Releasing Kings for Ministry in the Marketplace (www.releasing-kings.com) Choose Life (part 1) The Christian walk has the unique promise of “life”.  I like the King James, “Life and life more abundantly."  That’s an amazing promise when you think about.  9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:9-10  In Matt 7 Jesus also explained that the way to life is narrow and only a few find it. 13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matt 7:13-14  Most apply this verse to salvation.  I believe we need to distinguish between those that are saved and on their way to heaven (with no spark) and those that have abundant life.  This year 40 million church-attending Christians went to the polls.  That’s a big number and I believe they are on their way to heaven.  My question is, “How many have abundant life?”  The vast majority of heaven-bound Christians would probably admit that their life is something short of “life and life more abundantly”.  Many of us have a fairly elaborate theology for “suffering” to go with our lack of abundant life.   Faith for Suffering - NOT Jesus learned obedience through the things he suffered (Heb 5:8).  Job learned some things through his suffering.  And we site verses that show how suffering develops our character. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. Rom 5:3-4 Although none of us escape trouble, problems, death, taxes, etc., I want to encourage you not to live there.  Although Job took 40 chapters to sort out his problems, most commentators suggest the duration was only a month or two.  Jesus suffered greatly –True.  But, he was arrested late at night and crucified the next morning.  The whole ordeal may not have lasted 12 hours!    You may go through a short season of problems- via the will of God.  He does discipline us, but it’s for a “little while” – not years and decades.  I want to suggest that God is not the author of chronic suffering.  The devil is sometimes responsible. at other times bad things happen for no "good" reason, and occasionally our own carnality gets us in hot water (the world the flesh and the devil).  Here's the bottom line on suffering; we shouldn’t tolerate it, justify it, or look up Bible verses to support it!  We need to be taught more on how to find abundant life and less on how to endure chronic suffering.  Christians that try to “endure to the end” are the ones that never experience “Life”.  Meanwhile the enemy continues to steal, kill, and destroy the abundant life that is available to us through Jesus' death, burial and resurrection.  Spiritual warfare begins when you can target the real enemy.  God’s not the problem – it may be the world, the flesh, or the devil.  Either way our assignment is to resist evil and overcome adversity.  We're "more" than conquerors.  "Conquering" - That's what Kings do for  living.   Taking pride in the false theology of suffering …a well known minister preached a fiery sermon about enduring years of tribulation. He explained how people came to him regularly asking that his anointing be imparted to them. His answer: "Why should you receive in an instant what I suffered for years to purchase?" I used to buy into such statements.  Now I can’t find much of Jesus in that line of thinking… not the person of Jesus, not sound doctrine, and no Biblical precedence.  Just the enemy robbing God’s people and imparting faith for decades of trial.  I don’t buy it!  It’s part of the devil’s house of cards that’s about to come down from a “jail-break” of Kings being released to fulfill the great commission.    Imagine David’s mighty men sitting around the campfire telling one another, “I suffered for thirty years so I could slay the Philistines with David and I’m sure not going to give this anointing to anyone else that hasn’t suffered at least 25, How about you?”  Give me a break.  (Now I’m “piling on” – sorry). There is the possibility of two very negative reactions to this insight: (1) offending those who have truly suffered in life, and (2) turning off those who have been hoodwinked by prosperity preachers who specialize in telling the flesh what the flesh wants to hear.  I’ve spent years in both of those camps.  What is “healing” is that the Lord is giving me the opportunity to tweak my doctrine and have abundant life.  “Spilled milk” or “abundant life”… what SHALL we do?    If you have experienced pain and suffering for years… Bob led me to the Lord when I was 18.  His wife Eve was a wonderful woman of faith that went home to be with the Lord in June.  Eve suffered with pain from arthritis for over 20 years.  On one hand she led people to the Lord, raised her family, and had a remarkable life.  On the other hand she alternated between pain medications to avoid addiction and exhausted every medical and spiritual healing option available to her – and nothing worked.  The pain was always there for all those years.  Few knew how hurtful it was.  About three years ago she and Bob drove 700 miles to hear a guest speaker in our church.  I was amazed at her persistence.  The Lord spoke to Eve about a personal issue from her childhood that night when she was on the carpet.  The next day she was in the healing rooms getting more prayer.  I wasn’t expecting much, but she was invigorated by her experience with the Lord and the reduction in pain… I remember hoping for the best, but expecting the least.  She went home encouraged and a couple weeks later wrote a note thanking us.  It was the first time she had been able to write because the pain was gone.  She was off the medication and glorifying God.  She carried that healing to her natural death and people spoke of it as a milestone at her funeral. I want to extend a hand to a brother or sister.  I want to cut the chain of that pain and suffering and set you free.  If you will join me in adjusting your concept of God, you can put an end to your suffering. I want to suggest a couple of resources by Harold Eberle that are very practical and helpful.  Please get both:  If God is Good Why is there so much suffering and pain? "and" Who is God Note: Who is God is soon to be released but it is available now as a PDF file you can download from Harold’s web site. (www.worldcastministries.com) Here is what cuts the chain.  God is not the author of your pain and suffering.  He is good, He loves you, He values you, and he wants to bless you so abundantly that you'll be able to bless others.  If you carry a belief that your pain and suffering is because of God's will or because its God's fault, no amount of prayer will remove it.   Send your comments to http://www.releasing-kings.com/Feedback.html if you have additional thoughts.  It will be fun to sort this one out.  I’ll post the discussion on the blog.  Next Week in part 2, we'll take on the specifics of getting to abundant life.  I owe a special thanks to John L Moore, a friend who traded a dozen emails framing the fine points. Kingly Bio's We're in the process of putting together a study guide that will include some testimonies of kings.  Their successes, failures, vision, etc.  If you have a story that would bless others, let us know.  We've got several done and more planned.  We'd love to interview and write up your story as well.  The goal is dozens. john@releasing-kings.com or johnsue@3-cities.com 509-308-6873 Blessings, John & Harold PS: don't forget to look at the free reports - Especially the one on your heart's desire. http://www.releasing-kings.com/free-reports.html   ___________________________________________________________ You can get your copy of Releasing Kings for Ministry in the Marketplace at 1-800-308-5837 (or) www.worldcastministries.com