Persecution? Yes - For a Little While.

Thank you so much for joining us. Every believer will face persecution, the Word says so. However, our teaching today will encourage you on how Jesus dealt with it and by extension how you can deal with it too. May the Holy Spirit reveal the truth and thereby encourage your heart today. Eric

As I grow older, (I'm in my seventh decade already!) I am aware more and more that the length of our earthly life is short. I am also reminded often in the Scriptures that life on this planet is temporary for everyone.

Genesis 1:26 reveals that God created mankind or every individual, in His own image. 'Image' tselem, "refers to qualities such as reason, personality, intellect, the capacity to relate to one another, to hear, to see and to speak." (Kingdom Dynamics NSFLB). We also read in John 4:24a that "God is Spirit" and consequently, our being made in His image means that we are also spirit. Then, in Genesis 1:27, we are taught that God made male and female in His own likeness and gave them dominion over the fish, birds, cattle and creeping things. Therefore, we recognize that "through man and woman God intended to reveal His character and authority , express His dominion over the Earth, display His undisputable power over the works of darkness, and subdue His archenemy, satan, (Kingdom Dynamics NSFLB).

In addition to these qualities and characteristics of God, which He reproduced in us, various Scriptures reveal that He is an eternal being. He is: 'The King Eternal' (1 Timothy 1:17); 'The Everlasting God' (Genesis 21:33); 'The eternally blessed God' (Romans 9:5) and Psalm 100:5 reveals, 'His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations." God is an eternal being and so are we.

At this point, I'd like us to consider one of the trees that was located in the Garden with Adam and Eve. There was the 'tree of good and evil,' which the Lord forbade Adam and Eve to eat from. In fact, God gave Adam this warning about it, "In the day you eat of it, you shall surely die." This tree represented human autonomy or 'self-rule.' Rather than following God's command, Adam and Eve chose to disobey God and as a result, brought spiritual death or eternal separation from God to all mankind. The Scripture reveals we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23). As a result of their sin, the only way back to right relationship with God was the shed blood of a perfect sacrifice, of one with no sin.

As believers, our eternal life will be in heaven with God the Father, His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the only man who never sinned, paid the penalty we owed and could never pay, by shedding His blood on the cross for us. (John 3:16).

Then, we discover in John 14:1-3 that Jesus is also preparing a place for us, where we will spend eternity with Him! Hallelujah! What a powerful and dynamic truth! That day will come for every believer, when they will be face to face with their living loving God (in a place) where they will never face hardship, trouble, or persecution again! Praise Him forever!

However, we are not there yet, and we have been told by Jesus, through His Word, "in this world you will have trouble!”

How do we handle the troubles, hardships, suffering and/or persecution? It is very easy for us to allow our focus to be pulled away from God's Word and truth and be stayed on the problems rather than on His truth. We can find ourselves expending so much energy doing what is necessary to live that we tend to forget that our life here is temporary.

The apostle Paul addressed the challenges, hardships and sufferings the believers were facing in 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) which reads, "So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Earth is not the home we were created for.

In reading about our heroes of faith in Hebrews 11:13-16 (BSB) we learn that, "All these people died in faith, without having received the things they were promised. However, they saw them and welcomed them from afar. And they acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 Now those who say such things show that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them." God has prepared a city for them! Did you notice in verse 13, "they saw them (the promises of God) and welcomed them from afar."? You see, their focus was on the promises of God!

We learn three principle things from James 4:14 (BSB), "You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." From this verse, we realize that our life is unpredictable, our life holds uncertainty and we have human limitations. The metaphor, 'You are a mist' conveys life's fleetingness. 1 John 2:17 (ESV) reads, "And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." 'Passing away' parago means: to depart or disappear. (Thayer's Greek Lexicon). We absolutely need to focus on eternal matters.

Philippians 3:20a very plainly and emphatically teaches that, "our citizenship is in heaven." Because of God's mercy, we can be/are born again to an 'imperishable, undefiled and unfading inheritance in heaven!’ What wonderful news this is for us! Although life is not easy and is filled with hardships, trouble and suffering, we can 'take heart' or 'take courage' because Jesus overcame the world and we have the presence of the Holy Spirit living in us! (John 16:33). "Even in the midst of persecution there is a joyful peace in the certainty of Christ's victory! (Textual notes, NSFLB).

