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Are you willing to stand for Jesus EVEN in the face of persecution?

persecution

Facing The Truth Of Persecution For Firm Standing In Jesus

 

 

persecution

 

 

Paul had to make a choice to return to Caiaphas (the priest that handed Jesus to Pilate for blesphemy) face the possibility of death, and express to him that he had become a traitor in his court.  Peter had the choice to abandon the message of Jesus or be crucified upside down on the cross.  John had the choice to dilute his message or be stranded alone on the Island of Patmos.  Stephen had a choice to conceal his witness of Jesus or be stoned to death.  Many of Jesus’ disciples have been faced with persecution.  You also have a choice.  You must decide, will you un-apologetically share your witness of Jesus even when your faced with persecution?

 

 

Simply for standing firm, Christians throughout the centuries have experienced an increasing amount of persecution. Christian Today has estimated that 70 million Christians have been killed in the 2000 years since Jesus walked the Earth; simply for their witness.

 

 

Kingdom of Heaven citizens stick out like a “sore thumb”!  They are on a different calendar, dependent on a different economy, moving to a different light speed, defiant of the status quo, and willing to sacrifice all for their King to be pleased.  We are obvious and we should be!  Our kingdom is beyond this arena!

 

 

Jesus used salt as a metaphor to describe our assignment on the Earth.  Salt is used to clean, kill bacteria, disinfect, add flavor, melt, preserve, stabilize, polish, revitalize, restore, medicate, deodorize, brighten, revive, speed, enhance circulation, and recolor; among other uses.

 

 

The book of Enoch says that in the chamber of the lightnings, each lightning represents a righteous person.  We are to be bold, pungent, distinguished, and definitive!  We can bring awe, honor, holy fear, and humility all with one tiny grain or a mili-second flash in the sky.  We are a gate that opens the door of life and closes the door to death; a very delicate passageway.  We comply with Jesus in the face of opposition knowing that even if everything is taken in this realm, everything is gained in Heaven.  For this reason, Jesus said:

 

 

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you. when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

 

 

We have been mandated by Jesus to colonize the Earth, take the territory back from Satan, and keep moving the borders until all of the Earth is overtaken by the Kingdom of Heaven.  We are mandated to multiply prolifically! Colonization comes with war!

 

 

When Britain went to Africa to find slaves as laborers for the “New World”, they came to an established land.  The African people had families, businesses, responsibilities, religions, cultural mannerisms, hierarchies were in place, and people had plans.  Families were separated, businesses were abandoned, responsibilities were transferred, religions were desecrated, and people acted defiantly.

 

 

When the Americas were colonized, inhabitants had pre-established ways.  Religions, taxes, customs, holidays, and responsibilities were imposed.  People were not willing to make changes or adjustments willingly and war too place.

 

 

Similarly, the land that you will be colonizing is pre-occupied by the kingdom of darkness.  They have settled in and made comfortable homes, customs, ways, and mannerisms.  They have no intent to willingly depart from the property, but it has been purchased by Jesus and is their illegally occupied residence.   Accordingly, you have been assigned as the ambassador to provide eviction notices.

 

 

When we stand in our definitive position; un-apologetically for Jesus, we shine light on strongholds of the kingdom of darkness.  They have invested thousands of years to build some of the walls and thicken the chains that they have placed on the people that you will see.  We are removing them from our property and freeing their slaves.  They want to contaminate your seed, take your inheritance, and overthrow the plans of God, so when you polish, disinfect, melt, deodorize, revitalize, or restore (as the salt is assigned to do), you will run into a fight.  Your polishing areas that they have stained and melting structures that they have welded, so what do you expect?

 

 

You may have to introduce families with established occult traditions to the truth of their ways.  You may have to reject meals and gifts.  You may have to look a person in the eyes and introduce them to the reality that what they are saying is not true, and when you do, you may not be received with hugs and kisses.  You may have to preach to a congregation of defiant people.  Dependent on their position of authority, you may receive slander and you may receive the judgement to be beheaded.  Will you be able to stand in the truth despite the cost?

 

 

Many people read the story of Jonah and the whale as a children’s fairytale, but it is a historic truth.  Jonah was instructed by God to go to a land that was wicked and tell them that God would be judging them.  Jonah 1:1 says:

 

 

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying,  “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.”

 

 

In other kingdoms that received similar verdicts as Ninevah (such as Sodom and Gomorrah or Babel), many brutal deaths had occurred, rape and molestation were norms, robbery was legal, adultery was traditional, and mistreating people was praised.  Jonah, being a man of God, would have been well-informed about wicked behavior, and he would have been able to suspect that going to Ninevah while they are in such an uproar of defiance could be dangerous.  He probably was well aware that his message could cause extreme torture, humiliation, and the end of his life.  After being transported unwillingly in the mouth of the whale, he had to choose to speak the message of God despite the consequences, and without physical defense.  He was in a wicked land by himself.  That’s asking for trouble!

 

 

Imagine going to one of the areas in America with the worse crime rates: the subject of many conversations where homicides, pedophilia, incest, beastiality, armed robbery, and other forcible acts are committed to people.  Imagine taking a ship to get there and being on foot or making arrangements to rent or buy an animal for transportation. Imagine that this place is so immersed in crime that God himself has planned to wipe them out.  It’s not safe.  You could be robbed.  You could be molested or raped.  You could be stoned, slit, skinned, burned, or crucified.  The possibilities are endless when the populace has reached those extremes of wicked behavior, and in historic instances, the wickedness is so common that it is legal!  At a time where you do not have a quick physical route to exit and no physical army for defense, would you go?

 

 

Your position may be similar to Jonah’s today or in the future where persecution is probable.  We are in the end times where evil is increasing.  When a wound is very open, salt burns very bad.  Similarly, your role will be very apparent and sometimes painful for others as recipient of the truth, but you cannot dilute the message!  Speak the truth regardless of the cost!

 

 

Some had to face death.  Some had to face slander.  Some sat in prison cells.  Some lost limbs.  Some had to see their reputations butchered.  Some had to be rejected by their closest loved ones.  You do not know the price you will have to pay, but you must stand on the truth regardless.  Will you stand in courage and follow Jesus regardless of the cost?

 

 

Action Steps:

 

-Write down ways tor areas that you have been convicted about your tolerance

-Repent for being tolerant and commit to aligning with Jesus

Repeat this vow:

Jesus, I repent for every instance where I have not fulfilled the role that you have assigned me as the salt and light of the Earth.  Forgive me and cleanse me with your blood.  I place your blood over every circumstance that flashed thru my memory right now — where I have not walked into the pungent and definitive role that you have assigned me.  I vow to you this day that I will fulfill your colonization mandate and bring the Kingdom of Heaven onto this Earth.  I present myself to you today as a living sacrifice.  I stand willing to speak the truth regardless of the cost; understanding that your grace is more than sufficient for me to transcend this realm.  I vow to fulfill the assignment you have given me as a Kingdom of Heaven ambassador today and forevermore.  Amen.

 

 

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