A warning: be sober, be understood and watch out for what? Because there's someone out there who wants to trip you up and bring you down. But we already kicked him two or three times here so don't worry, don't worry. God is with you.
What do we have to do? Verse 9.
"...Resist them firm in faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being fulfilled in our brothers around the world..."
Look, you don't suffer alone, you don't suffer alone. There are others who suffer just like you. And in those others, God is also glorifying himself right now, right now, just like you, there may be a son, a daughter of God there in Sydney, Australia, who is receiving the bad news of a loved one who is sick, and right there too. there is a people, there is a body of Christ who are praying for that family right now so that the power of God may glorify there in them.
Tell me if God has limits or not? Right now, as we have prayed here, on the screens, who knows if someone in Argentina who is either listening to or is going to listen to this message, at some point, and even if it is three, 4, 5 hours after hearing it, this word will have its effect on that life, it's going to have that effect on you, it's going to have it. Believe it, receive it, it will have its effect on you. And that is God.
So you are not suffering alone, you are not suffering alone, we are suffering too and we are all in the same boat, but that boat is not sinking, because there is someone who is with us in that boat. Listen well. There is someone who is with us on that boat and it may seem that he is sleeping, but he is not, he is very aware of your situation, your condition, I don't know how, don't ask me, but he takes care of you.
Tell me now if we can sing the same? But the God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory even when we have to suffer for a little while, he perfects us, affirms us, strengthens us and establishes us. Look at this, I'm going to end here.
I perfected you, what does that mean? To perfect something means to complete something. Establish, define it as God intends it. That means perfecting it. God perfects you. God affirms you, what does it mean that he affirms you? What makes your mind, your thoughts something constant and you are not wavering or wandering around, but makes your thought something constant. That is where firmness comes from, the affirmation of God, in which those principles of your faith remain well-founded there in your mind, in your heart, things that when the test comes you can be affirmed, affirmed and nothing and no one will go to you. to be able to confuse up here.
Strengthen you, that's where you see the manifestation of God's power in your body. It enters your veins and takes your blood and your muscles, and your tendons, your bones, everything and where there was pain before now it's like... a force that only God can give and establishes you, you position yourself in the place that he has for you. Not the place that another determines for you, it is what he has determined for you. He is going to position you, he is going to establish you.
I don't know how that can manifest in your life, maybe you are thinking that they will establish you in a job, that will establish you in a new house, that will establish you in a relationship, that will establish you in a ministry in the church, be it however that can be given, he himself perfects you, affirms you, strengthens you and establishes you, to him, to him, it is not to me, it is not to you, to him, be the glory, forever and ever. forever. Amen.
Someone on the internet needs to get this word. So that they see me well. See how the Lord tells you, do not fear because I am with you. So whoever is watching right now this word is for you. Do not fear because the Lord is with you. Do not faint, do not faint in your cause because the Lord is your God who strives you, he will always help you, he will always sustain you with the right hand of his justice. That is a word for you, not just for us here, it is a word for you too. Receive that word today. I think so, that word reached you.
You will look for those who have a dispute with you and you will not find them, they will be as nothing and as something that is not those who make war on you, because I, Jehovah, am your God, who holds you by your right hand.
Raise your right hand and squeeze God's hand, and say thank you, Lord, because you support me, thank you Lord, because you are the one who supports us, God. You are the one who holds our hand, Lord, you never leave us, you do not allow us to faint, Lord. You are there to lift us up, to encourage us, Jesus. And I thank you for having disturbed my sister Mercedes, Lord, and for bringing this word to seal with a flourish this time of prayer that we have had, Jesus. This word right now gives us peace, it gives us confidence, Jesus, and that's how we receive it from you. Thank you because you are the one who sustains us, Lord, and you will continue to do so for the rest of our days until you decide to come back and take us with you, Lord. And even there, your presence will completely envelop us, Jesus. We thank you, for your Son Jesus. Amen, amen. Thank my Lord. Thank you Jesus.
John, were you going to say something? I just wanted to share with the women that God is with you. Amen. The Bible says that no one formed against you will prosper. Amen. And that every tongue that rises against you, God will bring it to judgment. So he wants to communicate to you in the spirit of the Lord there is freedom, there is freedom, there is freedom. Amen. Glory to you Lord. I tell you, go to this women's retreat with faith, firmly, the enemy is under the soles of your feet. So the Lord be with each one of you. And may God, may the Lord, cover them with his blood in the name of Jesus. Amen. Amen. Thanks we give you.
