Overcoming Afflictions
David W Palmer
(Mark 4:16–17 DKJV) “And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; {17} and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended (stumble, fall away).”
The second category of people—or type of soil—that Jesus describes in his key parable is those whose hearts are “stony ground.” He says that they “receive” the word; they don’t allow Satan to steal the word—like those whose heart-soil is completely hard like a road. In fact, they “receive it with gladness”; they are delighted and joyful to welcome God’s seed into their hearts; they are full of expectation, and hope that it will come to an abundant harvest.
(Mark 4:5 NHEB) “And others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil.”
The word-seed goes into the heart-soil of these people and the first shoots appear; they see the potential in the seed and are excited at first with all the joy, faith, and life that the word brings with it. However, Jesus says that their soil is shallow; below the soft surface of this rejoicing listener’s heart is concealed rock. Their heart is not completely hard; but it is not soft in the deepest parts, where the word needs to be rooted to survive.
The Master Teacher said that those with this type of soil in their hearts hear the word with gladness, but “when affliction … arises … they are offended.” To understand this fully and then to be able to apply it to ourselves, we first need to ask: What does Jesus mean by the word “affliction”? Affliction is basically “pressure”; our enemy pressures us to harden ourselves from the child-like humility it takes to submit entirely to God’s word. We can see from the definitions of the original Greek word that this pressure takes the form of anguish, trouble, oppression, tribulation, and distress, etc.
When this pressure comes on you, what will you do? The options are clear: wisely humble yourself under God’s mighty hand by yielding to his word—allowing it to take root in every area of your life; or proudly excuse yourself from obedience—justifying your resistance through your own [tree of the knowledge of good and evil] reasoning. Remember; either you get the rocks out, or the word will go out.
We note also that Jesus didn’t say, “If” affliction arises for the word’s sake. No! He said, “When affliction … arises for the word’s sake” (verse 17). From this, two things are clear: the heat and pressure of affliction will certainly come; and it is coming for the “word’s sake.”
Jesus doesn’t tell us of the inevitability of impending affliction so we acquiesce to its pressure and roll over in defeat. No! He warns us so we can prepare to overcome it.
Throughout the New Testament, the Holy Spirit gives us several indomitable tactics for overcoming affliction. Let’s look at them now:
1. Prepare yourself; affliction is coming
(Acts 14:22 ALT) Strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to be continuing firm (persevere) in the faith, and saying, “Through many afflictions it is necessary for us to enter into the kingdom of God.”
2. Affliction is coming for the word’s sake
(Mark 4:17 DKJV) “… affliction or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended (stumble, fall away).”
We must note here that not all pressurizing affliction is the same—or comes for the same reason. In the parable of the sower, Jesus is talking about the affliction that “arises for the word’s sake.” Whenever you receive, believe, and stand on God’s word—for anything he has promised—you are prone to face this type of affliction. So be ready and prepared to overcome it.
3. Affliction comes on the disobedient
However, another form of affliction is mentioned in God’s eternal, absolute word to which this parable does not apply: the affliction of consequences, or punishment coming on people because they are wicked, rebellious, or incomplete in their obedience:
(Romans 2:9 CEV) All who are wicked will be punished with trouble (affliction) and suffering. It doesn’t matter if they are Jews or Gentiles.
(Psalm 107:17 CSB) Fools suffered affliction because of their rebellious ways and their iniquities.
If you are suffering under affliction for the reasons mentioned in these verses, the way out of it is clear: repent of the wickedness, rebellion, and sin; ask for forgiveness; and then go to God’s throne of grace to find the grace you need to help in your time of need (Heb. 4:16). In other words, admit it, quit it, overcome it, and forget it.
4. General affliction comes on everyone randomly
A third type of affliction can assail us uninvited and underserved. It’s the storms that Jesus said would come to every life. These come because we live in a “fallen” environment, which came about because of Lucifer’s and Adam’s sin. The way to prepare for this type of affliction is again, the Word. Jesus said that if we build our life on his teaching, we would be like a wise man that built his house on a rock foundation; the storm couldn’t break it (See: Mat. 7:24–27).
5. God comforts us in our affliction; we should comfort others in theirs
(2 Corinthians 1:3–5 EMTV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, {4} who comforts us in all our tribulation, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, by means of the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. {5} Because just as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.
6. God delivers us from all types of afflictions
(Psalm 34:19 NKJV) Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.
How does God deliver us out of afflictions?
The Word:
(John 16:33 MKJV) “I have spoken these things to you so that you might have peace in Me. In the world you shall have tribulation (affliction), but be of good cheer. I (the Living Word of God) have overcome the world.” (Parenthesis added)
Joy / Rejoicing:
(James 1:2 LITV) My brothers count it all joy when you fall into various trials.
Persevering Patience:
(James 1:2–3 LITV) My brothers count it all joy when you fall into various trials, {3} knowing that the proving of your faith works patience.
Glory in Afflictions:
(Romans 5:3 MKJV) And not only this, but we glory in afflictions also, knowing that afflictions work out patience.
7. Keep your eyes on the big picture: afflictions are temporary; glory is permanent
(Colossians 1:24 EMTV) I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for His body, which is the church.
(Romans 8:18 NKJV) For I consider that the sufferings (afflictions) of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. (Parenthesis added)
8. Remember that affliction cannot separate you from God’s love
(Romans 8:35–39 MKJV) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? {36} As it is written, ‘For Your sake we are killed all the day long. We are counted as sheep of slaughter.’ {37} But in all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us. {38} For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, {39} 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.
We particularly note amid this long list of afflicting circumstances that the Holy Spirit joyfully declares: “But in all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us” (verse 37). Praise the Lord; by his grace received through faith, we can overcome affliction—of all types and of any origin. This surmounting victory is what God rewards (See: Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 26–28; 3:5, 12, 21; 21:6–7).
So let’s keep our eye on the big picture when facing the inevitable affliction that seeks to prevent God’s word from taking permanent root deep in our heart. And let’s completely renew our minds to the idea that our objective is to overcome it—for Jesus’s sake and rewards.
Below is a summary of the God-given strategies you can use from today on when facing the challenge of “affliction” that “arises for the word’s sake”:
1. Prepare yourself; affliction is coming.
2. Affliction is coming for the word’s sake.
3. God comforts us in our affliction; we should comfort others in theirs.
4. God delivers us from all these afflictions.
5. How does God deliver us out of afflictions?
The word,
Joy / rejoicing,
Persevering patience, and by
Glorying in afflictions.
6. Keep your eyes on the big picture: afflictions are temporary, glory is permanent.
7. Remember that affliction cannot separate you from God’s love.
8. Always remember; you can overcome afflictions in Jesus’s name.