Inspirational: STRENGTH THROUGH PERSECUTION

Daily Inspirational Encouragement

STRENGTH THROUGH PERSECUTION

By: Linda Kirby/WGON

Persecution of a person, or the church as a whole, always leads to a stronger body. When Satan sees persecution starting to have a positive effect, he must cringe. "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you" (Matthew 5:10-12). Our faith is like gold, in that it is purified by fire (1 Peter 1:7). When we are persecuted, it brings us closer to God. When the church has been persecuted, it brought the lukewarm back to Him and it has pulled the church closer to Him. When one is subjected to unwarranted abuse, we straighten our backs and become emboldened. It makes us stand upright for our faith. So, in this new atmosphere of persecution, rely on God to strengthen you. We must be unstoppable in our commitment to the Lord’s work -- proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ to the lost.