By Susan Smith
Persecution has many faces and can take many forms. It can look like everything from false accusations, attacks on your character and reputation through gossip, slander, truth twisting, or outright bold face lies, a hostile, intimidating or threatening environment, use of pressure tactics to manipulate you or control your decisions, schemes to try to push you out of your position, or undermine your authority, systematically turning people against you, attempts to cause public embarrassment, attempts to cause fear or terror for following your convictions or for obeying God, orchestrating unnecessary legal actions against you, assorted personal or professional injustices, cruel words or inexcusable and inappropriate behaviors causing mental anguish and suffering, or even physical bodily harm.
The old adage is true: "Never judge someone because you never know what a person is going through", but the Lord knows. He sees, He hears, and He knows. Simple as that. If you are in the fiery trial of persecution, I want to encourage you to stand strong, cast your care to the Lord, and wait on Him. Help is on the way. Romans 8:28 promises us that "All things work together for good to those who love God, and to them who are called according to His purpose." God will take this trouble that the enemy planned against you and work it together for you, for good. He will turn it around.
Maybe you were caught off guard, and you are saying "Why me?" 2nd Timothy, 3:12-13 tells us that "All who want to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus WILL suffer persecution." Followers of Jesus certainly aren't the only people who are persecuted, but if you are a dedicated, sold out, fully persuaded, "all-in" follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we need to count on persecution showing up at the door at some point because Jesus said it would.
Persecution affects us, it impacts us, but it DOES NOT DEFINE US. It's not our identity. Our identify is hidden in Christ Jesus. Persecution defines and identifies the character of the person(s) choosing to do it.
It's important to point out that not every problem we encounter means someone is coming against us. Some stuff we go through is just life. Other things could be related to our own choices, decisions, unintentional errors, oversights, or mistakes, or those of others. Then there are the willful and unwarranted intentional actions of others. You will know the difference because acts of persecution will be targeted, will not be accidental, and will involve some level of malice, ill-will, hostility or even as far as full-blown hatred.
The Lord set clear expectations about the cost, and the reality of being His follower, showing us both sides of the coin. I'm so thankful that He did.
Without these clear-cut precautions, some might give up their faith when things get hard, or when the heat gets turned up. In Mark 4:17, in the famous Parable of the Sower, we find the analogy of believers who didn't have deep roots, never grew in their faith and never matured in Christ, and they lasted only a short time. "When trouble or persecution comes because of the Word of God, they quickly fall away."
We can take comfort knowing that the Lord has promised earthly blessings and eternal rewards to His people who are persecuted, who endure hatred and hostility.
What's the blessing? The Amplified bible describes this blessing as "having been given inner peace, happiness, delighted in Christ Jesus, and being spiritually full of life and joy in God's goodness." This means He's holding us together. I liken it to a tornado causing chaos, turmoil, and destruction around it, but the eye of the tornado is quiet. While a tornado might be going on around us, and it might leave some debris that will need to be cleaned up, the storm doesn't have to destroy our spirit or our souls (our mind and emotions). But it takes faith, and a mind as strong as bedrock that we won't give up on God. Our Lord Jesus gives the ability to remain full of peace and joy, especially as we consider that He never slumbers or sleeps, that He sees, He hears, and He knows, that all power belongs to Him, and that it's only a matter of His timing until deliverance comes.
Here's another major blessing: We are promised an increase in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. "If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed for the Spirit of Glory (heaven), and the Spirit of God will rest on you." 1 Peter 4:14. Not only is the Holy Spirit with us, and in us to provide wisdom, counsel, direction, instructions, and grace for every situation, but I believe that in times that we are under attack, the Holy Spirit's dunamis power, His equipping power, will rests upon us, a special anointing. The anointing is the power. In Isaiah 61 Jesus said that the Father both anointed Him (equipped Him) and commissioned Him to go into the earth. God knows that persecution and ill-treatment are hard on us emotionally and mentally, and He is gracious to provide an anointing to overcome it. I've heard it referred to as the "Teflon Anointing" --- meaning things might come at you, but they won't stick to us.".
