Triumph Over Trouble预览

The inevitability of persecution and trouble

2 Timothy 3:13 says, “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

If we are lukewarm and half-hearted, the enemy of our souls will leave us alone because we are not a threat to him. But, if we are pursuing God with our whole hearts, we are a threat to Satan’s kingdom of darkness, and he will work to discourage us and try to cause us to turn away from God. He doesn’t care about us, but he wants to do anything he can to hurt God, and he knows that it hurts God every time we turn back to our selfish ways.

Galatians 6:12 talks about people who “go along to get along,” a slang phrase describing people who only think about themselves and are afraid to stand for the truth of Jesus Christ (which brings persecution). Jesus talked about these people (see Matthew 13:20-21) who hear the word and at once receive it with joy, but since they have no root, they last only a short time. They quickly fall away when trouble or persecution comes because of the word.

First Thessalonians 2:14-15 says, “For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your fellow citizens the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone.” We can only avoid persecution by failing to surrender all we are to all that Jesus Christ is, and anything less than that is not following Jesus at all. Trying to live halfway in God’s kingdom and halfway out is the most miserable life.

Paul’s life was an inspiring example of persevering under persecution. He ‘walked the talk’ that he shared with the churches he visited. He also promises us that we will be persecuted in 1 Thessalonians 3:4-5.

Jesus told us in Luke 21:12-19 that we will (not might or maybe) be persecuted, but to trust Him through it because He will be with us all the way: “But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, sisters, relatives, and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.”

Are we trying so hard to avoid trouble that we fail to rest because troubles are inevitable in this sin-sick world? It is not that we have trouble, but how we react to it that makes this life beautiful. Trusting in God when we are hurting is hard, but it brings us right into the palm of His hands as we are comforted and blessed by the Spirit.