PERSECUTIONS
June 18, 2021
“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Psa 34:19).
King David wrote those words in the Psalm the Lord gave him to provide comfort, no doubt, while he faced upheaval to his throne – from his own son! God is like that; He’ll speak to our hearts words of comfort that lets us know He’s still with us – He’ll never leave us, nor forsake us! Sometimes it will rise up within us as a still small voice; sometimes a friend will call and say “Hey, the Lord has placed you on my heart and I just wanted to encourage you.” Other times He’ll speak through a servant of His in a sermon or a broadcast (like a show on The Victory Channel™ or a podcast, or something a radio announcer may say – He does that for me a lot!). In-a-nutshell: we have available to us all we need to succeed in life, regardless of what the enemy throws at us!
I’m writing this because the Lord has been speaking to me about persecution for some time now. He’ll do that to prepare me (and others who’ll listen to what He says through me) before we actually need to access it. My Pastor says it like this: “To be forewarned is to be forearmed.” In other words, if you or I have been made aware of possible danger, or trouble before it comes along, then we can prepare for it and be ready to overcome it in advance. This “danger” could range from simple ‘verbal-slander’ to martyrdom when it comes to being persecuted for our faith. Jesus said in John’s gospel: “A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (15:20).
Without delving into a lot of detail; mankind was created to give expression physically to the spirit-world. Spirits are eternal beings – all spirits, good and evil. God placed a limit on all spirit-beings that they require a physical body to be given expression in this natural world. That’s why Satan had to use a serpent’s body to talk with Eve and deceive her into disobeying God’s command regarding the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He was after the authority God gave Man to this planet (which, ultimately, was to get back at God for expelling him and his bunch from Heaven).
Entire cities of people (and sometimes animals) had to be wiped-out because they were giving themselves over to evil spirit influences. Sacrificing their children, practicing sexual-immorality, and all manner of unholy activities. God would raise up godly ministers (usually prophets) to speak His words to them to get them to stop. But, a lot of times they simply wouldn’t listen and make the necessary changes, so He had to pass judgment on them, getting rid of the ‘in-rode’ those evil spirits had. I know it sounds harsh, but from God’s perspective, He did NOT create man to follow after the devil and his rebellious ways! He ALWAYS made a way of escape for mankind to return to Him. Then came Jesus! – Let me get on a mini-soapbox here! – God creates Man, Man rebels against God; God becomes a Man to pay the penalty for the rebellion! – Who does that?? Who gets offended, then pays the penalty of the offence so the offender can go free?? – JEHOVAH GOD, WHO SO LOVED US – THAT’S WHO!
Okay, now that I’ve gotten that out, let’s get back to persecutions. Both John and Paul spoke of these ‘spiritual influences.’ John wrote in 1John 5:19 “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” The AMPC says: “under the power of the evil one.” The NIrV puts it this way: “under the control of the evil one.” Notice it’s the “whole world” – not the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ (although, one could fall prey to such influence if they allow themselves to – that’s why it’s so important to renew our minds, go to church, and fellowship with godly people to remain strong against evil influences!).
Paul addressed these unseen influences like this, writing to the Ephesian church: “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Eph 2:1-2). “The course of this world,” Mike Leach paraphrase: ‘the direction this world is traveling in.’ Then he tells them (and us) that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (our battle isn’t with people – it may seem that way, but it’s the unseen forces they are yielding to); “but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12).
Now, why all this talk about unseen influences? There are only two camps: Light and darkness; good and evil; love and hate. The spirits that be, exist in one or the other of these two camps. God The Father is over the Light camp. In that camp we’ll find The Lord Jesus Christ, The Holy Spirit, holy angels and the Church (the Body of Christ). Satan (once known as Lucifer) is over the camp of darkness where demons (devils), fallen angels, and unredeemed mankind exist. – I feel I have to state a side-note here: unredeemed mankind is not demon-possessed; they’re just influenced by them in their thinking and actions. A child who is brought-up in a household with morals and even godliness will exercise a greater restraint against evil influences than one who is subjected to an unholy atmosphere in their upbringing. But, God loves all mankind equally, and the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is available to all who will receive it. The choice is ours.
