When Persecuted on Account of the Name of Jesus, Rejoice and Be Glad For Your Reward is Great in Heaven!

 

Funeral of a persecuted believer.

  Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.". This is directly linked to blessing number 8. The fact that Jesus would repeat the statement concerning persecution His followers would face, pretty much confirms that we who name as Lord, Jesus Christ, will be persecuted and hated because of His name. It is a certainty, a promise, that such a situation will occur. How does Jesus say that are we to respond? “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way, they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Have you ever been lied on or taunted because someone thought you were being “goody two shoes”? Have you ever been lied on/taunted because you were honest and kind, and held in high esteem by others? Most of the time such behavior will come from persons who do not know or love Jesus. However, sometimes it may come from persons who may be in your own family, friends, or who may attend church. (also see: 2 Timothy 3:1-7; Galatians 2:4)  Because we belong to Jesus, He has asked His Father to protect us while we live out our faith here on earth. God’s protection can be a “snatching out of the fire”, that is, delivering our bodies out of a persecution activity so that we may flee to physical safety. God’s ultimate protection is that of enabling our faith to persevere the persecution, so that we can endure to the end of our earthly life – however long God determines it to be. He will protect us for eternity. Websites like Christianity Today, and Open Doors track the ongoing persecutions of God’s people around the world; some survive the persecution physically, and others go to their death praising God and glorifying their Savior. The “statistics” are staggering; these are not just data, these are faithful followers of Christ who are encountering some of the utmost physical and emotional assaults that can befall a human. And these followers do not fight back! They do not go to war with those who hate them and persecute them! And followers pray for their persecutors! Only a child of God could behave in such a way under such trauma! An organization called "The Voice of Martyrs," tracks, lends aid to, prays for, reports on, provides accommodations for, etc. those persecuted in the many places of the world. They collect the stories of the persecuted (warning: the reports may be hard to watch or read) to identify with their brothers and sisters who are also being persecuted. They also ask for donations to support the work of support they physically and materially provide to the thousands of Christians who have been driving from their homes and otherwise have suffered.

Read slowly the words of the Holy Spirit recorded in Romans 12 to those who are being persecuted:  “¹²Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. ¹³ Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another. … Never be wise in your own sight. “¹⁷Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. ¹⁸ If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ¹⁹ Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’ ²⁰To the contrary, ‘if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head [your acts of righteousness and forgiveness could impact their minds so that they are cleansed of evildoing.]’ ²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  

When we do these things, we can “rejoice and be glad” because our God-given faith and endurance glorifies God and Christ, and may save those who persecute us from eternal death. God’s reward surpasses anything else you can have in this life; God says our "reward is great in heaven.”

This reward is multifaceted (look up if you don’t know what this means): It is a reward of intimate relationship with the God and Sovereign over all the universe, the owner, Creator of all things seen and unseen. It is the reward of knowing that God is alongside you in your trial and does not take His focus from you for even a millisecond. It is the reward of being Christ to others who see our faithfulness – particularly those who are persecuting us, and who by God’s will may be drawn unto Christ by your steadfastness. (example: the thief on the cross next to Jesus; also see Matthew 27:44; ). It is the reward of a “gold crown” (it is called gold because it is priceless!) when we stand at the throne of Christ; we will enjoy a special welcome and intimacy unlike anything we’ve ever known. We will be in the presence of the Lamb and all of His faithful people, united as one Body, and who worship Him day and night!

View this video about how Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who survived Nazi death camps and who suffered dearly for Christ, reacted when she met one of her persecutors years later. View this as a family or with friends and have a discussion about it.

 

Explore

 

·        Why are Christians persecuted? What do you think makes their situation different (not better!) from other groups of people who get persecuted? As you look at the websites that address the persecutions of our brothers and sisters in Christ, what kind of feeling or emotion comes over you? Do you have friends or relatives who live in those countries where persecution is nonstop? If so, how do you support them?

·        Share your thoughts on the Corrie Ten Boom video – how it made you feel and think about your faith.

·        How easily did her forgiveness come? How does her example look like the scriptures you read above?

·        Can you write a prayer for those who persecute/harass you?  Is it easy to do or are you experiencing a challenge to write a prayer for them? Why or why not?

