Speaking from personal experience, as I glance back over my walk with the LORD during the past 28 years in service to the LORD, one thing certainly has being a reality – I have faced more uphills than downhills, more resistance than acceptance.

More walls to break through than plain roads to travel along.

I have come to realize over the years, that it is in the acceptance of men where they face their biggest downfall, for to be acceptable costs as much a price as to be side-lined, it costs the dear price of compromise, the thing that got Judas in trouble with Jesus.

The Words of Jesus today remains as relevant as though He would be speaking them right now –

“They will bear false witness against you, persecute you, slander your name, and if possible even kill you.”

“If they have done these things to Me, how much more will they do them to you also”.

There is no easy way to follow in “Spirit and in Truth”.

It eventually becomes easy for us in our own personal capacity, for it takes only so long for the flesh to die off.

But it remains a road less traveled on our earthly journey.

It remains being caught up in a war-zone of animosity from those who would simply turn away from the Truth, and who would rather see the Truth being silenced, and suffocating from having a voice, suffering for survival, and to make things as hard and as difficult for those who aim to walk with God and to be the ambassadors of His Holy Spirit on earth – than to ever have to stand to face the conviction of the Words they have been sent to speak and to bring.

I have never heard of a successful servant of God (success here being defined as being un-bought, non-compromised, truthful and unbending in Spirit conviction), who walked with God and served without compromise in South Africa, who did not end up getting the short end of the stick.

This however is what they sign up for from the very beginning, aiming to lose all from the very beginning, laying it all down on God’s altar from the start, so that there will remain only one Kingdom to build, and that not being the kingdom of self.

Why am I writing this tonight, well I really don’t know … maybe its to encourage someone somewhere, or maybe it will in future.

Maybe its to strengthen someone who thought that in giving God their all, they would be welcomed and celebrated by their brothers and their peers, who in fact are finding that they have become an enemy of those who should have held up their arms, for no other reason than walking in Truth and being uncompromised in doing so.

History always repeats itself, there is truly “nothing new under the sun”, so here is what I would like to end with, the end of the race holds a reward.

Few see that far or even venture to think of the reality of an eternity that will weigh them on the balancing scales of God, but for those that do, and who are truly serious about God and His Kingdom, for the ones that have gone beyond “the calling” to offer themselves as chosen instruments – RUN THE RACE TO THE END, AND NEVER LET GO!

… Besides, who wants to die without a fight!

Who wants to float through life without having stood for anything.

You have the opportunity to hold the Sword of the LORD, the Sword of Truth, swing it hard and well, and don’t become weary in doing good.

God bless you!

~ Johann van der Hoven

Johann van der Hoven is in South Africa.  He has been serving the LORD in ministry since 1991 and has hosted numerous apostolic revival meetings in South Africa and in South America.  He also currently pioneers a organic church planting movement across South Africa.  For more information about him and his ministry visit www.sonsofsovereignty.com or Revival.

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