Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you, and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, for in like manner their fathers did to the prophets - Luke 6:22-23.
This sounds like it could be the favorite verse of scripture for a great majority. As we read this scripture the thought comes to mind of the persecution and/or execution of the prophets of the Old Testament and the persecution of the early church. Deacon Stephen, the first martyr of this church era; James the brother of John, pierced right through with a sword; Peter, crucified upside down on a x-shaped cross; James, the half brother of Jesus, cast down from a church steeple and then had his head bashed in with a club; Paul beheaded; and the list goes on and on. Some imprisoned for life, while others were stoned, whipped, thrown to wild beasts, sawn in two, beheaded or thrust through with sharp weapons. Still others were either exiled or thrown in boiling liquids or in later centuries burnt at the stake.
Given all of the above tortures and painful slayings of our brethren who openly professed their faith and never denounced our Lord Jesus Christ, there is still a method or strategy being used by the enemy, satan, to use others in societies across this globe to persecute Christians which seems very dangerous, to God's people. I'm not talking about religions striving against each other or countries supporting one religion, going up against another country supporting a rival religion. But there is a subtle technique being used by our adversary the devil against God's people and he seem to think his strategy is working to stop the advancement of God's kingdom. Even though through natural eyes, it seems to delay the work of God's children in advancing God's Kingdom, it's only a setup by God using the devil for His own purpose because the works of the Lord are in seasons or stages and some stages have to be completed in order for other stages to begin. Nothing in God's plan happens before the appointed time.
Satan is trying to blind the eyes of the world from the truth and in doing so sometimes he uses the people who have this veil over their eyes to persecute the people of God for some other reason than their Christian faith. All the time telling everyone in society that for their faith they're not being persecuted but for other "suspicions" they are "suspects." Does this sound familiar? A mob rose up to stone Jesus and told Him "Not for any good works do we stone thee but for blasphemy." Yes indeed Satan has some in his psychological vice grip, using them for his filthy schemes. But we're going to keep these people in prayer because they're still God's creation and only God foreknows them (Rom.8:29), as He did Saul of Tarsus.
In the end God always wins. That's why we as Christians rejoice so greatly. We're on the winning side. Regardless of how it looks. We know the final outcome. We may seem defeated because a lot of us were executed in one way or another but wait until you get over on the other side because it's not over when God's people are killed. The body is asleep but the spirit and soul are safe in God's presence until that great day when all three shall reunite. At that time it will not be a corruptible body but a glorious body reuniting with the soul and spirit that will live forever with the Lord. Glory to God. His plan for us makes us invincible.
Prayer: Thank You Lord for Your infallible plan for us. Amen.
Encouragement: Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice. He has made all things well.
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