Encouragement

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"Blessings of persecutions" (Part 2)

“Happy are those who are persecuted because they do what God requires; the Kingdom of heaven belongs to them!”

As the Lord Almighty through His Holy Spirit helped me to focus upon the blessings that comes unto us amidst persecutions, I am hereby sharing the same with all the beloved members of the body of Christ. I hope and pray to the Lord Almighty that He will help us focus on the blessings of the persecution rather than be bewildered from the same. I praise, worship, thank God for allowing me and helping me to write this article- all the glory, honour and praise belongs to Him.

1) Rejoicement Replaces Shame:-

The first and foremost blessing that persecutions bring is that "Shame is replaced by Rejoicement." In the books of Acts- New Testament we know that how the Apostle’s went through the Persecutions at the hands of the unbelievers and how were they severely punished for professing their faith in Christ Jesus, to the point that they were asked by the Jewish authorities not to teach in the name of "Jesus". But the disciples did not feared them neither did they give into them, rather they teached about Christ Jesus more fervently then before and so they were brought before the council and they wanted the disciples to be put to death but Gamaliel who was the teacher of the Law and was highly respected by all the council members advised his council members not to do so, for he said that if the work the disciples were doing came from men then it would disappear but if it comes from God then you cannot possibly defeat them and you could find yourselves fighting with God. And as per the advice of Gamaliel the council called apostles and ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus; and then they set them free. And Bible records that," As the apostles left the Council, they were happy, because God had considered them worthy to suffer disgrace for the sake of Jesus. And every day in the temple and in people's homes they continued to teach and preach the Good News about Jesus the Messiah.

2) Glory replaces Weakness:-

Being human beings we all know that we have limitations and impossibilities but with God this not an issue. When persecution comes we feel depressed and weak, because this is how we react to the problems we pass by- for the Bible says that "No one is righteous, everyone has sinned and fallen short to the Glory of God." Yes it's a fact and natural reaction that when we are surrounded by problems from all sides of life making us feel singled out, helpless and weak, just as Peter who was being saved from drowning by Christ Jesus, revealed the human weakness and undeniable total dependence on the Lord God Almighty giving a opportunity to the Lord Jesus Christ to reveal His Glory, might, power and authority in Peter’s life- So also when we are persecuted and feel weak , Lord Almighty gets an opportunity to reveal His Glory in our lives and to the whole world.

Apostle Paul notes that "The power of God is strongest when we are weak" and he further says that," I am most happy, then to be proud, of my weaknesses, in order to feel the protection of Christ's power over me. I am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties for Christ's sake. For when I am weak then I am strong.

The best of all the examples is that of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus, before He was to be crucified, Bible says that He took peter, James and john to the garden of Gethsemane to pray and said to them, “The sorrows in my heart is so great that it almost crushes me. He threw himself on ground and prayed that, "Father", my Father! All things are possible for you. Take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet not what I want, but what you want." Jesus knew the pain and agony He had to go through while being crucified for our sins and for the redemption of our souls. Bible records that Jesus himself became like them and shared their human nature. He did this so that through his death he might destroy the Devil, who has the power over death. Furthermore it records that He (Christ Jesus) had to become like his brothers in every way, in order to be their faithful and merciful High Priest in his service to God, so that the people’s sins would be forgiven. And now he can help those who are tempted, because he himself was tempted and suffered. Jesus while he went through all of those traumas in human body lived life of Humans just as we are, he was also made up of flesh and blood, he also experienced the same pain and agony and so he in his human body he felt weak and prayed to the Lord and an angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. Jesus Christ knew that his human weakness will be turned in the Glory of God when He will fulfil the plan of Salvation and when He will be raised back from death to the everlasting life. So as Lord God Almighty revealed His Glory by raising Christ Jesus from death, He also reveals his glory when we are weak in our human strength and body. So remember when we are weak, He is strong!


3) Patience replaces anxiety and fear:-

One of the best example of patience replacing anxiety and fear, amidst persecution is found in Old Testament, is that of Joseph who was been persecuted at the hands of his own brothers and later on through the hands of the unbeliever’s in Egypt. But the most important thing noted in the Bible to the context of Joseph was that He never rejected God, neither did he cursed God. But Joseph remain faithful to God and had the Fear of the Lord Almighty in His heart, he had an assurance for his life, for he knew that God was with him and Bible records that where ever Joseph went Lord God was with him. God taught Joseph to be patient amidst the hardships, troubles and persecutions he went through until he was been lifted up by God in His time and made His favour come upon the life of Joseph, by making Joseph as in charge of Egypt, and the same Joseph whom his brothers tried to kill was brought in the position wherein his brothers relied upon his help and favour, in the times of severe famine that hit the entire world.

Another good example of patience is found in the life of Job- mighty men of God. We all know how Job went through tremendous troublesome time as he lost all things that he had by the Grace of God. But Job did not fear but when his friends came accusing him, he contended for his faith patiently while he answered back to his friends. At the end when Job patiently passed by the most horrifying experience and time of life, we know that Lord God Almighty blessed Job’s latter life more than first.

In the New Testament Peter says, “Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while of the many kinds of trials you suffer. Their purpose is to prove that your faith is genuine. Even gold, which can be destroyed is tested by fire; and so your faith, which is much more precious than gold, must also be tested, so that it may endure. Then you will receive praise and glory and honour on the Day when Jesus Christ is revealed. You love him, although you have not seen him, and you believe in him, although you do not now see him. So rejoice with a great and glorious joy which words cannot express, because you are receiving the salvation of your souls, which is the purpose of your faith in Him.”



