Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:10-12).
Jesus said to remember this: “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also…” (John 15:20). We can’t run away from this; persecution will come. We don’t have to go fish for them, they will find us if we have committed to following the Lord. But here is good news: “For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ (2 Corinthians 1:5)”. The comfort of God is not pity provided us during or after our time of misery. It is His very strength, encouragement and anointing He gives us to triumph in all situations, even in the midst of adversity. Therefore, He shows us what our response ought to be when persecutions come – rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great…(Matthew 5:12). We must have our minds and hearts set on Jesus and His great reward for us in heaven to be able to endure persecutions with rejoicing and gladness. This is how Jesus overcame His cross. Hebrews 12:2 says “for the joy that was set before him, (He) endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God”. We are called to look unto Jesus and do same (Hebrews 12:2).
We are told that “we must go through many tribulations to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). This seems to be an unpopular truth but it’s firmly established in Scripture. Even so, God is not the one sending evil or evil men our way to persecute us. That’s the devil’s job. But what the devil meant for evil, God turns it around for our good (cf. Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). As children of God walking in His ways, no challenging circumstance can ever come our way if God has not permitted it. The very fact that a difficult situation or adversity showed up is proof that God has given us as a commensurate strength to triumph over it. For the Bible says“No temptation (or experience of evil/adversity) has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it – 1 Corinthians 10:13). That is why we should not fear and loose heart when troubles and persecutions come. God has already provided us with what it takes to endure and triumph over them. Through our endurance, our faith will grow, and we will come to maturity, lacking nothing (cf. James 1:3-4).
The very presence of persecution in our lives is proof that we inherit the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10). And to the one who over comes this is what Jesus promises: ‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne (Revelation 3:21).
Kwadwo Omari
© 2016