Answering Persecution In America

We don’t like to think about persecution and there was a time when we in America could put off thinking about, but that time is firmly behind us now. We’re IN IT.

Now those who walk through a big city street openly carrying a Bible showing their conservative beliefs are in danger of being attacked and even killed because of their beliefs. Those who preach the truth of sin and the need for repentance are in danger of being charged with “hate speech.” Truly, our world has turned upside down.

Some of the things we will consider today are…

1. Persecution Rising in America

2. History of Persecution

3. Who Will Be Persecuted

4. Persecution in the Bible

5. Ways People Answer Persecution

6. How Will YOU Answer Persecution?

These are very sobering times. We have all been watching the things happen the Lord has been warning us about for thousands of years. We all feel the uncertainty of not knowing what is going to happen next, though we see clearly where this is all headed.

We live in one of the two most momentous times on earth. The first one was when Jesus came, this one will be when He returns for us . Whether you call it the rapture or the return or what, I don’t think that makes any difference. He has told us He will return for us.

This will be a time of persecution unlike any we have seen before, and that is saying a lot, especially if you look at persecution in other centuries, such as the Dark Ages.'

A lot of people don’t want to hear about what’s coming. That’s their prerogative. There are numerous groups among Christians when it comes to the truth of end times and they range from being in complete denial that any judgments ever could or SHOULD happen to Christians to hard core Here is what’s going down and we better all get ready and prep like the daylights for it.

The Bible tells us Judgment is coming and what it will look like – everything from earthquakes & pestilence to asteroids hitting the earth and the sun being darkened.

We know the Bible is the absolute true and inerrant Word of God, so we can look at it and know these things will AT SOME POINT befall the people on the earth, or we can stick our head in the sand and pretend nothing bad can ever happen to us in spite of all the evidence at our doors that it not only can but IS.

Or we can take an attitude with God that HOW DARE HE even THINK of judging us for ANYTHING. You get to choose your attitude every day, and that attitude can help you or it can hurt you and the people who believe nothing bad could or should ever befall them if they are Christians are going to have a VERY difficult if not IMPOSSIBLE time keeping their faith til the end in what is coming, especially if they have a tendency to become angry at God when things don't go their way. Because the devil can talk people who are angry at God into turning against Him very easily by pointing out everything bad that has happened to them and saying ‘Oh, a LOVING GOD would never allow THAT to happen…” It makes me think of Eve in the Garden of Eden - Yeah, hath God really said …???

Anyone who knows anything at ALL about what the Bible says knows we are living in the end times. Even unbelievers at this stage of the game are beginning to see something is amiss.

Persecution has been rising for some time now. We all know it. We don’t have to like it, but we DO have to endure it if we want to go to our reward on the other side. So let’s talk a little about persecution and how we might answer it when it comes our way. I want to give you some things to think about. And I want to tell you, too, that its human to feel afraid about these situations, but I believe we can overcome that fear with our faith. That is why satan works so hard to steal your faith. He KNOWS we are called to be overcomers and he wants us to give any answer except what will make our Savior proud of us in these times.

The definition of persecution is Hostility or Ill Treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs; persistent annoyance or harassment.

That makes me think of Matthew 5:11.

Matthew 5:11 - 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. (kjv)