Someone asked me recently why God allows satan to tempt us and try us; why in the world doesn't God lock him up; why is he allowed to tempt us?  The answer that came to my heart at that moment, I knew came from God; it wasn't something I could contrive on my own.  At the same moment I opened my mouth to answer, the Spirit of the Lord also ministered to my own spirit why I endure heartache and suffering at times. 

This is what the Lord spoke into my spirit at that moment, and it lines up with the Word of God:  The Word of God says, "If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us" 2 Timothy 2:12. 

God has stated in His Word that He desires that we should reign with Him.  Is God preparing to establish His righteous kingdom on this earth (during the millennial reign) and He will give His people the power to rule and reign with Him.  Does God intend to promote into leadership immature Christians who have no Spiritual discernment, who struggle each and every day with sin and the flesh?     

Who will God elect to rule and reign with Him in His kingdom?  Those who have been tempted and tried; those who have suffered persecution and humiliation; those who have suffered hardship; those who have suffered challenges; those who have been in the valleys of decision and have weighed in the balances what is right and just, who have tried the Spirit to know what is God's perfect will, who have read and poured over God's Holy Word to know what the heart of God and the mind of Christ is.  These will rule and reign with Him.  

Could God possibly put those in leadership who have never understood want or lack, those who have never suffered hardship, those who have never suffered pain, those who have never had to make hard and difficult decisions to stand for God against all odds, those who have yielded to temptations without restraint, those who have never been humiliated or humbled in this life?  How in the world could they rule and reign with the Lord God and judge multitudes, if they have not withstood the test of this life themselves? 

We are being fashioned in righteousness right now, as we live this life.  We will not be saved now, live the kind of life we please and not deny ourselves, living a selfish existence here, yet go on to rule and reign with the Lord at the end of time.  It doesn't work that way.  By virtue of our rigorous victories, by overcoming, by prayer and supplication, by self denial, by some pain and suffering, we will rule and reign with the Lord throughout eternity. 

Before we enter heaven, our bodies will have to be changed, but our souls must be purified now.  "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither does corruption inherit incorruption" 1 Corinthians 15:50. 

We are saved when we receive the Lord as Savior, but our bodies remain corruptible until "our change comes at the last trump." 

"Behold, I show you a mystery, we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed, for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortality" 1 Corinthians 15:51-53.

Right now, our souls reside in corruptible bodies, they age, they eventually die, unless we are alive when the Lord returns.  Our souls?  Our souls will not be changed, only our bodies.  The Word of God says, "That He might present it (the church - His saints) to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish" Ephesians 5:27. 

So, the Lord is waiting for the "bride" to get herself ready, purifying the soul, making it spotless for our Lord and Savior.  Since it will not be changed when the Lord returns, we must undergo the change in our souls now.  The Word of God says, "The trying of your faith works patience" James 1:3.  Jesus also said, "In your patience, you possess your souls" Luke 21:19. 

In summary, if the trying of our faith (tribulation, suffering) works patience and "in patience we possess our souls (our souls are not lost), then suffering purifies us, perfecting us for the return of the Lord, preparing us to rule and reign with Him. 

"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:7.

Jesus said to the church at Laodecia, "I know your works, that you are neither cold or hot; I would that you be cold or hot.  So because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of my mouth.  Because you say, I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing, and know not that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked: I counsel you to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that you may be rich with white raiment, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness does not appear, and anoint your eyes with eye salve that you may see" Revelation 3:15-18.

He went on to say concerning His return, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still, and he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he who is righteous, let him be righteous still, and he who is holy, let him be holy still" Revelation 22:11. 

It will be too late to try to prepare our souls to be united with the Lord when He returns.  At that point, we will remain as we are and the opportunity is gone.  We will be either filthy, or holy, as we stand before Him.

Are you prepared to stand before God and give an account of the life you have lived on this earth?  Have you received the Lord as your Savior?  If not, won't you take care of the matter of your eternal soul today?  Please visit the How Can I Be Saved page of this website.  Salvation is only a prayer away.  God bless you.