Copyright ? 2002 Diane S. Dew

I. The origin of pain

A. Pain is the result of the fall.

Genesis 316 "Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children"

B. The source of pain is Satan.

Revelation 910, 19

C. All of creation groans until the Lord returns, for then it will be re-made and released into the fullness of God's original design, which was destroyed by sin.

Romans 822 "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."

D. The end of pain will be found in heaven.

1 Peter 510 " But the God of all grace, ... after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you"

Isaiah 119 " They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain...."

Isaiah 6525 " The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the bullock and dust shall be as the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith the LORD."

Romans 818

Revelation 214 "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away."

II. Scripture well describes the excruciating agony experienced by those enduring pain - whether acute or chronic, incurable or temporary.

Psalms 1163 "The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me I found trouble and sorrow."

Jeremiah 1019 "Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous but I said, Truly this a grief, and I must bear it."

Jeremiah 419 " My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace..."

Revelation 1610 "And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain"

A. Incurable pain tempted Jeremiah to doubt the character of God.

Jeremiah 1518 "Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, waters fail?

B. Job described deep bone pain.

Job 3319 "He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain."

C. Isaiah described pain in the loins.

Isaiah 2113 "Therefore are my loins filled with pain pangs have taken hold upon me, as the pangs of a woman that travaileth I was bowed down..."

Jeremiah 419

D. The psalmist described pain in the heart.

Psalms 554 "My heart is sore pained within me; and the terrors of death are fallen upon me."

E. Many describe the pain of childbirth.

Isaiah 2617 "Like as a woman with child, that draweth near the time of her delivery, is in pain, and crieth out in her pangs..." (Cp. Genesis 316; 1 Samuel 419; Psalms 486; Isaiah 138; 667; Jeremiah 2223; Micah 410; Revelation 122)

F. Jeremiah described severe bowel and eart pain.

Jeremiah 419 " My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace..."

III. Many deny that suffering could possibly be God's will for believers. (The wicked are expected to suffer for their sins Job 1520; Jeremiah 30;23, etc.). Some claim that perfect health today is included in the atonement. Obviously, it's not, as many who love and serve God get sick and die. In fact, "ALL"do! (Hebrews 927) Their claims are based on verses like Acts 224, Christ has already" loosed the pains of death.&quot However, experience and Scripture indicate that we still must endure pain, and die, etc. - that we have not yet entered in (experientially) to the fullness of the resurrected life - just as none of us yet walk in perfect victory over sin (and are wrong, if we claim to, according to 1 John). All of creation has not yet been set free yet, either (animals still fight), etc.

1 Peter 317
1 Peter 419 "Those who suffer according to God's will..."

A. Believers must experience pain and suffering. Note the word "must" in the following verses

Acts 916 "must"
Acts 1422 "must"
2 Corinthians 1127 "In weariness and painfulness, ...in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness."
Philippians 129 "must"
1 Thessalonians 34 "must"
2 Timothy 312 "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

B. Many Old and New Testament people of God experienced pain and suffering. They were imprisoned, beheaded, tortured. (See Hebrews 11, the so-called "faith chapter&quot. They were not failures, but men of FAITH, "of whom the world was not worthy." Following are some examples of New Testament believers who experienced pain and illness

1. Timothy still had stomach ailments and "frequent illnesses" even after Paul's visit to him. In fact, Paul speaks of his "often infirmities."

1 Timothy 523 "Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities."

2. Epaphroditus nearly died in the ministry because of his physical problems.

Philippians 225-30 "Epaphroditus... was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. For indeed he was sick nigh unto death but God had mercy on him... for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death"

3. Paul left Trophimus sick at Miletum.

2 Timothy 420 "Erastus abode at Corinth but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick."

4. The apostle Paul himself (as well as many other first-century believers, Hebrews 11 and 133) endured great physical suffering and pain.

Acts 910
Acts 916 "For I will shew him (Paul) how great things he must suffer..."
2 Corinthians 1125 "Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned..."

5. The life of Jesus required, according to the will of God, great pain and suffering. (Note the word "must" in each of the following - and other - verses.)

Matthew 1621
Mark 56; 831; 912
Luke 922
Acts 173
Acts 2623

C. Thus, suffering and pain clearly are NOT an indication of spiritual weakness. Suffering is a GIFT entrusted to us, to sharpen our focus, etc.

Philippians 129 "For unto you it is given... not only 1) to believe on him, but also 2) to suffer for his sake."

D. "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example..." (1 Peter 221)

Hebrews 29, 10; 58; 926; 1312
1 Peter 111; 29-10, 21, 23; 318; 41
Luke 1725; 2426, 46
Acts 318
2 Corinthians 15

1. Jesus experienced pain personally - i.e., he was fully human.

Hebrews 218

2. He felt compassion for the hurting and healed them.

3. Even though Jesus himself "healed many" (Mark 134) - including one who had previously "suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, ...but rather grew worse" (Mark 526) - not all believers today experience perfect health and healing. (Many DO, however through prayer and faith! See http//www.dianedew.com/healing.htm

There is more

http//www.dianedew.com/pain.htm