Life can be tough.
We need a resilient faith.
This has been a great series that began with the question: How would you describe your faith? Does it come easy to you, or are you like many who struggle with trust. When difficulties knock on our door, our faith is tested, and for some of us, it's even shaken. How can we maintain a faith in God that is resilient, a faith that – no matter what happens – withstands the ups and downs of life?
Our series deals with suffering we face in life. Now, suffering has many forms: physical abuse, debilitating diseases, social ostracism, and persecution. The pain and anguish can tempt us to turn back – to surrender – and to give in. When Peter speaks of suffering – he is not talking about natural disasters or the experience of God’s punishments, but the response of an unbelieving world to people of faith. All believers face such trials when they let their light shine into the darkness. Peter knew persecution firsthand, but he also knew Christ and nothing could shake his confidence in Jesus! So, Peter wrote to give comfort and hope to other believers suffering for their faith and he urged them to continue in their loyalty to Christ.
Quick Review - Six Lessons
- Focused Faith: Our faith is focused on a sure hope. 1 Peter 1:3-9, 13 Peter begins by giving thanks to God for Salvation and we should too! This should be our central focus. We have been given a living hope of eternal life. He says that our trials will actually refine our faith. We should believe in spite of our circumstances – even the prophets of old wrote about it and they didn’t understand it. But now we see and know that salvation has been revealed in Christ.
- Active Faith: Live a life that is set apart for God. 1 Peter 1:14-19, 22-25 Peter discusses how we should respond to such a great Salvation, he commands us to do four things: Live holy (set apart) lives, reverently fear and trust God, be honest and loving, and to become like Christ. The New Testament describes and defines a Christian in terms of a person’s relationship to God through Jesus Christ. It involves a spiritual birth and an ongoing spiritual transformation wherein a person is set apart by faith unto the Lord to a new lifestyle.
- Enduring Faith: Trust God in every circumstance. 1 Peter 2:13-23 Peter explains how we should live during these difficult times. He emphasizes three important points: 1) We should live above reproach, 2) we should imitate Christ in all our social roles – Master/Boss and Servant/Employee, Husbands and Wives, Church members and Neighbors, 3) Jesus should be our model for obedience to God in the midst of great suffering. The call Peter had heard from Jesus by the shore of Galilee many years earlier was a call to a new way of life, though not necessarily a popular or easy one. It would be a life filled with demands and challenges, but it was also a life filled with hope and promise.
- Ready Faith: Suffering brings opportunities to point to Jesus. 1 Peter 3:13-16; 4:1-2 You have chosen to run the race as a follower of Jesus Christ, which means you have also chosen to experience difficult circumstances. Stay strong, keep running, and remember to use those difficult circumstances as a way to point to Christ until your race is over.
- Joyful Faith: Choose joy in life's difficulties. 1 Peter 4:12-19 The message of Peter in these verses is difficult – no, not difficult to understand but difficult to apply. Who among us really wants to suffer? We tend to think people ought not to be harmed or suffer for doing good. We would claim that is unfair. Therefore, when it comes, is there really cause to rejoice, to feel blessed, and to glorify God? That is just what Peter advocated! As Christians we should not be surprised by suffering because the Bible says that it has a definite purpose in our lives - Suffering comes to test the Christian. We can rejoice in the midst of suffering because we are in fellowship with Christ who Himself suffered on our behalf. Christians can take joy in knowing their suffering is temporary in light of Jesus’ promises about the future. We will rejoice at Christ’s return in victory as we behold Him in His glory. By standing strong in suffering, the Christian is standing by faith to demonstrate that a time is coming when the wrongs will be made right. In this sense, joy is a supreme confidence Jesus will fulfill His promises and God will establish in heaven everything He promised.
Our 6th and final lesson in this series is a:
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Many people like clichés and easy answers because they don’t require much effort. But when you’re on the receiving end, such advice can feel trite. Most of us are grappling with questions that go much deeper: “will this ever end?” “Is a greater purpose behind what I’m experiencing?” “Where is God in all this?”
In the Book of 1 Peter, the apostle didn’t give us any “easy bake” answers. Instead, Peter offered us a fuller perspective – he showed us a way to deal with our difficulties that goes far beyond “just grin and bear it.”
1 Peter 5:6-11
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.
Conclusion
8 Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.
10 Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. 11 The dominion belongs to Him forever. Amen.
Lesson Point: God will strengthen and restore me.
Peter breaks these verses down into three points for us this week:
I. HUMBLE YOURSELF & GOD WILL EXALT YOU – 1 PETER 5:6-7
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.
What’s the danger of trying to handle life on your own?
I tend to get worked up over situations I’m trying to handle myself. I’m a perfectionist, which means:
- I tend to quit before I ever get started because I worry about the end result.
