Persecution
You may wonder, why would anyone persecute anybody kind enough to spread a message of love?
… Look at Jesus.
Why would anyone persecute someone who would dedicate their time to serving and helping others?
… Look at Jesus.
What could possibly be kept against anyone who would freely offer their time to help those in desperate need?
… Look at Jesus!
If you are scared of religious persecution, or to lose your friends, your name or reputation.
If you are seeking the acceptance of religious people or want a personal fan club where you are celebrated, then you are far from being ready to be in service of God!
You may fit in nicely into the religious circles of the day. You may be of service to people — but you are far from ready to be of service to God and in His Kingdom!
Unless you understand that religious persecution is what will qualify you and your service, that it is something you should welcome as a validation that you are of the Spirit and not of a religious order, you still have a ways to go, before being ready to follow and serve The Kingdom.
Religious persecution does not come because of you being wrong. It will come no matter what you do, because it comes against you, not because of who you are, but because of Who it recognises in you!
We wrestle not against souls, but with those who imprison them!
Fighting for the freedom of people puts you at odds against the gatekeepers holding them captive.
Fire begets Fire.
Indeed! The fire of religious persecution stirs the Fire of the Spirit within our bones.
Without it, we grow complacent, weak, and compromised.
This kind of persecution is not an obstacle, or an unpleasantry — it is a necessity if The Spirit of God is to move mightily and without reserve.
~ Johann van der Hoven
Johann van der Hoven has followed the Holy Spirit on a transformative journey since 1990. From 1991 onward, he has experienced and walked in the profound reality of God’s Presence, a journey that has shaped his life and message.
So well said. Look at Jesus. We are His disciples and He is in us and He is sending us into all the world..
persecution, yes, but great is our reward! Blessings, Sandi Holman
Well said, Sir. You hit the target with this Word. “Blessed are you when they say all manner of evil against you”…Jesus said. For righteousness sake. Our King & Lord summed it up ‘Church’ & ‘Religion’ in a few sentences. Blessings
Thank you! Be forever blessed!
There are two kinds of persecution, the one most spoken of is for the sake of righteousness. That is if you are persecuted even though you are have heard the Lord send you into a specific task.
But the opposite of this is the one never spoken of, namely persecution because of unrighteousness. This is when you think you are doing a work for the Lord, because you have “read it” or some in the congregation have said that you will fit for that work, but you yourself have never heard that commandment from the Lord.
Amen