Blessed Amidst Persecution: Finding God’s Peace in Trials & Rejection
And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it (Matthew 11:12 NLT).
One thing modern-day believers have forgotten is that the Bible paints the blessings and benefits of knowing Christ against a backdrop of Christian suffering.
They misunderstand what the “life and peace” promised in Romans 8:6 means. They think it is a promise that they won’t ever experience opposition or hardships in this life. But that’s not true. Even about prosperity Mark 10:29-30 says, “There is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the gospel’s who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.” It’s all right there, in the same Scripture. Our promised hundredfold return of all we have sown for the gospel’s sake comes with a backdrop of persecution. Unfortunately, much of the persecution will come from other members of the body of Christ. Yet how many Christians want the blessing of prosperity but are unwilling to endure its persecution? God never promised a trouble-free life to those who enter His Kingdom, but He did promise that we could have a trouble-free heart (see John 14:1; 16:33; 2 Tim. 3:12).
Colossians 1:13 says, “God has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love.” Scripture is clear. We’ve been delivered from the power of darkness, but we have not yet been delivered from the presence of darkness. This world is a dark place. But we should not be intimidated by the prince of the air or any “power” he wields. We’ve been delivered from his influence.
Second Timothy 3:12 says, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” There is opposition to God’s Kingdom in this life, and that opposition must be met with resolve as we “stand against” the powers of darkness clothed in God’s armor (Eph. 6:10-12). However, too many Christians do not put on the full armor of God and live clothed in the “armor of light” (Rom. 13:12). They are not prepared for sharing scripture, but could be as severe as prosecution and then in some countries execution.
For years, I thought that if I lived a good moral life, people would accept me. Everyone would speak well of me and love me; life would be good. But Jesus lived a good moral life. He obeyed God perfectly, and they crucified Him. Jesus was God made flesh, yet He was hated, reviled, mocked, rejected, and despised. If that’s the way the world treated Love on Earth, why do we think the world will treat His ambassadors any differently?
Jesus was God (love) made flesh, and the world that claims to love totally rejects Love. While they demand tolerance in the name of so-called love, they have no tolerance for God’s kind of love or the God who is love (see 1 John 4:8).
In John 17:14, Jesus said, “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” And again, in Matthew 10:22, He said, “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved.” Those who belong to God’s Kingdom will be rejected by this world. Persecution is actually a witness to your relationship with Jesus. John 15:18- 19 says, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” Believers who don’t understand this truth will never become disciples. Persecution will turn them away. The pressure of affliction will overload their hearts.
No one likes rejection. We were created for acceptance. But when we know how loved and accepted we are by God, man’s rejection means nothing (see Ps. 118:6). God loves us. He is for us and has accepted us in His beloved—Jesus (see Rom. 8:31; Eph. 1:6). Who cares what other men say? God’s love is enough. His acceptance is all we need. The apostle Paul understood this. Even after being persecuted, severely beaten, stoned, and left for dead, Paul returned to the cities where those things occurred to encourage the disciples who lived there. He told them to not be surprised by trouble, but to remain strong in their faith.
And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they [Paul and Barna- bas] returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God (Acts 14:21-22 KJV).
This is what Jesus taught them and us if we will be humble and receive it. In John 16:33, Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” You will have tribulation, not may have, or perhaps have. It is as expected and natural as getting wet in the rain.
Converts don’t like this. They may see the Kingdom, but it takes discipleship—submitting to God’s Word—to enter and experience the Kingdom (see John 3:3; 8:31-32). And that discipleship will be met with afflictions, persecutions, and tribulations from this world. That’s why we see so few Christians step up, stand up, or speak up for truth. They’re afraid. They are afraid and intimidated by the opposition that comes with the morals and principles of the Kingdom, and when confronted, they back up. They go silent. Instead of seeing persecution as a blessing and proof that they love God, they fear man’s response. They dread the social pressure and price they may be called to pay.
They seek the praise of men rather than of God. They please men rather than have faith in God’s Word and please God. “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (John 12:42- 43 KJV). People refuse to act in faith on God’s Word because they desire the praise of the world. They fear the rejection of man and it becomes a snare (see Prov. 29:25). Now I know many do not believe God praises us or is ever pleased with us, but He does and is. If you don’t understand God’s love for you, you will never be delivered from an unhealthy need for man’s love and acceptance.
In Matthew 5:10 Jesus declared, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Notice the connection with the Kingdom and opposition. In the next two verses, Jesus unpacked this blessing further. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12). Jesus promised that when we endure persecution for His name’s sake, we are in the prophet class, and are blessed, both on earth and in heaven. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad? The source of this type of rejoicing and gladness comes from the promise of rewards in heaven. It took me a while to discipline my emotions in persecutions, to acting in my faith in God’s promise of rewards.
