As persecution increases, we at East-West find ourselves asking the question: “How do both the promises of Christ and the growing intensity of the global persecution of Christians reported by the World Watch List impact ministries of the gospel like East-West?
We know that persecution is part of God’s plan. In fact, it was the means through which God catalyzed the gospel to spread in the early Church.
“While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he fell on his knees and cried out, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he fell asleep … On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria ... Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.” –Acts 7:59, 8:1, 4
In the midst of persecution, we must obediently trust in God’s sovereignty, regardless of the cost, as we multiply followers of Jesus … regardless of barriers including language, geography, culture, national borders or other obstacles.
But we don’t move into areas of spiritual darkness recklessly.
We seek the Holy Spirit’s wisdom and guidance about dangers facing our missionaries and their families and work with them to move forward with both great courage and appropriate caution (John 16: 7-15; Acts 1:8).
Resources like the World Watch List equip us with information on the cultural and spiritual climate in the 54 spiritually dark nations where we work. The Word of God also guides us (Ephesians 6:10-20) to know how to most strategically combat the rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world, and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms in our God-given pursuit of filling the earth with His glory (Ephesians 6:12, Habakkuk 2:14).
And in the midst of this intense spiritual battle we cling tight to the victory already won in Christ Jesus!
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 8:35-39
Christian persecution has increased dramatically in the last few decades, but we can push the gospel forward confidently knowing the Victor is on our side and the ultimate victory is assured!
I invite you to join us in the fight of faith by praying for the lost within the borders of spiritually dark nations and for the missionaries and national partners who boldly speak the Name of Jesus in the face of persecution this year.
