How to Triumph in Persecution
How to Triumph in Persecution
You can make it to winning ways even if you are persecuted.
The Bible recorded, precisely in Psalm 129:4 that, “The Lord is righteous: He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.”
READ: Psalm 129:1-8 (KJV)vMESSAGE: According to E.B. Meyer, the child of God is often called to suffer because there is nothing that will convince onlookers of the reality and power of true religion as suffering will do, when it is borne with Christian fortitude.
In our passage, the psalmist affirms that the Lord is righteous and would judge the persecutors of His people. Since God would fight our battles and faithfully recompense all evildoers, our attitude during our travails should reflect that we are sons and daughters of God. As taught and exemplified by Christ, we are to pray for enemies and those who despitefully use us. We must not join the company of people who pray for the destruction of their enemies. It takes grace to do God’s will; God will give us grace if we ask him. If Stephen and the early Church had prayed for the destruction of their enemies, the Church would not have made impact, “turning the world upside down” with the gospel of Christ. Had she prayed for the destruction of her enemies, we probably would not have had the greatest of preachers like Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, an erstwhile chief persecutor of the Church, who was mightily used by God to unveil many kingdom mysteries and wrote fourteen of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament.
Persecution comes through enemies of God’s people, generally motivated by the devil to discourage, distract, and disarm the Christian pilgrim on his journey to the city whose builder and maker is God. Persecutions are no strange experiences to the Christian faith. Our Master and Saviour was persecuted, and so will His disciples. However, we are confident that the Lord moderates whatever He allows to come the way of His children so that we always come out triumphant.
The devil and his cohorts use suffering and trials to cause disaffection and, at times, confusion among God’s people. Still, thanks be to God; we are more than conquerors. Challenges do not destroy God’s people but instead propel them to more excellent and higher service for God. Many wax bolder during persecutions to continue their service and earnestly contend for the faith instead of backing out or abandoning their commitment and consecration to God.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: God fights the battles of His people.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
2 Kings 11-13
