Persecution

Persecution is a word that strikes fear in the heart depending on where you are in the Lord.  Now think of this Paul made it very clear that if you want to live a godly life you will be persecuted, check it out in 2 Timothy 3:12.  If you have lived a Christian life for a time and haven’t experienced persecution you probably aren’t letting anyone know about it.  When you become a true believer, many of your so called friends and even your family, in some cases, will stand against you.  Check this out in Matthew 10:34-39, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” 

This doesn’t mean that your friends or family will never accept your Lord and Savior, it has happened many times but on the other hand some may never be won over.  We still need to be faithful in prayer and our witness and I don’t mean in just words but also in our actions because they are watching. 

You may hear from some people that if you become a follower of Jesus everything will be great and you will have no worries or cares but in all reality many will hate you for your stand for Jesus.  Read what Jesus said about this to His disciples in John 15:18-25, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’”

What did Jesus say about how we should treat our enemies?  Read about it in Matthew 5:39-48, “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

None of us want to be persecuted but look what the Word of God says it accomplishes in us in Romans 5:2-5, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

I think some of the fastest growing churches are growing because of persecution.  In fact that was one of the ways the church has existed down through the ages. The church has persevered because of the qualities that persecution develops in a believer’s life.

Enough said, but there is so much more that could be said about this subject.  I have given you something to think about and I hope this will encourage you and help you.  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!