·        Can you write a letter to a person who is suffering for Christ? Is it easy to do or are you feeling unsure of how to write it? What would you want someone to write to you if you were undergoing persecution?

Bonus: "Praise You in The Storm", Casting Crowns; "Find My Peace," Naomi Raine; "My God Fights For Me," feat. Micah Tyler, Kaden Slay, Charity Gayle; "A Mighty Fortress is Our God."  Virtual Choir #4; "Precious Lord, Take My Hand." sung by the Aeolians of Oakwood University; "Not Afraid." Pentecostals of Alexandria

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[1] 10/26/2022 Nigeria (International Christian Concern) – 70 Christians martyred in a village in central Nigeria; relatives bury their dead.

Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake, for Theirs Is The Kingdom of Heaven

 

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. There is a popular “church” teaching that when we become followers of Christ, we have a rosy path before us. That we can expect material goods and wealth because we are now “Christian”. But, do you know that Jesus says just the opposite to those who would follow Him? ¹⁸“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:18-19) This hatred may look like name calling, denial of certain provisions or kindness, verbal assaults and threats, even physical assaults and attack on property. (I have personally experienced a number of these; on one occasion, when I and some high schoolers from church were sharing the Gospel on Good Friday, we came under verbal attack!) It may be direct persecution on our bodies by satan in an attempt to limit our ability to praise and worship God and to distract us from our mission. 

Do we withhold our identity as a follower of Christ because we are embarrassed, or think we will be called names? Look at what Jesus tells us in Mark 8:38: “Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” 

Zowie! God implores us to turn to Him in times of trouble – look at what the Bible says about praying to God when we are facing trials: Psalm 56:1-4, Psalm 57:1-3, Psalm119:84-87, Psalm 142:6, John 15:20; there are many more!  God has given us not just His Spirit, but also spiritual armor to protect our souls, because the devil and his agents are seeking to destroy our faith and relationship with Jesus. As a follower of Christ indwelt by God’s Holy Spirit, we are already walking in eternity with God; we are already experiencing in a very tangible way, the kingdom of heaven because the Spirit of God, at work in us to build God’s kingdom, fills us, protects our souls, hearts and minds, we are sharing with Christ in our sufferings, and draws us closer to Jesus. Jesus, knowing in advance that we all face some version of suffering for His name, passionately prayed to His Father to protect us, most importantly to protect our faith and trust in Him, so that we may endure. As those who suffer for His namesake, we then fully identify with God’s kingdom, knowing we are secure in His grace and power. 

Therefore, though we will face difficulties because we follow Christ, we do not shrink back from being a Christ follower because we know we have already been saved for an inexplicable life beyond our humanity. No one can take that reality from us. The persecution can have the purpose of building our faith and trust in God, in rejoicing because we become enjoined in a remarkable and special way to Christ and His sufferings. We will find and know God in a unique way through suffering! And in the midst of our suffering, we can bow before God in grateful thanksgiving because we have the confirmation that we are Christ’s and in Christ.

 

Explore

This beatitude and the last one are tough to deal with because very few, if any, of us want to be taken out of our comfort zone. We want people to like us, and treat us fairly. We don’t want anything ‘negative’ to happen to us just because we are Christian. Consider these things:

·        For right now - and only God knows how long this will continue, the U.S. is one of few countries where you can live and not experience the kind of harsh persecution that our fellow brothers and sisters in over 85% of the countries of the world are experiencing because they name the name of Christ. Our trials are more subtle – just like they were for the Israelites when Balaam enticed them with sexual immorality and idolatry. Many who profess belief in Christ in the ‘western’ world are succumbing to the enticement; many Christians obey culture instead of God, breaking the first commandment. They call good what God has called sinful. Have you found that to be true; if so, in what ways? If you do not think that is true, why?

·        In this paper’s opening it says that “There is a popular “church” teaching that when we become followers of Christ, we have a rosy path before us. That we can expect material goods and wealth because we are now “Christian”. What do you think about that?

 

·        Have you been made aware of the harsh persecutions taking place around the world? How do you feel when you hear about, read, or see reports of such persecutions?  

