Monday’s Blog: Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted
We continue our series on the Beatitudes with Matthew 5:10, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.â€
One of Strong’s definitions for persecuted in this verse is, “to make to run or flee, put to flight, drive away.â€
Persecution is simply opposition from the devil to try and prevent us from doing the will of God.
Anyone who follows Christ will be persecuted. Jesus said, “Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also†(John 15:20).
Most of us haven’t experienced physical persecution like the early church experienced, and even some still experience today. But it doesn’t mean we are not persecuted in other ways.
When I followed God’s plan to write my book about His will for our marriages and families, the devil tried to stop me in many different ways. I had never experienced such strong opposition before I started writing this book. He attacked my marriage by trying to turn my husband against me. He attacked my children through disobedience. Discipline that worked well in the past no longer worked.
He attacked my family’s health. For almost six months straight we were hit with odd sicknesses; soars even the doctors couldn’t diagnose. He attacked our finances. The first year of writing the book everything seemed to break down. Our cars broke down four consecutive times in a row to where it drained our bank account to nothing. And I think the cars would have continued breaking down if we hadn’t decided to stop fixing them.
He turned family members, friends, and my church against me. Even those I sought assistance in publishing, that didn’t even know me, he turned against me, as they were extremely hateful toward me.
But the most dangerous persecution I think I experienced was the great attack on my heart. From the constant rejection and let down from others, especially Christians, my heart was in danger of hardening.
Chuck Balsamo experienced similar attacks while writing his book, “Make Me a Legend.â€
He wrote: “In May 2009, I told my wife, ‘I am so let down with people right now. I feel like a kid who is afraid of the dark. It seems like the shadows are stalking me. I am paralyzed with fear of who is going to stab me next! And you know what scares me even more than that? I am petrified to think about how this ghastly betrayal might be permanently damaging my heart. I don’t want to hate people. I don’t want to wish for the death of my enemies. Dear God, this is not a little thing. I am fighting for my life!’â€
The Bible warns us, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life†(Proverbs 4:23, NLT).
The devil will attack our hearts more than anything else. He knows we will follow our hearts wherever they lead us. We are dangerous to his plan when our hearts are filled with Christ’s love.
Ironically, the same persecution that was meant to drive me away from the will of God is what motivated me to press on and allow God to heal my heart. Knowing I was being attacked, confirmed I was speaking the truth and obeying God’s will. The devil wouldn’t have tried so hard to shut me up if I wasn’t a threat to him. This made me more eager to complete the book and share God’s Word. And it’s helping me press through the obstacles he throws at me now that the book is published.
In her book, “The Real You,†Misty Gatlin shared this quote from Lisa Bevere: “Sometimes the enemy is more aware of who you are than you are aware of who you are, and he attacks you out of fear of who you might be.â€
Misty expressed, “The enemy does not want you to be the person you were created to be because that person is powerful and scary to him. That’s right. You scare Satan!â€
We don’t need to cower in fear over persecution. We can use it to motivate us to continue doing the will of God, so we can reach others and receive our reward.
Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
—Revelation 2:11
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**Prayer for the week**
Heavenly Father,
We praise You for not allowing anything the devil throws at us crush us. We are more than conquerors through Christ. Help us to guard our hearts when people turn against us. We know they are not rejecting us, they are rejecting You, Lord. Help us to press on through persecution and run our race with joy, knowing we will receive a great reward.
In Jesus’s Name, Amen!
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*If you have never accepted Christ as your Savior, please click on the “SALVATION†tab at the top of the website. Don’t wait another day!
*Come back next Monday as I share more of God’s Truths and the reasons behind the Truths.
*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.
Posted in Beatitudes Series, Monday's Blogs and tagged Beatitudes, God, Jesus, persecution by Amanda Beth with 11 comments.
Monday’s Blog: Blessed Are The Peacemakers
We continue our series on the Beatitudes. If you missed any blogs in this series, follow this link. This week we move on to Matthew 5:9:
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.â€
God calls us to walk in peace with each other. But as we look around, it’s clear to see that we do not live in a peaceful world. From the beginning of time, the devil (Satan—our real adversary) has worked to turn us against each other. Though God wants us to be peacemakers, we are not to be at peace with the devil. We are instructed to stand against him.
I used to not understand why Jesus instructed us to resist the devil, but not to resist an evil person.
“But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. … You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.â€
Matthew 5:39, 43-45
God showed me that we are not in a battle against people even though it appears that way. We are in a spiritual battle against Satan and his army. We cannot fight this spiritual battle with carnal weapons. We need spiritual weapons (Ephesians 6:12).
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:7
We win a spiritual battle when we follow Jesus’ example and love others above all else (1 Peter 4:8). We win a spiritual battle when we love and pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44). We win a spiritual battle when we respond gently instead of harshly when provoked (Proverbs 15:1). We win a spiritual battle when we refuse to slander someone by giving in to gossip (James 4:11). We win a spiritual battle when we build others up instead of tearing them down (1 Thessalonians 5:11). We win a spiritual batttle when we hold our tongues when we’re tempted to sin (Psalm 39:1). We win a spiritual battle when we forgive and bless those who wrong us (Colossians 3:13).
Satan doesn’t like when we walk in peace because then he is defeated. When we walk in peace, he can’t use us to destroy each other. Satan’s only weapon is deceit. He has to deceive us in order to destroy us.
We see this happening in all the marriages falling apart today. Satan deceives couples into thinking their spouses are their enemies. All he has to do is divide a couple against each other. Then he can sit back and watch them destroy their marriage themselves.
Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart.
Mark 3:25, NLT
Hebrews 12:14 instructs us, “Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.†We can’t use worldly wisdom to fight our battles. We need to use God’s wisdom found in His Word. Only through His wisdom can we defeat the devil and be peacemakers to reach the world for Christ.
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom†does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
James 3:13-18
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**Prayer for the week**
Heavenly Father,
We praise You for sending us Your Son, the Prince of Peace. Thank You, Jesus, for leaving us Your peace. Help us to live a life worthy of the calling we have received. Help us to be completely humble, gentle, and patient, bearing with one another in love. Help us to make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. We are one body and one Spirit and You are the One and Only God and Father of all (Ephesians 4:1-5). Help us to use godly wisdom and sow in peace so we can defeat the devil and reap a harvest of righteousness.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
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*If you have never accepted Christ as your Savior, please click on the “SALVATION†tab at the top of the website. Don’t wait another day!
*Come back next Monday as I share more of God’s Truths and the reasons behind the Truths.
*All Bible verses are taken from the NIV, unless otherwise noted.
Posted in Beatitudes Series, Monday's Blogs and tagged Beatitudes, God, Jesus, Peace by Amanda Beth with 10 comments.