- I won’t ask for help, because nobody does it like I can.
- I know I won’t be able to do it perfectly, so I don’t do anything at all.
Those excuses may sound like worry, but they’re really a form of pride. When we worry, we are trying to fix things ourselves. We don’t trust the sovereign Creator God to deal rightly with our situation. That sounds silly when we think about it. I profess a God who can create the universe, who died on the cross for my sins, and who rose from the dead to redeem me and the whole of His creation – yet I still hesitate to trust Him. If ever a person were worthy of my trust, it certainly is God. Yet, my pride gets in the way.
What does it mean – and not mean – to humble yourself?
Verse 6 calls me to humble myself and allow God to exalt me in the proper time. God is the only One who can rightly raise me up. Why? Because He is perfect in all His ways – even in His dealings with me. If God were not perfect, He would not be worthy of my worship. But He is perfect, and He will rightly deal with all things in His perfect time.
Peter’s words in verse 7 give us great encouragement. They remind us we’re not insignificant specks in a vast universe. Remember: the Creator God cares for you right now, wherever you are in life. God invites you to throw everything on Him and trust the Perfect Caregiver to care for you.
Final Thoughts:
1. Believers are responsible for their own attitudes before God.
2. Humility can lead to exaltation, but only if the humility is not intended to attain exaltation.
3. God always can be trusted to act at the right time.
4. We express humility before the Lord when we cast our anxieties on Him.
5. God is concerned for those who come before Him in trust.
Commentary: Peter began his exhortation to the suffering Christians by asking them to humble themselves. Peter had already explained that persecution comes to faithful Christians and is sometimes a part of God’s will for them (1 Peter 3:17). He also had reminded them not to be surprised when they faced suffering, because it’s a normal part of the Christian experience (4:12). Peter explained that trials came as God’s purifying judgment in their lives, reminding them of a special future and affording them an opportunity to witness to those who did not believe in Him (4:17-19). To humble ourselves includes submission to the will of God even when that included pain and suffering.
Peter asked his readers to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God. Some people assign all life’s difficulties to the devil, but Peter encouraged them that difficulties can come into a Christian’s life through God’s will. The Old Testament shows the mighty hand of God in both discipline (Ex. 3:19; 6:1; Job 30:21; Ps. 32:4) and deliverance (Deut. 9:26; Ezek. 20:34). Why should Christians humble themselves and accept what comes from the hand of God? Peter gave the answer in the latter part of verse 6. Christians humble themselves so that God may exalt them at the proper time. God promised to lift up those whom others tore down because of their faith. Though trials are tough, for Christians they are also temporary. The promise of exaltation does not have a specific time assigned to it. God promised to exalt Christians, but only at the time of His choosing.
Although God may reserve His exaltation until the end, He does not wait until then to support His people as they endure difficult circumstances. Peter used an expression from the Old Testament that encouraged God’s people to cast their burdens upon Him (Ps. 55:22). The verb tense of casting reflects a one-time, decisive event. Certainly we have to continually cast our cares upon the Lord, but still we must have a pivotal moment when that happens. The word care is usually associated with apprehensions. It literally means drawn in different directions, divided, distracted. Worry, burdens, and anxiety distract us from God’s care and concern for us if we excessively focus on them. Rather than holding to our cares, we should release them to the Lord by faith.
The reason we should cast our cares upon Him is that He cares about you. This cares is different from the word we just considered. God is neither apathetic not sadistic. He doesn’t sit idly by as His people suffer. God is actively involved in removing suffering and restoring the believer to the place he or she should be as His children. Sometimes this happens instantly in the life of the sufferer, and sometimes it happens ultimately when the Christian dies and stands before God in eternity. Whether the time of God’s rescue is long or short, the Christian should have no reason to question His concern.
II. RESIST THE DEVIL & STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH – 1 PETER 5:8-9
8 Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him and be firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.
“Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.”
-1 Peter 5:8
A friend of mine, Neil, shared with me a personal story of suffering. He and his wife, Anna, lost their baby girl only nine days after she was born. A darkness came on Anna that she described as the deepest abyss she had ever known. She didn’t know how to move on. Neil began to remind her of the truths they had studied together about God and the reality of this world. One of those truths was that suffering was not unique to them. People all over the world experience the pain of death.
Eventually, Anna recognized that death, suffering, and pain will come to everyone. She began to have great compassion for those in her church who were suffering from all sorts of evils: child abuse, chronic pain, cancer, and more.
Anna’s compassion for the suffering of others helped her to move through her own time of grief. She realized, as Peter wrote, that our suffering is a fellowship that all believers share across the world – it’s not exclusive to us individually. Anna also found that, as she suffered, it helped to remind herself of the truths she had already learned. As Peter stated: “Be serious! Be alert!”
