The Kingdom of God
Suffering and Grief

To: The City of Lights Community
Prophetic Voice Newsletter Issue 4

In this month’s Prophetic Voice Newsletter, we have an opportunity to walk deeper in the knowledge and understanding of Jesus Christ by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.               

Suffering and grief is not a popular topic for discussion. Yet, the events covered by the broadcasting and news media organizations constantly bombard  every moment as we “catch the news” with reports of suffering and grief in graphic pictorials around the globe.  Most generally the
"news" deals with accounts of  thievery, scandals, destructive actions or forces, and reports of pending death, elements of war inflicting death,
those killed in accidents , murdered or simply who died "in the news."
Keep in mind, most social laws of the world are not God’s election of laws.  They are the works and designs of men and the works of the antichrist spirit.  Physical laws follow the designs of God's plan for the universe.
These laws apply to every aspect of everything created.
Isa 45:7 AMP
I form the light and create darkness, I make peace [national well-being] and I create [physical]  evil (calamity); I am the Lord, Who does all these things.

Very importantly, we need to understand that God's divine purposes work through all of creation...


God made us a triune being and as such we have
Our soul/spirit being is eternal whereas our flesh being will once again return to the components of the elements of the earth from which we were formed.    The human body is composed of blood which is approximately 80% water and all the 20% remaining tissues, organs and bones are  element minerals and trace minerals that are found in the crust of the earth.

The bible distinctly states that flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.   Heaven is a spiritual realm.
God is Spirit and we must worship Him in Spirit and Truth. 
God the Father has a spiritual body.
Father God demonstrates just how much in control that He is of all things!

Phil 2:6-8
Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained,
7 But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.
8 And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!  AMP
By the power of the Spirit, we are given witness to Christ about His physical and spiritual body. Jesus shows us His resurrected transfigured body that confirms He is both fully God and fully man.

●At the tomb with Mary        Mark 16:9
  Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared
   first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.  KJV

●In search of the risen Lord...        Luke 24:24-26
24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and
     found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that
      the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter
      into his glory?

●As He walked talking to two disciples     Luke 24:27-32
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto
      them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went:
      and he made as though he would have gone further.
29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward
      evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread,
     and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished 
     out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us,
      while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us 
      the scriptures? KJV
●As Jesus greets the disciples and cooks a fish breakfast
   and fellowships with them        John 21:7-14
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, It is the Lord!
    Simon Peter, hearing him say that it was the Lord, put (girded) on his
    upper garment  (his fisherman's coat, his outer tunic)--for he was
    stripped [for work]--and sprang into the sea.
8 And the other disciples came in the small boat, for they were not far
   from shore,only some hundred yards away, dragging the net full of fish.
9 When they got out on land (the beach), they saw a fire of coals there
   and fish lying on it [cooking], and bread.
10 Jesus said to them, Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.
11 So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net to land,
      full of large fish, 153 of them; and [though] there were so many of them,
      the net was not torn.
12 Jesus said to them, Come [and] have breakfast.
     But none of the disciples ventured or dared to ask Him, Who are You?
     because they [well] knew that it was the Lord.
13 Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them,
      and so also [with] the fish.
14 This was now the third time that Jesus revealed Himself (appeared,
     was manifest) to the disciples after He had risen from the dead.   AMP
●As Jesus appears to the disciples   Luke 24:33-49
33 And rising up that very hour, they went back to Jerusalem,
      where they found the  eleven [apostles] gathered together
      and those who were with them,
34 Who said, The Lord really has risen and has appeared to Simon (Peter)!
35 Then they [themselves]  related [in full] what had happened on the road,
      and how  He was known and recognized by them
      in the breaking of bread.
36 Now while they were talking about this, Jesus Himself took His stand
      among them and said to them, Peace ( freedom from all the distresses
      that are experienced as the result of sin) be to you!
37 But they were so startled and terrified that they thought
     they saw a spirit.
38 And He said to them, Why are you disturbed and troubled,
      and why do such doubts and questionings arise in your hearts?
39 See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself! Feel and handle Me
      and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones,
      as you see that I have.
40 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
41 And while [since] they still could not believe it for sheer joy
      and marveled, He said to them, Have you anything here to eat?
42 They gave Him a piece of broiled fish,
43 And He took [it] and ate [it] before them.
44 Then He said to them, This is what I told you while I was still with you:
     everything which is written concerning Me in the Law of Moses and
     the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.
45 Then He [thoroughly] opened up their minds to understand
      the Scriptures,
46 And said to them, Thus it is written that the Christ (the Messiah)
      should suffer and on the third day rise from ( among) the dead,
Then the Lord directs the disciples attention to Heavenly realms
and gives them a DEEPER understanding for suffering...
47 And that repentance [with a view to and as the condition of]
      forgiveness of sins should be preached in His name to all nations,
      beginning from Jerusalem.
48 You are witnesses of these things.
49 And behold, I will send forth upon you what My Father has promised;
      but remain in the city [Jerusalem] until you are clothed with power
      from on high.  AMP

