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How To Prepare For Persecution

May 26, 2016 Save Article


Matthew 5:10-14
(Program 1998DVD, Airing on 05.30.10)

  1. INTRODUCTION (Matthew 5:10-14)
    1. One of the signs that we are living in the last days is the persecution of the church. (Luke 21:12)
    2. 2 Timothy 3:12
    3. The only way to escape persecution is to fail to be salt and light; in other words, compromise and be conformed to this world.
    4. In the Christian life, joy is the thermostat: we can set the thermostat and decide to live with joy because joy in internal and does not depend upon circumstances. But if joy is the thermostat, then the thermometer is persecution: it shows how we are living for the Lord Jesus Christ.
    5. There are three things we should know about persecution as we draw nearer to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
    1. The word “righteousness” comes from a Greek word which means “to divide”, “to be different”.
    2. The word “persecute” literally means “to pursue”. The idea is a pursuit to find something wrong that you’re doing.
      1. Luke 6:1-7
    3. Why should we expect persecution?
      1. The lifestyle we show. (Matthew 5:10)
        1. John 3:19
        2. We are twice-born people living in a world of once-born people.
          1. What we have starts at a different source, it follows a different course, and it arrives at a different conclusion.
        3. The difference between punishment and persecution:
          1. Punishment comes from good people when we do bad.
          2. Persecution comes from bad people when we do good.
        4. If we are being persecuted:
          1. The accusation or charge has to be false.
          2. It has to be for His name’s sake.
          3. 1 Peter 4:14-15
      2. The lies that we suffer. (Matthew 5:11)
        1. Jesus was crucified at the hands of false witnesses.
        2. According to history, when Nero burned Rome, he blamed the Christians.
      3. The Lord we serve. (Matthew 5:11)
        1. The world hates the Lord Jesus for coming to destroy the works of the devil.
        2. John 15:19-21
        3. Philippians 1:29
    1. Persecution may come in different ways:
      1. Personal insults (Matthew 5:11)
      2. Physical intimidation (Matthew 5:11)
      3. Social injustice (Matthew 5:11)
        1. Mark 13:9-13
    2. Persecution will come from different sources:
      1. It may come from the religious world.
        1. Mark 13:9
      2. It may come from the government.
        1. Mark 13:9
      3. It may come from the home.
        1. Mark 13:12
    1. We can use persecution for the glory of God.
    2. How do we take what the enemy means for evil and turn it into good?
      1. Reign in life. (Matthew 5:10)
        1. There are three levels of life:
          1. The hellish level returning evil for good.
          2. The human level returning good for good and evil for evil.
          3. The heavenly level returning good for evil.
        2. Matthew 5:43-45
      2. Rejoice in the Lord. (Matthew 5:12)
        1. Acts 5:41
      3. Release love.
        1. The words “martyr” and “witness” are the same words in the Greek language.
        2. The example of Stephen
          1. Acts 7:55-60


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