The Persecuted Church
Today is the day that the United States celebrates her independence. We (here in the States) enjoy freedoms that very few people around the world have. One of the most precious is our freedom to worship.
Because of our freedom, most of us have difficulty comprehending what it must be like in other countries – where Christianity is not only discouraged, it is a crime.
As I was contemplating this post, I was surfing around and read these headlines:
- “Vietnam Christian dies after torture for refusing to recant faith”
- Pakistan Christians warned: Convert to Islam or die.
- Ethiopian Evangelists Describe Murder Plots as Islamists Renew Attacks Against Christians
- India: Police Arrest 22 Christians as Anti-Conversion Law Net Tightens
There are many more. Around the world, our brothers and sisters in Christ – our spiritual siblings – are being beaten, raped, tortured, imprisoned and killed for their faith – OUR faith. And they stand firm.
I have a burden for the persecuted church – I know a couple of missionaries in areas of persecution.
We are very protected here – and it seems that the easier our lives are, the weaker our faith is. Even here, in this protected place that I live in, it is in the hardest times that I feel the closest to God – it is when I need His strength that I feel it the most. And still I do not have any idea what it must be like to be in danger of dying for my faith! Would I stand firm? Would I cave? Would I give a sermon from the place of my death, as Stephen did? I do not know.
What I do know is that today, I will celebrate my, I will also make a point of praying for my spiritual siblings to are in danger and I encourage you to do the same. God bless you all.
1 – Pray for their physical protection and deliverance.
Philemon 22 “I hope that through your prayers I shall be given to you (from jail).
2 – That God would give them the right words and that they would fearlessly make Christ known.
Ephesians 6:19-20 “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
3 – That they will see God’s grace as sufficient and God’s power perfected in their weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
4 – That they would love Christ’s appearing all the more.
Hebrews 11:35 “…others were tortured, not accepting their release, in order that they might obtain a better resurrection”.
5 – That they will rejoice in the sharing the sufferings of Jesus so that they will rejoice even more when Christ is revealed.
Matthew 5:12 “Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
6 – That they will endure,
Hebrews 10:36 “For you have need of endurance”
7 – That they will choose ill-treatment and the reproach of Christ, not the pleasures of sin.
Hebrews 11:24-26 “Moses… (chose) rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.”
8 – That they will arm themselves with this purpose: to suffer so as to eradicate sin.
1 Peter 4:1 “arm yourselves also with the same purpose, because he who has suffered in flesh has ceased from sin.”
ith the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.”
9 – That they will love Christ far more than life itself.
Revelation 12:10-11 “they overcame (Satan) because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death.”
10 – That they will love their enemies.
Luke 6:27-31 “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”
11 – That they not enter into temptation, as easy possibility under the stress of persecution
Luke 22:39-45 – Jesus in the garden
12 – That they will rejoice that they are considered worthy to suffer for HIS name.
Acts 5:41 “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.”
13 – That they will remember they were made for such persecution.
Philippians 1:29 “For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”
14 – That they will live the joy of the Lord before their persecutors
Acts 16:25 “But about midnight Paul and Silas (in jail) were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.”
15 – That they will remember their unbelievable future glory
Romans 8:18 “For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”
16 – That they would learn to trust more completely in God.
2 Corinthians 1:8-9 “For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves in order that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead”
17 – That they would rejoice that they bear in their bodies the “brand marks of Christ”.
Galations 6:17 “From now on let no one cause trouble for me, for I bear on my body the brank-marks of Jesus.”
18 – That they would rejoice in filling up that which is lacking in Christ’s sufferings
Colossians 1:24 “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up that which is lacking in Christ’s afflictions.”
(Scripture is from the KJV)
Thank you for this reminder. We do need to be praying for our fellow Christ followers across the world we do know know freedom as we do. I think that we (I) often forget about the pursecuted church-our prayers should be daily. God Bless…
I am joining you in prayer dear one.
Ellen,
Wow, I can see your heart for the church. I too pray often for those who endure. We have not a clue what they suffer for Christ. I am humbled. The scriptures you listed are perfect. Thank you for spending time on this today.
Ellen – I so often think of our brothers and sisters who are tortured and killed because they do not recant of their faith. I have asked myself many times if I would stay firm as they do…I hope I do.
Thank you so much for this wonderful post.
Be blessed today and always.