4) Humbleness replaces Pride:-

In the word of God it is written that God gives grace to the humble, but resists proud. Many a times when persecution comes in the body of Christ, we see that many so-called believers who walk in pride and arrogance, denying the wholesome authority of God in the church and in believer’s life, become humble in the sight of the God. In the Old Testament we have a great example of Israelites who were delivered by the Lord Almighty from the yoke of slavery and bondage of Egyptians, to the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. But Israelites more then far often broke the law and the covenant that the Lord God Almighty established with them before they entered in the promised land of Canaan. They worshipped the other Gods and did evil in the eyes of the Lord Almighty and as a result God allowed their enemies to gain victory over them and the Israelites went through a great time of persecution. But Our Lord is gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and quick to compassion and so when ever Israelites repented of their sins and humbled themselves under the hands of the God and called the Lord of the Host of Heavenly Armies to help them from their enemies, Lord always heard them, He pitied upon them and He had compassion upon them and He delivered them from their enemies- He did this because he loved them and he loves us also, and so when we are passing by persecution he covers us with his feathers and give us refuge under his wings and blesses us with his faithfulness as our shield and rampart. And very gently and lovingly He promises to us,” If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”


5) Faith replaces unbelief:

Bible teaches that, “It is impossible to please God without Faith.” Faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. It was by their faith that people of ancient times won God’s approval. Many times when persecutions falls upon the body of Christ we see that the situations really worsens and this tests the faith of the true believers. While the believers remains steadfast in the faith of the Lord God Almighty and passes by safely through it, it helps the unbelievers to come to Christ and have divine fellowship with the Lord Almighty. One of the examples of unbelief replaced by faith is that of the life of Paul, the men who use to persecute the church of God, was changed when he met Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. His unbelief pertaining Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour was changed and he was mightily used by the Lord for His Holy and Unshakeable Kingdom.

The best of the best truth in context of the same is regarding the healing miracles, the deliverance miracles that Lord Jesus did while he ministered to the people during his 3.5 years ministry upon the earth. Bible records that while Jesus performed those miracles many people believed upon him and followed him .And the greatest truth of them is that Jesus died on the cross of Calvary, was buried, roused back from the dead on the third day and know He is seating at the right hand side of our heavenly Father and is soon coming back to take His bride. Through persecution God not only helps us to increase our Faith but it also gives others opportunity to believe in Him.

6) Righteousness replaces unrighteousness:-

When persecution comes, God moves mightily amongst His people and sometimes He does great miracles through his anointed and appointed servants whom He has placed to reveal and show his glory amongst the believers as well as believers. A great example of Righteousness replacing unrighteousness amidst the threat and time of persecution is found in Book of Esther in Old Testament.

Bible records that Esther a Jewish woman was married to a gentile King- King Xerxes, who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush. Esther who became Queen of one of the greatest powers of the world, found herself in a crucial moment when Esther’s people, the Jews, were threatened to be wiped out by a government sponsored genocide, which was an scheme of a evil prime minister, named Haman. Esther who was Queen could not appear or go before the King unless the King asks her to come to him and yet she alone, of all the Jews, had access to the King. While she was not been called by the King, the pressure of her cousin Mordecai and the Jewish people increased upon her to plead their case before the King on behalf of entire Jewish community. Mordecai told Esther that if she will remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews, will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish and who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?. Esther responded with action. She responded, “I will go to the King, even though it is against the Law. And If I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)

Esther with fasting went before the King and revealed the cruel intentions of Haman the prime minister. King heard all the facts about the evil plans of intentions of Haman regarding Mordecai and the entire Jewish community and the very unrighteous plans of the evil man Haman, fell upon himself and King ordered to hang Haman and King honoured Mordecai and King edict’s granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves; to destroy, kill and annihilate any armed force of any nationality or province that might attack them and their women and children; and to plunder the property of their enemies. A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so that Jews would be ready on that day to avenge themselves on their enemies. For all the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honour. In every province and every city where the edict of the king went, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of the other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them.

God revealed his righteousness for his people from the heaven, because he loved them- because he had chosen them from the beginning and so are we all Christians chosen by God even before the world was made, God had already chosen us to be his through our union with Christ so that we would be holy and without fault before him. As God made righteousness reign amidst the persecution, so He is able to do at this moment of our Christian faith and life, we just have to believe upon him and surrender ourselves to Him, for the Bible says that,” Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

Dear Saints, remember that when persecution comes it always brings blessings of the Lord, it helps us to rely more on God then on ourselves, our unbelief is replaced by faith, our pride is being replaced by humbleness, God becomes the central and focal point of our lives, persecutions helps us to become patient and reveals the Grace of God to endure everything and anything that tests our faith in Him and above all when His people are passing by persecutions, hardships and troubles, He gets a chance to reveal His mighty power and Glory to the world and His righteousness is revealed to the world, righteousness that one can have through believing and having faith in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.

May God bless each and every one of us to endure persecutions, hardships and troubles until the last breathe of our life upon this earth.

Remember the promise of Christ Jesus,” I am coming soon! I will bring my rewards with me, to give each one according to what he has done. I am the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” Happy are those who wash their robes clean and so have the right to eat the fruit from the tree of life and to go through the gates unto the city. (Revelation 22)

We at the Living Stones Prayer Ministry, India, who are called by Lord God Almighty to bring forth spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to Him through Christ Jesus, are in prayers for those who are passing by persecutions, hardships and trouble, for God has commanded us to “Lift each other’s burdens.” We being the members of the body of Christ, salute the Hero’s of Faith that are contending for their faith in Christ Jesus even at the cost of their life’s & families: proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and enduring patiently the persecutions, for they know that, “He who has called them is faithful and Just, He shall never leave them, nor will He will forsake them.”

Remember the ultimate goal of our faith in Him is Salvation of our Souls.


Eternally Christ’s,

Joshua-Ashish Macwan.
Living Stones Prayer Ministry, India.
Reach us at: [email protected]

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