| Posted By |
Discussion Topic: "The Highest Honor Granted As a Follower of Christ" |
 Godskid |
06-22-2004 @ 6:16 PM |
|
Member
Posts:
Joined: Jun. 02
more info...
|
"The Highest Honor Granted As a Follower of Christ"
by Rick Joyner
MorningStar Ministries
http://www.morningstarministries.org
April 26, 2004
Last week we discussed how persecution is part of the faithful Christian life, and that we should be more concerned if we are not being persecuted in some way because "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (II Timothy 3:12). Even though we are sure to be persecuted if we are living godly lives, we do not want to be the persecutors, which is why we must resolve to obey Ephesians 4:29-32:
"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."
One of the Greatest Opportunities to Grow Into the Lord's Image
Persecution is allowed by God to drive us into His kingdom. It helps to separate us from the desire to please men rather than God. It also helps us to set our hearts on things above, which are eternal, rather than on the things that are earthly and temporary. It gives us an opportunity to grow in love as we learn to love those who do not love us, but rather persecute us. Persecution is one of the greatest opportunities we will have on this earth to grow into the Lord's image. He was persecuted by the very ones He came to save, just as we will be by the very ones that we seek to lead to salvation. As we are told in Philippians 1:28-29 we should:
"...in no way be alarmed by your opponents - which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God. For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake."
Paul wrote that this had been "granted" to the believers. Have you thought of persecution as a blessing and a gift? It is actually one of the greatest blessings that we can have in this life! That may be hard for some to accept, especially when they are going through the persecution, but it is a profound truth. Few things can so quickly separate us from the things in our life that are not profitable and lead us to the things that are than persecution. There are few things in this life that can bring a greater honor to the Lord, which is the highest purpose to which we can attain in this earthly life.
The Goodness of God Will Always Prevail
As we have discussed previously, since the Fall, Satan has been boasting before the throne of God. His boast is that man, the crown of God's creation, the one that God specifically created for His own fellowship and pleasure, chose to rebel against God and serve the devil, loving evil more than righteousness. Man did this even when God had placed him in a perfect environment. So Satan's contention is that if even God's crowning creation will not serve Him, but chose evil over good, why shouldn't the rest of creation do the same?
Before the end of this age the Lord will have a people, who in the worst environment, even in the darkest of times, will choose righteousness over evil. Through them good will prevail over evil and stand for a witness for all time that the goodness of God will always prevail. This is our calling, and it is a primary reason why we are on the earth at this time. The more difficult it becomes to live a righteous life, the more blessed we are when we do, and the more we are becoming a part of the eternal witness for the truth and righteousness of the ways of God. This is why it was said of the apostles after the Council had flogged them:
"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. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ." Acts 5:41-42
This, too, must be our resolve. Whatever persecution or shame we are called to suffer for the sake of the Name of the Lord, we will consider it as one of the greatest honors that we can receive here on this earth. We also must not allow it to keep us for one moment from preaching and teaching in the Name of Jesus.
"Satan Does Not Attack Those Who Are Doing Nothing"
That we suffer opposition and persecution is one of the most basic evidences that we are threatening the kingdom of darkness. Satan does not attack those who are not doing anything. So we take this as "a sign of salvation" as Paul called it. The stripes of persecution that we receive here on earth will be our badges of honor for eternity. Do not waste your great opportunity to take up your cross and to suffer shame for His name's sake when it is required. Rejoice that you have been counted worthy of the greatest of honors.
As we proceed toward the end of this age, persecution will increase. The time will come when there will be no place to run from persecution on earth. It may look like for a time that Christianity is being defeated and wiped from the earth, when in fact this will be our greatest opportunity, our finest hour, and the testimony that will help bring the kingdom to this earth.
We Have A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken
It may seem that I am dwelling too long on this one subject, but to make it through the times before us, we will need to have a vision for enduring persecution. We need to set our minds and hearts right now toward the Lord and resolve that we will never compromise our convictions. To be prepared, we need to learn now to seize every opportunity to stand for the truth of the gospel, and count it an honor to suffer shame for His name's sake.
If we have built our lives on a firm hope in Him, and not the things of this world, we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and a joy that can never be taken. These things are coming to reveal anything in us that is not built on His kingdom, His truth, and more solidly establish us on that which is. Do not waste these great opportunities.
|
| Godskid |
06-24-2004 @ 7:07 PM |
|
Member
Posts:
Joined: Jun. 02
more info...
|
Persecution: Don't Let The Devil Win!"
by Rick Joyner
http://www.morningstarministries.org/
Previously we discussed how persecution and trials are not only to be expected, but are to be embraced as opportunities to enter more fully into the kingdom of God. These are allowed as tests of our faith and to purify our faith. The fear of God and the fear of man cannot coexist. One or the other will rule our lives. Persecutions, slander, and other attacks help to deliver us from and sift out of our lives the things that would cause us to compromise our most valuable treasure - our devotion to God. Consider again what Paul wrote in Galatians 1:10:
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
Persecution From Your Friends, Not Your Enemies
To the degree that man pleasing controls our lives, we have forsaken our bond-service to Christ. As Paul also wrote in II Timothy 3:12:
And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
As Christians we should be much more concerned if we are not being persecuted than if we are. If we are not being persecuted, it is likely because we have so compromised the ways of the Lord that we are no longer an offense or a threat to the enemies of God.
Where is this persecution going to come from? Just as Jesus Himself was not persecuted by the more overt sinners, but by the religious community, who were His own brethren, the same has been the case for all who have sought to follow Him. A reason why one of the devil's main titles is "the accuser of our brethren" (Revelation 12:10) is because one of his main strategies has always been to get brethren accusing one another.
Unity Increases Spiritual Authority
The devil seems to know even better than the church that unity increases spiritual authority. One can put a thousand to flight, but two can put ten thousand to flight (see Deuteronomy 32:30). Therefore, the highest priority of the devil is to create division in the church. If a church in a city ever came into true unity, the devil and his evil devices would all be quickly driven out of that city. If there is unity in a family, the devil will not find a place there. Therefore, it is in our best interest to not let things divide us from one another. Before we get into how we deal with persecution, let us first determine not to persecute our brethren, but always work toward their edification.
As we read in Ephesians 4:29-32 previously, what grieves the Holy Spirit is "bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice." Now let us read those verses with the one that proceeds it.
"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.
And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:28-32).
If we do not do anything else this week but determine to control our words, by not letting anything come out of our mouths except that which is good for the edification of those who hear, we will likely be much closer to the kingdom and to the King, than we have been before. Let us resolve to do this one thing. The results will be extraordinary.
|
|
GodChasers' Forum
Social Hall - General
