Page 74 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2011

Ask most Christians in America what they know about persecution and the answer might be “PERCY
who?” Although we live under the reputation of being the “land of the free and the home of the brave,”
and readily boast of every citizen’s constitutional guarantee of “inalienable rights” to a safe and secure
life, these secular concepts do not make us immune from experiencing true biblical persecution. Yes, it
is true that the American Christian is not subject to the kind of persecution experienced by brothers and
sisters living under cruel dictatorships throughout the world. The Bible warns clearly:

“HAVE RESPECT TO THE COVENANT;
FOR THE DARK PLACES OF THE EARTH
ARE FULL OF THE HABITATIONS OF CRUELTY”

Psm. 74:20

This map of the Middle East will
quickly confirms what is stated in the above passage.
Our daily news reports bring home the fact of what
it is like to live in “the dark places of the earth.”
Try practicing Christianity openly under such
oppressive governments and you will know
something about the kind of widespread persecution
that exists in much of the world.

However, I want to show you a brand of persecution that comes to the believer which is not based

upon WHERE one lives geographically, but rather for HOW one lives out his or her life.

Let us consider what the apostle Paul presents as the root cause for persecution that every believer

SHOULD BE experiencing, even here in the safe haven of America that operates under the religious

banners of: “…WHAT PERSECUTIONS I ENDURED.
AND OUT OF THEM ALL
“ONE NATION UNDER GOD”
THE LORD DELIVERED ME.
The apostle Paul

“IN GOD WE TRUST” presents this YES, AND ALL WHO DESIRE TO LIVE GODLY
“guarantee” IN CHRIST JESUS WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION.
to all devout
believers BUT EVIL MEN AND IMPOSTERS
regardless of WILL GROW WORSE AND WORSE,
where they live: DECEIVING AND BEING DECEIVED.”

2 Tim. 3:11-12

Constitutional freedom to practice religion is not a preventive guarantee against such persecution. Paul
describes above a cause for persecution that is not dependent upon WHERE one lives, but rather for
HOW one lives. Paul states a guarantee of persecution for every believer who “desires to live Godly in
Christ Jesus.” Not only is that an all-inclusive fact brought out by the apostle Paul, but it is also clearly
stated by Jesus Himself:

“REMEMBER THE WORD THAT I SAID TO YOU, ‘A SERVANT IS NOT GREATER THAN HIS MASTER.’
IF THEY PERSECUTED ME, THEY WILL ALSO PERSECUTE YOU.”
John 15:20
THE QUESTION THEN THERE
MUST BE “BLESSED REJOICE AND MUST BE
ASKED THAT ARE YOU BE EXCEEDINGLY
IF WE, AS WHEN SOMETHING AMISS
“AMERICAN THEY REVILE GLAD, IN HOW WE ARE
CHRISTIANS”, AND FOR GREAT IS LIVING AS
ARE NOT PERSECUTE YOUR REWARD FOLLOWERS OF
EXPERIENCING YOU, IN HEAVEN, CHRIST!
SUCH AND SAY WE CANNOT
PERSECUTION ALL KINDS FOR SO
AS PAUL AND OF EVIL THEY PERSECUTED DISMISS IT UNDER
JESUS AGAINST YOU THE BANNER OF
DESCRIBE, FALSELY THE PROPHETS WHERE WE LIVE.
FOR WHO WERE
MY SAKE. BEFORE THE ISSUE IS HOW
5:11 YOU.” WE ARE LIVING!
Matt.
Matt. 5:12