Early in ministry, I wasn’t prepared for persecution. I thought, if I did a good job sharing the Word, everyone would say, “Good preaching, little preacher.” Boy was I naïve. I remember ministering one Sunday, years ago while in the Methodist Church, about being one in Christ and how that unity changes who we are and how we see one another. As I taught on this new identity in Christ (one of my favorite subjects!) and how God sees us as His children regardless of our background, gender, or race, I read these verses in Galatians:
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, [here I added the phrase “Black or White”] there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:26-29 KJV).
After the service, I moved to the back door as I always did, to shake hands and visit the people. Everything seemed to be going well until a man stepped up to me with his fists clenched. His eyes shot daggers at me, and his words were just as sharp. He called me all sorts of names (not all of which were accurate) and slung words around that should never be repeated. I could tell that he really wanted to hit me, but something seemed to be holding him back. (I believe it was an angel. And since his arms were as big as my thighs, I was grateful. He could have really hurt me!) I’m not exactly sure how long this exchange lasted, or even what made him leave, but after I got home, I headed straight to my office to pray. Actually, I was crying out. “How could I make someone so mad? What did I do to stir up such hatred?” I felt so bad. Then, one of the deacons of that church called to “exhort” me to be careful what I said and how I said it. It was not a loving rebuke or one of encouragement. It was more of a hint that I better be more careful and not upset anyone in the congregation.
As I sat there wallowing in self-pity, my dear, loving wife walked by. She stopped at my door and said, “What’s wrong with you, Big Man of Faith and Power?”
To say I didn’t appreciate being jarred out of my pity party would be an understatement. I gave Sue all kinds of reasons to justify my behavior. I had a right to be upset! I had a right to have my pity party even if Satan was the only one attending.
Sue didn’t agree. “Are you going to let a little persecution keep you from ministering the Word of God?” It felt like a slap in the face. But then she began exhorting me in a much different way than the deacon had. She told me how powerful the message was and what a good job I’d done explaining how much God loves us and desires to live through us—how God had totally reconciled us back to Him and now with one another. There is no place for racial discrimination in the heart of a Christian. Period. We are all family and now one in Christ. Then Sue told me that if I hadn’t done such a good job, the devil wouldn’t have been so upset. She encouraged me to get used to persecution because it always came to those who refused to compromise God’s Word.
I later learned that the man who attacked me was a former member of a local Ku Klux Klan (KKK). I know what true white supremacy looks like, sounds like, and acts like. I’d stirred up the racist spirit within him by confronting it with the Word. Racism is a matter of sin, not skin. It doesn’t care what “color” heart it hides or abides in. Whether it be the KKK, critical race theory, Black Lives Matter Inc., Nazism, or any other philosophy, it’s all the same spirit, and I will never be intimidated by it again. God’s Word and truth confront it, expose it, and expel it.
God used my wife to help me get my eyes off myself and allow God to heal that hurt before it took root in my heart. She confirmed the call of God on my life and encouraged me to strengthen myself in the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. She reminded me to come unto Jesus and learn of Him. And amid that persecution, I learned to take man’s criticism to the feet of Jesus and allow Him to correct my missteps. As much as I care about people and want to help them, I cannot be a man-pleaser (Prov. 29:25).
Jesus said in Luke 6:26, “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” A lack of persecution for my messages and everyone speaking well of me would put me in the false prophet class. I certainly don’t want that. Sometimes it is our enemies that best define who we are.
Jesus made a profound statement in John 5:44, “How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes only from God?” We can’t fear man. Caring about what others think more than what God thinks kills Bible faith. We have to esteem God’s Word and put faith in what He says, or fear will eat us up.
In this life, we will suffer persecution. We don’t get a pass. We are partakers in Christ’s suffering. (In Philippians 3:10-11, Paul called it “suffering with Christ” and prayed that he would “know him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death, if, by any means, I may attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”) Persecution is designed by Satan to derail our faith. He uses it to produce fear so he can steal God’s Word from our heart (see Mark 4:16-17). So how do we keep from being over- whelmed in them? We learn to come to Jesus, remain yoked up to Him, and learn of Him in every circumstance. And we “reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18 KJV).
There is a blessing associated with persecution, a level of fellowship with Jesus that is not available through any other means. And while it’s never God’s will for us to be stressed, He does want us to be stretched. Relating properly to the hardships of life stretches and enlarges us, which in turn expands God’s Kingdom.
