After this what happens? For the remainder of their days the Lord Jesus works with His elect, chastening them (often severely) from time to time. They are not free to go about doing as they please. The Lord Jesus regards them as His personal property. As such He judges their behavior at all times, testing them continually and chastening them often and soundly so they will not come under the condemnation that rests on the world.

For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. (Hebrews 12:6)

It is not the guilt of the faithful saints that is at issue, for their guilt was removed on the cross for all time. It is the sinful nature of the believers that is being judged. The saints suffer so their sinful nature may be driven far from them. As they suffer they learn to walk in the righteous, peaceful ways of the Lord.

Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. (I Peter 4:1,2)

Has this been true in your case or have you never been chastened by the Lord? Or do you believe it is Satan who is causing all your troubles?

It is not Satan at all. Satan does not appear in the fourth chapter of I Peter except as an instrument to carry out the Lord's will concerning His saints. Our fiery trials are, as Peter explains to us, the judgment of the Lord on us. They are not an expression of condemnation or a punishment for our sins. They are not a demonstration of Divine wrath but of Divine judgment.

So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: (II Thessalonians 1:4,5)

"A manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God." We suffer that we may be found worthy of the Kingdom of God.

Have you noticed that after you have suffered for a period of time it is much easier to live quietly and contentedly before the Lord?

The righteous experience many afflictions. They always have. But God delivers them out of all their afflictions as soon as the "silver" (redemption) and "gold" (Divinity) in them have been refined to God's standard.

Every Christian will be baptized with the Holy Spirit and with the fire of God's judgment.

Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:12)

The above verse parallels I Peter 4:17.

For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (I Peter 4:17)

To be continued.