Insight # 24

DEALING CORRECTLY WITH PERSECUTION

This week, were going to discuss something that every Christian will go through at one point or the other in their lives. This is the issue of persecution. Contrary to popular opinion, persecution isn’t just when someone is faced with death threats or toured because of Christ; it could also be discrimination at school, maltreatment and mockery. So today, we’re going to look at hoe God wants us to handle persecution and the reward that will come our way as a result.

As we sae above, persecution isn’t always as extreme as most of us think, no one has to put a gun to your forehead before we can say that were being persecuted. Persecution comes our way in different forms. For example, in school people might mock you or even laugh at you when you do the right thing or when you stand by your values. If everyone cheats in class and you report it to your teacher, if your classmates then begin to abuse you verbally, that’s persecution too. Based on these things, lets define persecution as, “The process of harassing or acting unfairly to towards someone as a result of their religious beliefs. Based on this definition, I’m sure by now; you’ll have seen that everyone goes through persecution at one point or the other.

Now that we have seen that we all go through persecution, let’s take a look at how we should handle it. Before we move on, I’d like to point out that it is necessary to make sure that you’re not going through harassment or unfair treatment because of something wrong you did (1 Peter 5:15) Always make sure that it’s because of your faith that you’re receiving that kind if treatment. If not, find out what you did wrong and rectify it. And if you’re being harassed for no reason you should report to authority.

(i) God wants us to be happy when we go through persecution

Let’s look at 1Peter 4:13-14

1 Peter 4:13-14 (New Living Translation)

¹³ Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.

¹⁴ So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian,^[a] for then the glorious Spirit of God^[b]rests upon you.^[c]

Here God tells us to be happy when people insult us for being Christians because then, God’s spirit rests on you and you’ll also become partners with Christ in glory because or those experiences. Please note that if you go through persecution with bitterness and anger in your heart then you’re robbing yourself.

(ii) God wants you to stand firm and be strong in the face of persecution

Take a look at 1Peter 5:9

1 Peter 5:9 (New Living Translation)

⁹ Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters^[a] all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.

Here, we’re told to stand firm in our faith. Don’t be discouraged because no matter what it is that you might be going through, another Christian somewhere has, or is going through the same thing or even worse than what you’re going through, so you don’t have any excuse for giving up. Also if you stand firm, God has promised to strengthen you, restore and support you through your time of hardship.

(iii) God wants you to pray for those who persecute you.

Take a look at Matt 5:14 and Rom 12:14

You must always remember that God loves the people who persecute you as much as everyone else and he wants them to be saved. Instead of cursing them and being bitter, pray that they will someday come to the light of God’s word. Just like Jesus and Stephen did when they we’re being persecuted as well.

So, what exactly does God promise us? Let’s take a look at Matt 5:11

Matthew 5:11 (New Living Translation)

¹¹ “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you^[a] and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.

Here Jesus tells us that great blessings await us in heaven when we go through persecution faithfully. Also when you’re persecuted and you go through it with the right attitude, God’s spirit rests on us and guides us in our daily lives. So make sure you endure and stay faithful till the VERY end. GOD BLESS YOU.