Things that Cannot Separate Us from the Love of God - TRIBULATION

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

One of the most insidious tricks of the devil is to convince people that they can be separated from the love of God. God IS love and He is always with us. God was IN Christ reconciling the WORLD unto Himself and we have Christ IN us which is the Hope of Glory.

There is a lot of talk and speculation about the coming “tribulation” or GREAT TRIBULATION if you will. It’s like this scary boogieman that is coming to get us AT ANY MOMENT! Everyone is wondering – are we IN the great tribulation? Is it coming soon? What is going to happen in the great tribulation? Should we be buying guns and gold? Should we be stocking up on food and water? How will we survive this coming great tribulation?

The Word repeatedly tells us that tribulation is a part of our walk with the Lord. In fact as it states in the book of Acts – it is a requirement to have tribulation in order to enter the Kingdom of God.

Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. ACTS 14:22

The word tribulation was first used in the King James Version in the book of Deuteronomy. But when God said it – He said WHEN you have tribulation – not IF. “When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. Deuteronomy 4:31-32

Tribulation has a purpose in our lives and our spiritual walk. It reminds us how much we NEED the Father and His love and mercy in our lives. Like any really good parent, he wants us to obey His voice because He is trying to keep us from the consequences and hurt that sin brings into our lives. It is out of His extreme love for us that He tells us these things – that He will not destroy us, nor forsake us.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:1-5

Tribulation works patience which then works experience and then hope. Without tribulation there is no patience (which is a fruit of the Spirit), there is no experience and ultimately there is no hope! Tribulation is part of the process of manifesting your sonship and Christ being revealed IN YOU. It is a work of the Holy Spirit that causes the love of God to be shed abroad in our hearts! We are to glory in our tribulations because ultimately it brings in the peaceful fruits of righteousness.

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Romans 12:12

Another purpose for Tribulation is so that we can also in turn be comforted! “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” 2 Cor 1:3-5

We should welcome tribulations and trials because they are what eventually brings us into the Kingdom of God. We who come out of great tribulation will have washed our robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. Rev 7:14. Tribulation is never something that separates us from God’s Love – but will actually be instrumental in bringing us closer to Him!

Blessings in Christ
Linda