The tribulations, persecutions, adversities, afflictions oppression and stress believers encounter from the 'world' those under the influence of sin and those who oppose God, can come against us from many fronts.

Today, our hearts are heavy for those of the family of God who daily face persecution such as the early church faced. Many lives are being taken or constantly threatened by the enemies of our Lord. For those reading, who are in this position, we pray that God will strongly make His presence known, strengthen and empower you to stand firm in the face of the enemy. Know this - God and His children win!

In other parts of the world, where at present, believers are not facing physical attacks and deadly persecution, the trials, hardships and suffering that comes is coming from, our living in a fallen world. We see many afflicted with illness, those who struggle with financial problems, mental issues, dysfunctional families and much more.

In my lifetime, I have had over 20 surgeries. We pray, for ourselves and others, asking and believing for healing, wholeness, provision and deliverance. However, until we see the evidence of the ministry of the Lord and the Holy Spirit, we continue to stand on the Word of God.

During one of the surgeries I had, a nerve was damaged and I was incapacitated for ten months. In the midst of these troubles, life can be hard and the hardships seem to last for a very long time! Yet, even in this, God is always faithful and compared to eternity, these trials are less than a blink of the eye.

1 Peter 1:6-8 (BSB) reveals, "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith - more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." "Our faith is tested by fire: God refines our faith as gold as we go through trials and testings. Gold is refined by fire; as the temperature increases, impurities begin to become evident. As they surface, they can be removed. As we undergo testing and as the impurities of sin surface, we are to ask forgiveness so we can be made clean and pure." (Truth in Action NSFLB). Your faith which has been tested by fire will result in praise, honor and glory to Jesus when He comes. The trials that come test the genuineness of our faith!

Believers, we are exhorted to not be astonished or shocked when fiery trials (calamities) come upon us but we should 'rejoice' that we share in the sufferings of Christ. (1 Peter 4:12 and 13). Interestingly, the word translated 'rejoice' literally means to experience God's grace or to be conscious (glad) for His grace. How often have we experienced His grace and not even been aware of it?

"Faithfully glorify the Lord even when you know you will face persecution, remembering that the Spirit of glory and of God will rest on you in the midst of your suffering." (intense persecution). (Truth in Action NSFLB). Praise God - we never go through these hardships and persecutions alone! He is always with us!

Paul called the trials he went through 'light afflictions.' What an example for us! He suffered things beyond what I can comprehend, yet he kept his eyes on Jesus and His promised reward. In order for us to maintain the right perspective, we need to do the same.

Before His crucifixion, in John 16:32, Jesus told His disciples prophetically that they "would be scattered and abandon Him." Then, He said something amazing! You see, Jesus was facing His greatest hardship. His death was imminent but He spoke these words, "Yet, I am not alone, for the Father is with me." In order for the disciples to understand why He spoke that word to them, He continued in verse 33, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace." This is SO Significant! I don't want you to miss it!

As He faced death, the greatest suffering (bearing every disease and the sins of the world) that any man would ever face - He said, "even though you all abandon me - I am not alone."

What does this mean for you and I? Even in times of intense human isolation and suffering, the Lord is with us! We will have divine support and comfort to fulfill our calling and mission and like Jesus we will be more than a conqueror! Jesus was empowered by faith and the Holy Spirit's presence. He triumphed over sin, disease, death, the grave and satan through His death and resurrection! Hallelujah! We share that victory!

Romans 8:35-39 (ESV) reads, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." "NO" ABSOLUTELY NOTHING Will BE ABLE to separate us from the love of God!

2 Corinthians 4:16 and 17 (ESV) reveals, "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison," The afflictions we face are difficult. The afflictions serve to refine and strengthen our faith. Suffering serves a divine purpose in the life of we believers.

The glory from being in the Lord's presence which is to come, far surpasses the fleeting nature of our earthly troubles. That glory is incomparable to our present sufferings.

'Set your minds on things that are above.' (Colossians 3 2a).

Persecution? Yes - it will come, but only For a Little While.

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 (CSB).

Amen and Amen!

NSFLB New Spirit Filled Life Bible

BSB Berean Standard Bible

CSB Christian Standard Bible