You need to have a sound mind that is ready for action. In order to handle the attacks of the evil one who seeks to devour you, develop self control that focuses on the truths of God. The evil one is not going to leave you alone because you are vulnerable; in fact, that’s when he‘s most likely to attack! So, put vulnerability at bay by remaining focused and alert.
Peter tells us what to do to resist the Devil: stand firm in the faith. Know what you believe and why you believe it. Continue to learn about God and the truths He has revealed to us, and stand on these truths of the faith. Knowing your beliefs will help you apply them when you need to stand firm against an attack.
The Devil is your adversary – how can this knowledge affect the way you live?
Final Thoughts:
1. Christians need to be on watch for that which would seek to destroy the effectiveness of their witness for Christ.
2. The devil is the adversary who is ever on the prowl against those who stand for Christ.
3. Christians can resist the devil armed with a firm faith.
4. Believers around the world are to stand together as one for Christ and to support one another during times of attack.
Commentary: Though Peter encouraged Christians to cast their cares upon the Lord, he did not imply their work was finished. He encouraged them to resist Satan and remain firm in the midst of their suffering. He began with two commands designed to wake them from any slumber they might have been experiencing. First, he told them to be serious. Most modern translations use the word sober when translating this word. It can be used for the mind that is not under the control of alcohol, but it involves more than that. It is a spiritual sobriety, remaining clear minded in the face of an impending danger.
The second word, be alert, was the word for a watchman who waited on the wall to detect the advancement of an enemy against the city. This word in the New Testament exhorted preparedness for the Jesus’ return (Matt. 24:42; 25:13; Mark 13:35, 37; Rev. 3:3; 16:15) and to diligence in steering clear of moral or doctrinal lapses (Matt. 26:41; Mark 14:38; Acts 20:31; 1 Thess. 5:6). Even if suffering Christians have cast their cares upon the Lord, they still need to remain alert and vigilant to make sure they do not fall prey to a surprise attack from the enemy.
Christians need to remain alert because they have an adversary. This is the only time the word was used in reference to Satan, and its usual meaning was an opponent in a lawsuit. This enemy was not a force or an idea but a person. Peter identified him as the devil. Peter created a word picture to demonstrate the enemy’s commitment to destroying people. He described him as a roaring lion prowling around seeking its prey. Like a lion who crouches in the weeds and pounces on its prey, the devil is looking for those whom he can devour.
Peter suggested two definite actions against the enemy. First, he pleaded for Christians to resist him. This represents active opposition. The closest usage to this passage is James 4:7, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” For Christians, Satan can roar and prowl all he wants, but believers are told to resist his lies and accusations. Peter also called upon Christians to remain firm in the faith. The best chance of resisting the devil is for Christians to remain steadfast in the faith, firmly and confidently maintaining trust in God, in His sovereignty, in His power, and in His love. Christians take their stand against the devil by holding fast to God and not compromising their faith.
Peter reminded them that as they stood firm in the faith, they would share in the same suffering as other Christians throughout the world. One thing New Testament Christians had in common was suffering for the cause of Christ. The same sufferings probably do not refer to the same means of suffering but to a common plight all Christians faced by suffering in various ways. Scattered throughout the world, Christians continue to face opposition from those who do not embrace the truths of the gospel.
III. CLAIM THE VICTORY & GIVE GOD THE PRAISE – 1 PETER 5:10-11
10 Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. 11 The dominion belongs to Him forever. Amen.
Throughout the Book of 1 Peter, we’ve been exploring the foundation for real and sure hope that God provides through Jesus – hope for this life and the life to come. Jesus is the example of what awaits us in the resurrection. We will be restored as He was restored. The whole of creation will be made well and whole again because Jesus makes all things new. Something better is coming!
Peter reminds us that though we may be suffering – and may even suffer to the point of death – we have genuine hope in the reality of an eternal Creator. God is worthy of our trust because of who He is and what He has done. God is the possessor and giver of all grace. He has demonstrated His immeasurable grace by taking on the consequence of evil, death, and defeating it through the resurrection of Christ. This victory and hope is for each of us.
- God is our foundation for sure hope.
- God is the only One worthy of our trust and reverence.
- God is the reason we can endure suffering and trials with resilient faith.
- God is victorious.
I’m so thankful for a God who, in His righteousness, provides salvation for humanity. But He added a personal touch as well. Look at the powerful words Peter used to convey God’s love for us: “who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus.” God will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you!
God has given me real hope. It’s not a delusion. It’s not something I say to make myself feel better. It’s a real hope based in the resurrection. It’s a hope that I can access and use right now as I endure trials in this life. I can put my trust in Jesus because He is worthy of my trust. My faith is not in vain. There is something better to come. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Do the activity below.