For the most part, suffering and grief originate through the loss
of someone or something we value.  Loss is the absence of that which
we esteem such as a person, event, or thing within our personal, social,
or spiritual life.
As we are confronted with small losses of unfilled desire, small amounts
of grief become a part of everyday loss.  For example, generally, loss of a  job causes great suffering and grief whether we recognize it or not. 
It creates an attack upon our finances which is God's economic foundational provision and blessing.  God blesses the works of our hands.
When blessings are cut off, desolation takes their place. 
is usually involved in finding a new job.  Normally it requires much test and trial to find new placement.

Suffering and grief is also directly linked to the loss of our health.
While going through the  suffering and  grief, one often finds that times of traumatic events leads to isolation.  It is generally difficult to talk with anyone who is grieving.   Let's look at the disciples as they experience the pending loss of their Leader while waiting with him in the Garden of Gethsemane.

We see the following acts in the scriptures of the Lord's visit to the Garden of Gethsemane.  Extreme of emotions; sorrow, agony, grief, anger, pain all
were demonstrated regarding the unknown details of events that lie ahead.
The condition of the soul in reaction to announcement of pending death, the process of dying and the aftermath of death are unpredictable
within the spirit of man except by the revelation of the Holy Spirit.
 

Anger is demonstrated in a fashion that shows how one , may overreact
to a pending loss
Matt 26:51
51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword and, striking the body servant of the high priest,
cut off his ear.
Matt 26:52-53
52 Then Jesus said to him, Put your sword back into its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. [Gen 9:6.]
53 Do you suppose that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will immediately provide Me with more than Twelve legions [more than 80,000] of angels? AMP
John 18:26
26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him?  KJV\
Here are several signs regarding denial and isolation...
Matt 26:69-75
69 Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and one maid came up to him and said, You were also with Jesus the Galilean!
70 But he denied it falsely before them all, saying, I do not know what you mean.
71 And when he had gone out to the porch, another maid saw him,
and she said to the bystanders, This fellow was with Jesus the Nazarene!
72 And again he denied it and disowned Him with an oath, saying,
I do not know the Man!
73 After a little while, the bystanders came up and said to Peter, You certainly are one of them too, for even your accent betrays you.
74 Then Peter began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear,
I do not even know the Man! And at that moment a rooster crowed.
75 And Peter remembered Jesus' words, when He had said,
Before a single rooster crows, you will deny and disown Me three times. And he went outside and wept bitterly.  AMP

The extent of the anxiousness and actions present themselves in our soul realm of thought and emotions.  These produce stress on our whole body.
Physical weaknesses of all kinds such as shaking, nervous jeters, clumsiness, blurred vision, histamine reactions, fatigue and loss of concentration result.
Internally, one may experience headaches, increase of heart rate,
changes of blood pressures, and variable types of breathing rates.
These signs also accompany various levels of fear.  Fear has torment. 

Rather than finding ourselves in isolation, we need support of family
and friends. Most people are unprepared for the feelings they experience
in the face of loss. Every loss has various levels of impact to our lives and our expectations. Few families talk about their suffering and grief.  They are not skilled in expressing their feelings and thoughts in regard to the grieving process. Most find themselves trying to deny the existence of  uncontrolled and unwanted emotions.  It's usually when a person tries too hard to control themselves and their feelings that problems result.  The grief process sometimes needs more time to "play" itself out than family and friends may expect.

When Jesus was Resurrected, He went to His "family" of disciples to help them through the grieving process.   Many had gone back to doing the things of their past and were finding great difficulty in doing so. 
Much energy is many times expended in doing things that are routine.  Many times depression becomes the overriding factor in a person's life.  Energy levels and motivation seize to be vibrant and enabling.  
One experiences a listlessness and a defeated attitude playing heavily
on every movement and decision.

In that grief involves physical, social, spiritual and psychological elements, we need the comfort and nurturing care of the Holy Spirit even more in our lives.  The reactions of loss many times cause one to move away from all relationships rather than to move into closer relationship.  Many times the results are evident in being angry with God and blaming Him.
God's ways are not our ways.  Here is what God counsels in our times
of grief and trials of sorrow.
3 Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure and affliction and hardship produce patient and unswerving endurance.