““10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.””
““Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.””
Why should one be allowed to go through suffering? Why did Jesus suffer just to liberate man from sin? Why not the other way around?
Luke 9:22 “And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
Jesus had to suffer to secure our deliverance and salvation. This was the plan of God; a sacrifice was needed, and not just any kind- perfect sacrifice. Jesus has laid the foundation, and it does not change with us. We live in a wicked world and, therefore, must go through these challenges. In the book of Acts, we read a record of how the Apostles were arrested, imprisoned, tutored, and killed. It is the same gospel and will not be different in our days.
Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me.”
Psalm 23:4 looks like a dream to many, and in the lives of people, this may be relative. Someone’s valley may be unpaid rent, sickness, a stubborn child, or marriage problems, etc. Some may have never walked through this kind of valley or even understand what it means. The persecuted church is always faced with these daily challenges of walking through pain and suffering. Sometimes, they are thrown into jail, where they are tortured and asked to denounce Christ. Sometimes they are tortured by used of cruel methods, killed, raped, and beaten right in front of their loved ones. Sometimes, these persecuted believers are faced with isolation, loneliness, poverty, and suffering at different levels.
Philippians 3:18-20: “18 For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Apostle Paul lays the burden in his heart as he describes those who persecute the church. He has tears in his eyes because he knows what this is, as he used to do the same. These persecutors are enemies of the cross of Christ, with their destinies being filled with destruction, selfishness, with a worldly approach to everything. We pray because we know that God can change this mindset and as we wait for the return of our savior, we must be indulged by occupying until he comes. Luke 19: 13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.” The gospel must be preached in all its forms as mapped out in the Bible. Nobody is exempted from the work of the ministry. Unfortunately, some must pay a heavier price. Everyone must occupy his own corner. We must support the persecuted church in any way possible if we are not directly suffering like them.
According to Open Door (open doors USA.org), “More than 365 million Christians suffer persecution and discrimination.”
This means Christians are being denied access to their faith everywhere in the world, with some suffering more than others.
1 Peter 4:12-14 “12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”
The truth of the matter is that Christians must face some degree of persecution. As stated above in 1 Peter 4:12-14, we should not be alarmed as it is the test of our faith, and that is how Jesus suffered, so it’s a blessing for us to suffer as well. This scripture sounds like God is biased and not loving like he always portrays. Why should Christians also suffer as Jesus did?? Yet the Bible says he suffered for our sake??? God is not biased; the sinful world in which we live has created hatred and wickedness.
Prayer Points.
Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”
If you listen to testimonies about the persecuted believers around the world, you will know indeed that they have given all for the glory of God. Pray and thank God for the sacrifice of lives, family, materially and financially etc.
Ask the Lord to remember them even in the midst of pain.
Galatians 6:10: “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.”
1 John 3:17-18 “17 If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.”
2. Pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to pour the grace of hospitality and different kinds of support upon his church so that they will continue to support the persecuted church in any form they are called to do.
Romans 8:38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
3. Pray that the Holy Spirit will seal this word in their hearts; irrespective of their pain and suffering, even to death, nothing will separate them from God.
Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me.”
4. Yes, you may have never walked through this kind of valley or even understand what it means. Pray for them that God will strengthen them as they walk through pain and suffering, being thrown in jail, where they are tortured and asked to denounce Christ.
John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
1 Peter 4:8: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”
Proverbs 10:12 “Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all transgressions.”
5. Love covers sin, hatred, vengeance. Pray that the Love of God, which has been working in the hearts of the persecuted church, will continue to shine forth so that the heart to forgive will always win. There are testimonies of killing, raping, and torture right in front of family members. You also hear them say, ‘ I have forgiven them for the sake of the gospel.’ It takes grace to forgive such wickedness.
Acts 5:17-20 “17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”
6. Acts chapter 5 is filled up with how the Apostles faced persecution and were thrown in secured jail, but God took them out by his power and empowered them more.
We hear these kinds of testimonies in the persecuted church. Pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to empower them with boldness and an unquenchable zeal to stand for Christ even in the midst of persecution. We know that God has the power to deliver them.
Acts 5:29-30 “29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.”
7. Pray for the grace and boldness to fearlessly obey God’s word rather than the word of man.
Pray that in the mist of pain, the persecuted church will find joy and satisfaction that the gospel is being preached even in resistance and Jesus is glorified.
Matthew 10:22-23 “22 You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.23 When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”
8. Pray for the grace to stand, the Bible says after you have done all to stand… pray that they will remember to stand on the promises of God. Pray that they are reminded daily the son of man will soon appear in glory.
Deuteronomy 31:8-9 “8The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. 9 Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
9. Pray that they are reminded and encouraged that God will never leave them, even in the midst of death.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
10. Pray that they will not lose their grip on Jesus and that the grace to sustain them in the middle of hardship and pain will visit them and help them to fix their eyes on the heavenly things.
Psalm 37:25: “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.”
3 John 2: “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”
11. Pray that God will move the hearts of men to give to them. Most often, these persecuted believers have lost financial and material things like the church building burnt down, their homes, etc.