Roy Sullivan, a United States park ranger in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, was hit by lightning on seven different occasions and survived all of them. For this reason, he gained the nickname, “Human Lightning Rod”. Sullivan is recognized by Guinness World Records as the person struck by lightning more recorded times than any other human being.
Wow – what are the odds? The odds of being struck by lightning for a person over the period of 80 years have been roughly estimated as 1:100009 If the lightning strikes were independent events, the probability of being hit seven times would be 1:100007 = 1:1028. I cannot imagine a number that big.
I saw Roy Sullivan on television one time and he had a forest ranger hat with a large hole burned in it from a lightning strike. It hit while he was wearing it. (His ranger hats now reside at two Guinness World Exhibit Halls in New York City and the other in South Carolina.)
Sullivan lamented the fact that no one wanted to be around him during a storm for fear of being hit by lightning.
Huh?
This past year has been devastating for me. Every way I’ve turned it seems I have experienced trials and tribulations. It was not restricted to me, but also to my wife and some other family members, very close friends, and leaders within the Jesus Alliance. Yesterday even our longtime housekeeper suffered. Although she is merely a youngster whom I would estimate to be in her late 20’s, she underwent major back surgery yesterday that is usually reserved for much older people. She had two ruptured discs and three bulging. (I had three ruptured and ended up having C3-T1 fused together in February).
Her operation was successful and now she has feeling in her toes and feet, but I can tell you from experience that operation is no laughing matter and she will be enduring some pain for some time to come. Her name is Casey and she is a beautiful person who loves the Lord with all her heart and I ask that you pray for her right now wherever you might be.
I don’t know if I’m turning into “Lightning Bob” or what, but I worry about my family and friends as to whether or not they should keep their distance. There is no question that I’m enduring satanic attack and it appears that those around me are not immune.
I spoke with a preacher the other day who stated that he did not believe that God would allow satanic attack. I looked at him like he’d lost his mind. He went on to explain that God was good all of the time and He has no part in allowing His children to suffer. It was all satan.
I told him that God allows trials to serve His good purpose, including preparing us to have patience and perseverance. He really got steamed then, and said His God wouldn’t do it.
I asked about Job; and reminded him of satan being allowed to put Job to the test with unprecedented trials and tribulations, only holding back his ability to take his life. He quickly wrote that off as Old Testament.
Okay, I then asked whether he believed that the Apostle Paul was blinded on the road to Damascus. He said yes. I asked if he felt that Paul was terrified. He said yes. I asked if being blinded and terrified for three days qualified as a trial. He said yes, and then I asked if God had allowed it. This preacher did not want to agree and just sat there red faced and simmering.
God allows us to go through trials and tribulations for His own good purpose. Paul would never have become the greatest evangelist who ever lived if he had not had his Damascus moment.
I never understood James (half-brother of Jesus) when he said: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. To be honest, until I began experiencing so many trials fast and furious, I didn’t think I was capable of thinking of my suffering as “pure joy”.
I’m no masochist and I don’t enjoy pain and it breaks my heart to see those whom I love suffer, but somehow I mysteriously have come to consider it an honor and privilege to suffer, because I know God will ultimately use it for His own good purpose to shape my life into what I should be. In other words I completely trust God. I firmly believe that He would not allow satan to make me suffer, unless He had a very good reason. He loves me more than I can imagine and therefore I’m glad, (joyful) that He is shaping me to be a better person and representative for Him.
I never thought I would reach this point in my life.
The Apostle Paul asked the Lord to remove the satanic “thorn in his flesh” that was plaguing him. God spoke to him and those of us who are suffering right now would do well to listen to the Spirit:
2 Cor. 12:8
. . . there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me– to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
September 24, 2015 – Click here to listen