The power of persecution

Persecute: "to treat (someone) cruelly or unfairly especially because of race or religious or political beliefs (Merriam-Webster online)."

Persecution has become a “churchy” word. We know what it means, and we hear the stories … but I am not convinced that we truly grasp the pain, rejection, and difficulty that a believer in a highly persecuted area will likely experience as a result of their faith.

Yes, persecution may at times lead to arrest or physical harm, but I think it takes a more subtle form often times. One that you may not notice unless you were deep within the culture.

Persecution is …

• Being asked to leave your family…
• Losing your national identity because it was so closely tied to another religion…
• Having to be baptized in a small tub or with a glass of water in a home because you dare not do it in public…
• Fearing to share your faith with a friend or even your family because of their potential reaction…
• Being laughed at or spit on as you walk by…
• Not trusting your own church members because one “undercover” church goer could betray you all…
• Meeting with missionaries or trainers in secret to protect your lives…

But there is another side to persecution that I want you to consider. Persecution is …

• A sign that the local church is reaching a crucial point of growth …
• An indication that the Holy Spirit is moving in tremendous ways…
• An opportunity to stand firmly for what you believe…
• The way God scatters and grows His Kingdom…

We shudder when we hear the word … persecution. Even now, it hits my own heart very deeply. We weep when we see the photos or hear the stories. But we can trust that God is still at work even amidst persecution.

We all long for the day when all believers can rejoice together in harmony, but we know that day will only come in Heaven.

So today, let’s rejoice that people are turning to Jesus for eternity—even under terrible conditions, and maybe, because of them. Let’s rejoice that the Holy Spirit is moving so vastly that Satan will do anything to squelch His power. Let’s rejoice that our God has already declared the victory!