ETERNAL REWARDS IN HEAVEN FOR FAITHFULLY ENDURING PERSECUTION:
God's no-fail formula for dealing with the people involved in persecuting you: Matthew 5:44
Before we discuss the concepts of loving, blessing, and doing good, let me quickly say that you also need to be safe, and ensure your family's safety. You need to set appropriate boundaries, whatever that means in your specific situation. Put some distance between you and them when it is possible. Jesus is not asking us to be doormats or to enable others. What we allow is what will continue. When they persecuted Jesus and tried to throw Him off a cliff (attempted murder), He left and removed Himself. True, He knew it wasn't His time to die, and He had work to do, but He also didn't hang around for more abuse. Be wise and protect yourself. It's one thing for someone to cross the line. It's another thing entirely if they break the law.
It's not productive to spend our valuable and limited time and energy trying to get someone to stop mistreating you, or to try to change their behavior. They most likely will not change until God gets ahold of their hearts, or until they become afraid of the consequences and stop. Even then, things can continue covertly. Instead, put your energy and focus into praying for their spiritual condition. You already know and understand that the reason they practice persecution or hatred is because they are carnal (at best), or worst-case scenario, because they don't know God at all. "And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ (the Holy Spirit), they do not belong to Him." Romans 8:19.
Following Jesus' instructions on how to handle things is the only sure way to get victory. We're told to forgive a persecutor and love them. We may be able to forgive and release them to God, (if only as in "good riddance"), but actively choosing to demonstrate love to an enemy can be much harder when the rubber hits the road. But it is possible in Christ, or He wouldn't have told us to do it. "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13. We have to ask God to give us His heart towards them. We can ask for a Word of knowledge to get some insight into their life as to why they act as they do, what they might have gone through in the past. Perhaps this can give us some degree of understanding. Not condoning, not coming into agreement with what they do, but seeking to understand so that we can grow.
We can be vessels of God's love and bless their lives and do good to them as our Heavenly Father wants us to, simply by praying for them. After all, His Son died for them too. God wants them to receive prayer. Pray for them to be saved. Pray that they come into the Kingdom of God. Pray for their salvation and for their name to be written in the Lamb's book of life. Pray for conviction, leading to Godly sorrow, leading to repentance. Pray for the Holy Spirit to convict them of sin. Pray for the Spirit of Adoption to come upon them. Call those things that are not as those they are. Get to business binding and loosing and taking authority over the works of darkness. Ask what you will so your joy may be full. Tell mountains to move in Jesus' name. Get busy in your prayer closet and all of heaven will back you up. God exalts His Word above His very name. His Word does not come back to Him void it accomplishes the things where unto it is sent. The Word of God tears down strongholds. If it tarries and delays, just wait for it. Don't quit. God is watching over His word to perform it. So put that word in your mouth and release it, so He can perform it. And then cast your care to the Lord. The battle is His and He's never lost a battle.
You never know, you may be the only person praying for them, so give it all you've got. Take it as a hidden ministry. Become their intercessor. If they will accept Jesus' Lordship over their life and begin to be conformed into His image, their words, actions, attitudes, and behaviors will be transformed. Saul tormented, harassed, and relentlessly persecuted the early church believers - until His encounter with Jesus. Then his mind was changed, his heart was changed, his direction was changed, his mindset was changed, his name was changed, and his future was changed. God took this renowned hostile, prideful, arrogant, persecutor, cleaned Him up and gave him a leading role in the spreading of the gospel. Today, millions of people worldwide are still benefiting from the apostle Paul's writings which comprise a hefty portion of the New Testament. God doesn't change. He is still the same yesterday, today and forever. Have you ever considered that your prayers for the persecutor in your life might be what helps them get set free and brings them into the Kingdom of God? That those prayers might be used to save them from an eternity in hell? That those heartfelt prayer might even facilitate them being launched into a ministry? Remember, James 5:16 promises us that "the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous person avails much." We never know what God can accomplish through the gift of prayer.
A few closing thoughts to help you:
1) When undergoing persecution, don't stop doing what you are doing, but ask the Lord if you need to adjust.
