Part 11 of 25

Two Kinds of Deliverance from Suffering

I posed this question to close the previous installment; “What happened to cause Paul’s apparent loss of God’s miraculous delivering power?”

First, we need to understand what it may mean to be “delivered” in regard to our difficult situations of life today, as we live during “the dispensation of the grace of God.” There are two Greek Bible words used for the two kinds of “deliverance” noted in the Bible.

• One kind of “deliverance” is for us to be delivered “out from” our situation; that is to have us taken out from the situation, or to have our situation taken away from us. Yes, that’s the easy way. This is the one the TV preachers promote – “Come and get your blessing; have your problems taken away.”
• The other kind of “deliverance” is to be “delivered while remaining in our situation.” This is only possible by having the supernatural Christ-supplied ability to endure, cope and overcome, while suffering within our situation.

Thus, “deliver or deliverance” does not always mean to “remove from us” or “remove us from” a suffering. “Deliver” in Scripture may be transliterated from either of the following two Greek words.

1)      “Deliver,” as in the suffering situation being removed or taken away, may be seen in this verse. Heb. 2:15 deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

“Deliver” in this verse means to remove “the fear of death” from us. The Greek word used here for “deliver” is “apallasso,” defined as follows.

Greek 525, Strong’s ap-al-las'-so; from Greek 575 (apo) and Greek 236 (allasso); to change away, i.e. release, (reflexive) remove: - deliver, depart. This Greek word is to be used by the New Testament writers if the writer wants to express “deliverance” as being “removal from” a problem.

2) By contrast, “deliver” sometimes means “supplying one the strength to endure while remaining within a suffering” The Greek word “rhuomai,” translated “deliver,” is used by the Apostle Paul in several verses (i.e., 2Cor 1:10). It is defined as we see below in Louw & Nida’s Greek Lexicon.

“Deliver”- rhuomai, Greek 4506, Strong’s rhuomai, rhoo'-om-ahee; middle of an obsolete verb, akin to Greek 4482 (rheo) (through the idea of a current; compare Greek 4511 (rhusis)); to rush or draw (for oneself), i.e. rescue: - deliver (-er).

“Deliver” here is as a “current.” “Current” sometimes refers to the flow of electricity or water. I believe the “current” Paul writes of is the current or flow of the energizing life-supply of Christ’s “Spirit of life” - coming to believers as a RUSH OF CURRENT to supply them with the ability to endure and overcome in the midst of a suffering.

Consider that all living things have a flow of life within. All mammals have blood flowing within; trees have sap flowing within; all of which is evidence of the life within. Every Christian has the life-flow of “the spirit of life in Christ Jesus” within their human spirit.

Jesus spoke of such a life-supply of His Spirit that would one day come to the believers of Israel after the indwelling Spirit would be given and received.

John 7:38-39 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water ³⁹ (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

I believe it is the flow or current of “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” that is the meaning of “deliver” as used in the following verse.

2 Tim. 3:11 Persecutions, afflictions (Gk pathema, sufferings), which came unto me (Paul) at Antioch , at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered (rhuomai, flowed or rushed to) me.

Here Paul was delivered by that flow as “current” to lift Paul above “all” his sufferings. Christ flowed His supernatural, overcoming, resurrection peace-filled life to a trusting Paul, in the midst of Paul’s “sufferings.” Paul could then “endure” as long as necessary…until he was outwardly delivered from his situation or until he was raptured out of this world.

This verse below speaks of a current or flow of “the Spirit of Jesus Christ” as “the supply” that brought salvation to Paul.

Philip. 1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.

Paul was already “saved” from perdition as are all believers. The word “salvation” (Gk., soteria, rescue) here is saving as a rescue of Paul’s soul by supplying him in the midst of his suffering. Now see this same verse in the Amplified.

Philippians 1:19 (AMP) For I am well assured and indeed know that through your prayers and a bountiful supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, this will turn out for my preservation (for the spiritual health and welfare of my own soul) and avail toward the saving work of the Gospel.

Here with the next verse we also see that Paul’s “hope” was in that “supply” he possessed by Christ’s indwelling life; expecting Christ’s life “to be magnified” within him “by life, by or death.”  Paul expected that Christ would either supply him to endure while on earth, or by dying and ultimately being raptured to heaven.

Philippians 1:20 According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.  

Our new way of living under the grace gospel is that we can expect God to supply us within so as to be able to endure all things.