Afflictions =-rev gitahi daniel
An affliction is a cause of pain or harm.
The truth is, there is so much pain in the world today. The devil thrives in causing harm and pain especially at the expense of our lack of knowledge.
We will look at three types of afflictions, in hope that we will be enlightened and deal accordingly.
1. Adamic Afflictions
Gen 3 narrates the account of how man was first duped right into sin.
After sinning, the first Adam was cursed by God.
In His mercies the second Adam, Jesus, came and dealt with the curse through His blood.
According to Romans 5:14, Jesus came as second Adam to deal with all the sin caused by first Adam.
While the first Adam sinned at the garden of Eden, the second Adam' s journey for our salvation started at the garden of Gethsemane.
Jesus shed his previous blood to break that covenant of curse.
Gal 3:13 says 'Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”)
One of the several curses that befell man was that he would toil for a living. At the cross, Jesus broke it.
It is therefore not in God's plan for His children to struggle to make a living.
The hardships, struggles, hard labor, and such are better known as Adamic Afflictions.
2 Cor 8:9 says that Rich Jesus became poor so that through his poverty we may become rich.
Luke 22:44 describes Jesus' sweat as drops of blood falling to the ground. This was very symbolic. The curse on the ground was broken.
Anybody who is not born again, however, is susceptible to Adamic afflictions.
2. Consequantial Afflictions
Consequential comes from consequences.
Consequential afflictions come as a result of sin. Sins like abortion or blood shed speak before God.
It is only after confessing sins that you can have true peace (James 5:16)
Rom 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. You will only be saved from these consequences by confessing and being prayed upon.
Prov 28:13 says that if you conceal sin, you won't prosper.
According to Prov 6:16-17, there are things that the Lord hates, including hands that shed innocent blood. Hating a fellow brethren or anyone else is also considered murder, (1 John 3: 15)
Psalms 91:14 talks of how God delivers, rescues, and protects those that love Him.
3. Demonic Afflictions
Demons afflict people as a result of sinful living.
There are three major things associated with sin;
Sin has Power
It carries the power to destroy you. Sinning is not Godly. Anything associated with the devil has no good attached to it.
Sin has Pain
There is inner pain for anyone who sins. You could be laughing on the outside, but be in pain on the inside. This explains why people get 'high' on drugs and such. It achieves some temporal relief from the said pain.
Sin has Penalty/price
You will be punished because of sin. After all sinning has wages.
Lam 5:7 talks of how our forefathers sinned, but we are the ones to bear the punishment.
Our God is holy. He didn't create the world to be a haven of sin and lawlessness. Some sins are carried forward to generations.
Demonic afflictions are often in very unfortunate family patterns of struggle, misfortunes and lack.
It is the devil putting people through afflicting situations.
He thrives in putting people through pain and distressing situations.
May we be free from afflictions by the blood of Jesus.