How do we manage the tension of longing for restoration while we suffer in the present?
Final Thoughts:
1. God acts in grace through the person Jesus Christ on behalf of His children.
2. Even during suffering, God is at work to help His children.
3. God has unparalleled power that will never end.
4. God’s grace and power assure believers of victory.
Commentary: Peter brought his letter to a conclusion thematically in verse 10-11 by expressing a doxology, or a hymn of praise. The hymn began with reassurance the God of all grace would rescue His people from their suffering. Peter held tightly to the idea of God’s grace (1 Pet. 1:2, 13; 3:7; 4:10; 5:5, 12). He knew they deserve to suffer much more than they had, but by God’s grace and Jesus’ death on the cross they received forgiveness for the sins that separated them from God. Peter also spoke of God’s calling to eternal glory in Christ Jesus. No matter what Christians endure in this lifetime, we have the hope of eternity with Christ. Because heaven is certain and the end is sure, all suffering is temporal.
Peter delivered four powerful promises of what God would do for those who suffer.
1. He would personally restore them. The Greek means to make complete or to put in order. Medically, it was used for the setting of a broken bone. As a doctor would set a broken bone for healing, Peter promised God would set the world in order. Sometimes this happens in the sufferers’ lifetime, but sometimes it awaits the return of Christ.
2. God would establish them. The Greek word means to make strong in the sense of resolute, unfaltering. Jesus used this word in Luke 22:31-32 when warning Peter of his approaching denial of Jesus. He told Peter that after he was restored from that act he was to “strengthen your brothers”. Peter had firsthand experience with God’s strengthening power in his life.
3. God would strengthen them. Though this word is similar to the previous word, it is not as common. In fact, it is only used in the New Testament on this occasion. This word also indicates a strengthening in the firmness of one’s resolve. As Christians suffered, they need to remain resolute in attitude and faith.
4. The final promise is that God would support those who suffered for righteousness. This word describes the setting of a firm foundation that could support Christians in their trials. It referred to the fixing of a building upon its foundation. Since God was building His household with the living stones of the church (1 Pet. 2:5), His followers needed a solid foundation. Peter had already indicated that the foundation was Jesus Christ, the cornerstone (1 Pet. 2:5-6).
The doxology ended with an expression of praise. Peter admitted that dominion belonged to the Lord alone. The early church lived in an era of tremendous authority for the Roman Empire. However, as great as the Roman Empire was at the time, their dominion paled in comparison to the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is everlasting (Dan. 4:3). His kingdom is not of the present world (John 18:36). It is a kingdom where both righteousness and peace reign (Rom. 14:17). In the face of suffering in the present life, Peter acknowledged that God still exercised dominion. And, unlike the Roman Empire, the reign of God is forever.
Conclusion: Thus we conclude these lessons from 1 Peter about a resilient faith. A resilient faith is one grounded in the person and work of Christ. Faith in anything or anyone else will prove to be unreliable both in struggles of the present and for eternity. Jesus is the best model of how believers are to stand resolutely with God even when difficulties come, opposition surfaces, and persecution bears down on us.
The American culture shows more and more signs of hostility toward Christians. How are we to respond? We are not to withdraw in fear, but to stand firm, giving a clear explanation of the hope that urges us forward. Rather than cower in the face of opposition, Christians are challenged to be a holy people, committed to a holy God. From that we must never shy away.
In the closing lesson we were once reminded that no matter what we face for Christ’s sake, God will strengthen us for the times. Yet we have a responsibility to come before Him with humility and entrust our concerns to Him. We are to resist our adversary, the devil, by remaining firm in the faith. God will sustain us through suffering, work in our lives to restore any brokenness that the suffering causes, and thereby prepare us for victory now and then.
What current situation tries your faith or creates anxiety for you that you need to cast on God?
In what area of your life does the devil challenge you the most often? What steps do you need to take to resist him?
Live it Out
How will you approach God for strength and restoration?
1. Don’t worry. Be conscious of moments when you experience worry this week. Use these moments as opportunities to express your trust in God.
2. Be prepared. Make a plan for dealing with attacks when they come your way. Identify an area of your life in which you feel vulnerable, and then focus on a truth from Scripture that will help you stand strong.
3. Plan a retreat. Take some time in the near future to get away from your daily routine and spend a significant portion of time with God – and only with God.
When you need help, don’t worry about how to “let go and let God” or any other catchy phrase. Simply remember that God is the only sure place to ground your hope, and seek Him for your next step.
Prayer of Commitment
Lord, I can say it no better than Peter did, so I too declare, “To You be the glory and dominion forever and ever.” Amen
This has been a great series on a Resilient Faith! I hope you have enjoyed this in-depth study into God's Word.
In His Love,
David & Susan
