The chastisement of the Lord

“If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.”
Hebrews 12:7-11

It has often been said that God punishes people and causes trials and persecutions as a form of chastisement because He loves us.
Well, if this is true, then we do not need the devil nor should we complain or murmur about difficulties!
God does not send trials to chastise or punish people. He has set a better way to deal with us and the answer is found in His Word. Remember that the Word of God is the wisdom of God and it reveals God, His character, His nature, His thoughts and His way of doing things.
We need to understand clearly what ‘chastise' means in order to know how God will be with us. Bear in mind that the Old Testament was written in Hebrew and the New Testament was written in Greek.
The Greek word chastisement as translated in the New Testament means “to instruct or train.”
The book of Hebrews says our earthly fathers chastise (to train and instruct) us according to the flesh, but our heavenly Father chastises us in our spirit because He is the Father of our spirit. Accepting God's instruction and training will produce life. I believe this refers to the abundant life that Jesus talked about in John 10:10.

“The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
John 10:10

In fact, that scripture sheds light to what we are discussing today. Jesus states that there is a thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy. He clearly informs us that God is neither the thief, nor the destroyer and furthermore He is not the killer.
People associate sickness, death, losses, lack and defeat as trials sent from God. Obviously these steal, kill and destroy life and families and they are not from God! If you find the thief, you'll find the destroyer and the killer.
Before we go hunting him down, let us see how God does chastise (train and instruct) us.

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Word! Here it explains that God instruct, correct and train by His Word. This is how He does it not by trials and destructive circumstances.
Remember this always:

“Let no man say when he is tempted (tested or tried), I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:”
James 1:13

Some argue and say, “What about those situations in the Old Testament when God send curses on His people to teach them.”
Understand that as soon as Adam and Eve fell that the curse became evident on the earth. It came as a result of sin. Sin brought spiritual death and curses. So, when people disobeyed God, curses automatically came upon them. In the book of Deuteronomy God plainly told them what was available - both blessings and curses – and the conditions in order to receive them. It depended on the choices they made!
Now in the New Testament, we have Jesus our redeemer that has bought us out of the curse.

“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”
Galatians 3:13

God is love and love is kind (1 John 4:8 – 1 Corinth. 13:4). It is not love when one causes their child to suffer and then say I am teaching you a lesson. I mean what would you think of me if I take an injection filled with a virus and insert it in my daughter to cause her to be sick? Then I say that I am doing this for your good in order for you to be obedient. You will be angry and call me an abuser! The same is true in the Spirit realm. My heavenly Father is not an abuser!

So who is the spiritual culprit known as the thief?

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
1 Peter 5:8

We have an adversary and he is the devil. Satan was and always has been the one who steals, kills and destroys. When a person steps out from under the protection of God, Satan attacks. By error, God has been blamed for what Satan has been doing for all these years.
So ask God for wisdom concerning the trial you are facing and take your authority over the devil. If you have sinned, repent and ask God for His mercy.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9