Over the years, I have heard people say, “why should we think we would be any different than those that have gone on before us? Just look at the disciples, they were sawed in half, boiled in oil, stoned, whipped, and beaten. So why should we be any different?"
While some would say, "that's a good question" it actually shows ignorance of the Word. Jesus came so we could have life, and have it more abundantly. He said so in John 10:10.
Some time ago, there was a man we had ministered to and one day he decided he was moving to Sudan in Africa to be a missionary. That in itself was wonderful, but the Lord revealed that he had a martyr spirit. He actually wanted to die serving the Lord. While we should serve the Lord until we die, we should live long and live strong so we can get the job done that He has called us to do. After that spirit was identified, he rebuked it, repented and is serving the Lord some twenty or so years later.
The Lord doesn't need nor want us to be martyred, or sick, or broke, or in lack of anything. He has a job for each of us. Remember, we are in the Body of Christ, but we are not all fingers, or toes, or arms, or whatever. But we are in the body, we together make up the entire body and Jesus is the head. If you grew up poor, then by the grace of God you came out of poverty and into prosperity, would you be desirous of your children living a life back in poverty? Of course not! Well, neither would Jesus, (that's why He died, so we could have abundant life) nor would the Apostles for that matter. What they did to get the Gospel out, they wouldn't want those who came after them to have to do the same thing. They would hope that what they did would matter and make a difference and what they preached would continue to grow from where they left off.
We serve an awesome God. He has done the hard part, our job is receive what He has done for us and make Him look good so others would be drawn out of the darkness into the marvelous light. The fact is, that He needs us to be healthy, wealthy, filled with love, peace and joy.