·        What is it about God’s kingdom that would make you desire to endure pain and trials for Christ’s name? How easy would that be for you? (hint, re-read the Psalms above that David prayed to God)



Bonus: "Guilty"  -- Newsboys  (theme song from movie God's Not Dead 2); "Even If" - Mercy Me; "Don't Wait Til the Battle is Over - Shout Now!" - Walter Hawkins and the Love Center Choir

The Spirit at Work in Believers, Part 4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Not by Power, Nor by Might, But by My Spirit, Says the Lord

Christians do spiritual battle every day in many ways. Therefore God, in Ephesians 6 commands believers to put on spiritual armor, the protection of the Holy Spirit daily because, as verse 12 says “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” John 14:16, 17a, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth…” 

In Sudan a few years ago, several church leaders and pastors had come together, and during their worship rebels came in and captured and beat them, dragging them off to the bush where they could do their evil deeds under cover. However, they did not know the Lord and His love for His anointed ones! From out of nowhere a swarm of wild bees came and attacked the soldiers while the imprisoned pastors looked on. The bees never came near the believers, but instead chased after the soldiers as they ran away, allowing the pastors to free themselves and escape. 

Through yielding to the Holy Spirit, we, too, will see God’s power and authority, as Zechariah 4:6 promises, “Not by power, nor by might, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts.”  

You can hear of this miraculous deliverance on youtube – search for Sudan – A Swarm of Wild Bees.

The Spirit at Work in Believers, Part 2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I Will Never Leave You Nor Forsake You

John 14:18a,26 says “I will not leave you orphaned…The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all I have said.” … 
Our first story comes from The Hiding Place, the biography of Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch Christian whose family saved a number of Jews from the Nazis, and were themselves arrested and put in concentration camps. In telling about their lives under Nazi persecution, Corrie shows how God the Holy Spirit was with them and comforting them, and performing miracles that were seen and experienced not only by them but also by their fellow prisoners. God protected the precious little Bible that they with God’s help were able to keep with them for some time in their captivity, and He made it possible for them to hold Bible study and worship – turning the circumstances of evil into a sacred place. 

God dwelt with Corrie and her sister, and though sometimes Corrie became overwhelmed by the difficult trials, her sister would always speak the Word into her and pray. 

At the women’s concentration camp at Ravensbruck, one of the miracles the Spirit used to confirm Christ’s presence with them relates to a small bottle. Betsie, Corrie’s older sister, was sickly during much of her life, and required daily infusions of vitamins to help strengthen her physical frame. Under the Spirit’s watch, Betsie’s vitamins had been smuggled in and preserved. Corrie would put a drop or two of the liquid vitamin onto Betsie’s daily black bread ration. 

It would be daily that The Spirit moved more of their fellow prisoners to thirst for Bible study and worship. Hearing their prison mates from different nationalities translate the Bible words being read so that others could understand was like divine music. 

And it would also be daily that Betsie was moved to share her small bottle of vitamins with other ill women, starting with one or two women, then the number kept growing. Corrie was worried that all of the vitamins in the small vial would be used up, leaving her sister without. Yet, the more generous Betsie was with the drops, the more the bottle filled. Corrie was amazed! The small bottle should have given up its last drop after only a few days, but the more the medicine was needed, the more it would come from the bottle. 

Like with the widow of Zarapheth who gave the prophet Elijah a room in her home, whose oil and meal were almost gone but by God’s miracle through Elijah, she never ran out of meal and oil, and survived the famine in the land. 

The miracle of the never-ending vitamin drops were a source of awe to the women being helped by them and a turning point for their faith. That divine delivery continued for a while until one day a fellow prisoner obtained a large supply of vitamins and yeast compound, sharing it with Corrie. Corrie was grateful to God for this windfall. She happily took enough for Betsie, thinking maybe they should finish the small bottle of vitamins first. 

But, when she got back to their bunk and Corrie took out the small bottle and tipped it, nothing came out. No matter which way she turned it or how hard she shook it, not another drop appeared! 

In many such ways the Spirit continued to move in their lives even in those persecutions, working in & through them to save others for Christ, even enemies. They were just regular people, old women who had given themselves to Christ, learning how when younger to submit and depend on the work of Christ’s Spirit. They and their family are now with the Lord, but the accounts of their living by the Spirit still lead others to Christ.