You can feel free to come forward here and give your offerings to the Lord. God, in this atmosphere, Lord, we just want to thank you. Thank you Lord for your visitation in our midst. Thank you Lord for the way you move, in the way you affirm us, Jesus, in your purposes, in your calls on our lives, in your truths on our lives, Jesus. To you we give glory and honor forever, Jesus, receive these offerings that we are bringing before you, Lord, that they rise like a pleasant smell before your presence, Jesus, and that in your hands they are multiplied, my God, for the expansion of your kingdom, here where you have put us and wherever you take us too. We bless each of our brothers as they give, Jesus, and we declare that you are our provider at all times, at all times, Lord, you are the one who provides for our need. We thank you, Jesus. We thank you, Lord. Amen and amen.
I tell them, the truth is that God is such an interesting being, so mysterious, God does not miss a thing. Today during the day I was bandaging myself to the Lord, what message can I bring tonight? What can I preach? I was checking my notes and I said to myself, oh, I had a message pending from 3 weeks ago, but no, that was not what God wanted.
God led me, my brothers, to a hymn that we know very well. It is the hymn that says, 'plus the God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory, perfect and affirm us, strengthen and establish... "
We all know that anthem, right? you know that this hymn is inspired by a biblical verse. I would like to take you there. For some reason the Lord made me meditate on this passage. It is such a precious hymn, my brothers, every time we sing it we are transported, as if to say, to seventh heaven, we are transported to the presence of God. God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory, we quickly imagine a beautiful sky, that eternal glory of God, ah, how many of us would like to be there. We give all the glory to the Lord, right?
But you know what? The Lord directed my attention to a part of that biblical text, in a segment of that biblical text that this song kind of omits, the obvious one, it doesn't sing it, and it's like you go and suddenly... like it crashes. Look how it says First Peter, chapter 5, verse 10 says:
“….But the God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory in Jesus Christ…”
What it says? "...After you've suffered for a while..." There's the slowdown, there's the... Sounds pretty nice, right? The God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory in Jesus Christ, and suddenly, after you have suffered a little while. Oh!
He himself perfects, affirms, strengthens and establishes them. We have to review this song. To the members of the prayer advance, we have to revise this song, somehow or another we have to add that part of the verse in that song. Do you know why? Because that part of the verse has an extremely important message. In this letter from Peter, that idea of suffering is all over the place, everywhere in that letter, from the first chapter to number 5 at the end, they are there.
And I began to meditate, I said to myself, wow, Lord, what do you have here? And I began to break this text, plus the God of all grace, an undeserved grace, a grace that reached us at the moment when we were worst, an undeserved grace, a favor that someone extended to you, that you didn't even you were looking for it, as the Bible says, we were still sunk in our sins and still Christ died for us. You weren't even thinking about God and God had already thought of you and he extended his grace to you, he extended his favor to you. That's grace, it's not that he's saying thank you very much, he's extending you a favor. It's putting you in a special place. He is giving you a meaning, he is giving you a value that nothing and no one can give you, and that is something that he does through his grace.
Who called us to his eternal glory in Jesus Christ. Look at that. God invites us to share in one of the greatest attributes that define him, an eternal God. How many remember what happened a month ago? Maybe if you like me don't remember much, but God is there, God is here right now and God is waiting for you tomorrow. God is, God is eternal, and he invites you to share with him in all that space of time. I don't know how, it's something mysterious. Obviously I cannot be in the past, God wants me to live in the present and go confidently in faith towards the future, towards what he has in store for me. But in some way or another God is in everything, there, active, present. And he invites you to share with him all that eternity, so that you can enjoy all the benefits of God's glorious eternity, from now until what comes ahead.
But not before suffering a little. I had to add a shadow to the painting I was doing on them. Because? Why do you believe, my brothers? Why suffer? Without a doubt, suffering is what helps us to grow and mature in our life of faith. If you live a disease-free life, wow! You would be an alien, so to speak, you would be something out of this world. To be honest, I wouldn't even want to be friends with you, because you're going to be so weird that… you're going to be a really boring person.
How am I going to identify with someone who has not suffered, felt, at least the same thing that I have felt? How are you going to be able to advise me? I'm not going to have anything to talk about with you, no doubt about it. Now, but if you are like me, we have had our struggles, we have had our suffering and we have seen suffering at different levels in our lives, there are times when suffering is seen internally, on a personal level, and one can tolerate up to a certain level.
Be careful, but when the illness, the suffering comes with other loved ones, things take a totally different course. Those fathers and mothers who have to suffer from the suffering of their sons or daughters, it is hard, it is difficult. This is a condition that one often has to experience with people around one who, perhaps, or intentionally or unintentionally, but cause a series of frustrations that one says, like... why now? Because this? why is it? Why do I have to deal with him or her? More, however, it is part of... it is part of. It is in the design of God's mysterious plan for your life and for mine, which perhaps we will not be able to explain in detail with words, we will not be able to say it, but nevertheless, it is there.
That disease, that illness, that accident that happened, all of that in some way or another if we faithfully believe the word of God, all things work for good, for those who love God.