As you can imagine, the evil camp of unseen influences HATE the camp of holy individuals. So, they ‘move-on’ (influence) those who they can to persecute (make life miserable for) those who are in the Light camp. Remember what Jesus said in John 15:20 “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.” Why? Because He’s IN us. It’s not because we are anything special, it’s because He’s so special, and we carry His anointing and message to the world. Satan cannot steal our anointing; he didn’t give it to us. But, if in some way he can prevent us from operating in it….the result is the same! It’s that anointing that destroys the yolk of bondage he puts on people.
So, the next time a co-worker, family member, or neighbor is irritating you—pray for them. Why do you think Peter wrote: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified” (1Pe 4:12-14)?
Paul spoke of the things he suffered for the Gospel’s sake. Listen to his ‘speech’ to the church at Corinth: “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body” (2Co 4:8-10). Notice his attitude toward what the devil was doing (I’ll show you in a moment that it was the devil):
- We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed – yet NOT crushed!
- Perplexed, but not in despair – but NOT in despair!
- Persecuted, but not forsaken – but NOT forsaken!
- Struck down, but not destroyed – but NOT destroyed!
His focus wasn’t on the negative activity going on to get him to stop doing the will of God in his life. [I trust I’m talking to somebody – I know God is talking to me!]
Now, here’s how I know it was demonic activity working through these circumstances. Later, in the same Epistle (2Corinthians), Paul gives greater detail of the things happening to him (I’ll only enumerate a few of them): stripes (whippings), imprisonment, deaths, stoned once, beaten with rods, shipwrecked, perils, weariness, toil, sleeplessness, hunger (chapter 11:23-27). He winds up the list by saying: “besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches” (2Co 11:28). Men were coming in behind him and teaching what had to be done to ‘really be saved’ (my words).
This is why Paul wrote his Epistles (letters) to these churches, so they could have evidence of what he taught while he was with them, and ‘weed-out’ the error that was becoming so popular. We have error today that is trying to change the Word of God (or, weaken our understanding of it) – if we take a stand against the error and side with the Truth of God’s Word, we’re going to face persecution! Let me help strengthen your resolve: God is not obligated to anybody’s opinion! He meant what He said, and He said what He meant – period!
To continue proving the things Paul went through were demonic, we’ll continue reading in 2Corinthians. “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure” (2Co 12:7). This messenger was stirring up trouble everywhere Paul went! It got so bad he asked the Lord three times to remove it from him. Now, religion has taught that Jesus told Paul ‘NO.’ But, that’s not what the Lord said to him at all! He said: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2Co 12:9). Mike Leach paraphrase: ‘Paul, I have equipped you thoroughly for everything I’ve called you to accomplish. You have what it takes – provided by Me – to completely succeed in life. I already whipped the devil and his crew. Now you enforce that defeat!’
A little side-note here, I believe Paul was starting to pick up on these things when he wrote his first letter to the Corinthian church, he wrote: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1Co 10:13). Oh, glory to God!! Somebody shout AMEN!!
To finish-up; there’s so much more we could talk about here. I truly believe we are in the last of the last days. God is pouring out His Spirit on all flesh in this one last Great Awakening before He calls us home. Of course the devil is going to do his best to try and stop this move of God. He knows his time is short. Maybe the lake of fire has licked at his heels a little. He’s frustrated; confused; annoyed, and upset. He hates God and all of mankind (sinner and saint alike). He wants to take those, who God so loved, into the pit with him. Don’t let him distract you from the things of God. Use the weapons of warfare God has given us to overcome his schemes against us – including “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2Co 10:5). And remember, persecutions are the devil’s way of letting off steam to try and distract you and I from “the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). Just keep pressing forward!
Remember this: “‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,’ Says the LORD” (Isa 54:17). I particularly like the New International Readers Version of this verse: “‘But no weapon that is used against you will succeed. People might bring charges against you. But you will prove that they are wrong. Those are the things I do for my servants. I make everything right for them,’ announces the LORD” (Isa 54:17, NIrV).
HALLELUJAH!!
Tags: end-times, hope, persecution, spiritual strength