"Men will hate you because of Me. When you are persecuted in one place, leave and go to another place." Matthew 10:20. This was spoken to traveling disciples, but the principle is the same for us: Don't stop doing whatever it is that you have been called to do, or whatever the Lord has given you to do. People need you. The world in these end times needs you. When Jesus was mistreated, He would simply make an adjustment, move along to the next village, to the next person who needed Him and continue His mission. Don't ever let ill-treatment make you stop. God knows the beginning from the end. Even if one door closes, He will have the next one ready. move on.
2) Don't behave like they do. Don't stoop to their level. Don't retaliate or try to get even. Guard Your Heart.
"We work hard with our hands. When we are cursed, we bless. When we are persecuted, we endure it. When we are slandered, we answer kindly." 1 Corinthians 4:12. "Do not return evil for evil. Do not repay insult with insult." 1 Peter 3:9. Proverbs 4:23 says "Above all else, guard your heart with all diligence for everything you do comes out of it." This isn't talking about our heart as in the blood pumper. It's talking about safeguarding our souls, our minds, our emotions. Safeguarding our hearts is our job. Our decision.
3) Don't give up, and don't abandon your faith.
"All this I have told you so that you will not give up or go astray." John 16:1
4) Stay focused on God's love.
"What shall separate us from God's love for us?" Shall trouble or hardship, or persecution separate us from His love? No! Never! In ALL THESE THINGS we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Nothing in all of creation will be able to separate us from God's love." Romans 8:35. Jesus is proud of us, and pleased with us when we stay the course with Him.
5) Let the Lord's grace and power go to work on your behalf.
"My grace is sufficient for you. My power is made perfect when you are weak. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses (sufferings), so that Christ's power may rest on me. For when I am weak, then He makes me strong." 2nd Corinthians 12:9.
A better way to explain this verse if that God has a level of grace that is sufficient for ANYTHING on this earth. Persecution can weaken us and can go beyond the realm of suffering into the realm of trauma. The Lord is assuring us that the greater our need, the greater amount of grace He is releasing. Our problems are no match for His supply of grace. If our need is on a scale of 10, His grace is on a scale of 50. He isn't stingy with His grace. He gives an abundance of grace. And with that grace comes power, power we need to get back up again when we have been stepped on. Power to go the distance. The Lord will not let His people remain weak, weary, wounded, and wiped out. When we are weakened, He brings in strength.
The Lord goes beyond grace and strength and promises to restore us. "And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory (heaven), after you have suffered awhile, will Himself restore you, make you complete, make you strong again, firm and steadfast." 1 Peter 5:10. God is so faithful. After we have been through a time or a season of suffering, God Himself steps in and brings restoration. Restoring whatever needs to be restored in any capacity that concerns you.
He also promises to deliver you. "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of all of them." Psalm 34:19. The key to understanding this promise of deliverance is that it is in His timing, not ours. He is at work behind the scenes. Don't mess it up. Stay out of His way while He is at work on your behalf, and while He is working in the other person's life as well. Do whatever He tells you to do. Don't do what He tells you not to do. If you are a fixer, resist unless you are clearly led of the Lord.
God is not unjust to overlook these sufferings that you are going through, but He also knows that our "light and momentary" afflictions are achieving an eternal degree of glory for you" 2 Corinthians 4:8. While some things that cause us stress and distress certainly don't feel light or momentary, they are when they are viewed from an eternal perspective, and they are working for us, because God says they are, and they are achieving eternal glory that will far outweigh or exceed anything we've been through on this earth. While it may be hard to get our heads around "leap for joy" and "count it all joy" while we are in the middle of mistreatment, this Christian walk WILL be worth it in the end. And the "end" lasts forever, and ever, and ever.
Whatever you might be enduring right now, or whatever you may encounter further down the road, know that you are never alone. God sees. And "God knows how to deliver the godly from trials." 2 Peter 2:9. The Lord will never leave you, forsake you, forget you, ditch you, or abandon you. He is watching over you. He's got eyes on you. Don't quit on Him. Press through. Take Him at His Word and hang on. Help is on the way. And then when the storm passes, when you've had time to catch your breath and regroup, you will have a strong, viable, powerful, credible encouraging testimony of God's faithful hand on your life and ministry.
Some of you are going to have some mighty fine great rewards waiting for you in eternity. Whatever we have to go through, He's so worth it. Run your race!