Look how Santiago says, I know that many of us know this passage from Santiago, James, chapter 1, says:
"... My brothers, have great joy when you find yourself in various trials, knowing that the test of your faith produces patience, but have patience your complete work, so that you may be perfect and complete without lacking anything..."
Perfect and sound in the inner being, it is not saying so that you do not lack a car, so that you do not lack a house or a piece of toast and cereal to eat. He's not necessarily saying that. It is that you do not lack anything internally, at the level of your being, the level of your mind and your heart, that you can be so equipped, so equipped that whatever may come your way, you know how to get it out of the park. Because you do not lack anything here or here, you are complete, you are complete, because you have had your sufferings, your sufferings, and God has glorified himself through that and has made you the man and woman that you are, not that you want that you be, the man that he wants you to be, the woman that he wants you to be.
Right there in Pedro, as I told you, Peter talks about this, about the test, in different ways. He talks about Jesus, about how Jesus endured the test of the cross, yet look how he emerged victorious on the other side of the grave.
In chapter 4 just before chapter 5 that we are reading now, he says:
“…Beloved, do not be surprised by the fiery trial that has come, which has come to you, as if something strange happened to you…”
Oh why is this happening to me now? Oh why did he die? Oh why did you leave me? Obviously I know that there are things that surprise one without a doubt, but look at how the word of God is that already comes forward and tells you:
"Do not be surprised when you find yourself facing that fire, when you find yourself facing that test, do not be surprised but rejoice because you are a participant in the sufferings of Christ so that they may also rejoice with great joy in the revelation of his glory... ”
Look at that. Ah, but how am I going to enjoy myself now? That passage is speaking of a future tense. No. What did I say? God is eternal. And that glory of God is manifesting itself yesterday, it is manifesting itself today and it is going to manifest itself tomorrow. That is the glory that God wants us to be able to enter and enjoy.
One last text, right there, in chapter 5, look how it says:
“…Humble yourselves therefore, under the mighty hand of God – verse 6 – so that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your anxiety on him because he cares for us…”
Look, do like this. Do like this. Cast your anxiety in the hands of the Lord. Cast your anxiety in the hands of the Lord because he cares for you. A warning: be sober, be understood and watch out for what? Because there's someone out there who wants to trip you up and bring you down. But we already kicked him two or three times here so don't worry, don't worry. God is with you.
What do we have to do? Verse 9.
"...Resist them firm in faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being fulfilled in our brothers around the world..."
Look, you don't suffer alone, you don't suffer alone. There are others who suffer just like you. And in those others, God is also glorifying himself right now, right now, just like you, there may be a son, a daughter of God there in Sydney, Australia, who is receiving the bad news of a loved one who is sick, and right there too. there is a people, there is a body of Christ who are praying for that family right now so that the power of God may glorify there in them.
Tell me if God has limits or not? Right now, as we have prayed here, on the screens, who knows if someone in Argentina who is either listening to or is going to listen to this message, at some point, and even if it is three, 4, 5 hours after hearing it, this word will have its effect on that life, it's going to have that effect on you, it's going to have it. Believe it, receive it, it will have its effect on you. And that is God.
So you are not suffering alone, you are not suffering alone, we are suffering too and we are all in the same boat, but that boat is not sinking, because there is someone who is with us in that boat. Listen well. There is someone who is with us on that boat and it may seem that he is sleeping, but he is not, he is very aware of your situation, your condition, I don't know how, don't ask me, but he takes care of you.
Tell me now if we can sing the same? But the God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory even when we have to suffer for a little while, he perfects us, affirms us, strengthens us and establishes us. Look at this, I'm going to end here.
I perfected you, what does that mean? To perfect something means to complete something. Establish, define it as God intends it. That means perfecting it. God perfects you. God affirms you, what does it mean that he affirms you? What makes your mind, your thoughts something constant and you are not wavering or wandering around, but makes your thought something constant. That is where firmness comes from, the affirmation of God, in which those principles of your faith remain well-founded there in your mind, in your heart, things that when the test comes you can be affirmed, affirmed and nothing and no one will go to you. to be able to confuse up here.
Strengthen you, that's where you see the manifestation of God's power in your body. It enters your veins and takes your blood and your muscles, and your tendons, your bones, everything and where there was pain before now it's like... a force that only God can give and establishes you, you position yourself in the place that he has for you. Not the place that another determines for you, it is what he has determined for you. He is going to position you, he is going to establish you.
I don't know how that can manifest in your life, maybe you are thinking that they will establish you in a job, that will establish you in a new house, that will establish you in a relationship, that will establish you in a ministry in the church, be it however that can be given, he himself perfects you, affirms you, strengthens you and establishes you, to him, to him, it is not to me, it is not to you, to him, be the glory, forever and ever. forever. Amen.
