Praise In Persecution

Phil 1:29-30

29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for His sake;

30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me. (KJV)

Whoa!!!! Salvation is supposed to get my sins forgiven and keep me out of Hell. Is that not right? Yep, that is right. However, that was just the process that was needed to get you into the family. Now that you are a joint heir with Him you get all that goes with it (Rom 8:17).

When the Son came into the world what did He get? He got some who loved Him and some who hated Him. He got respect from some and disrespect from others. He got comfort from some and pain from others. In the end, He got some jail time and a cross.

Welcome to the family! Paul said that He was experiencing Christ by the conflict the Philippians saw and heard about him. Read II Corinthians 11 to get a picture of what his conflicts were. Paul gloried in his afflictions and sang in prison with Silas. In bonds, he told old Agrippa that he was happy in Christ. He writes from the Philipian jail a letter of joy. Paul was obviously not an American. He felt it a privilege to suffer for Christ. What do we consider it?

Whatever we may consider it now, we have to rethink. We must submit to persecution and suffering because it is proof of our discipleship.

2 Tim 3:12-13

12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. (KJV)

Man, shall suffer persecution! Where’s the loopholes and mitigating circumstances? Where’s my lawyer? He is within you. The Holy Spirit is your lawyer. He was highly involved in writing those verses, and I can guarantee you there are no loopholes.

Funny, you were not looking for loopholes when you were saved. You were pretty cotton pickin’ glad that it was an iron clad contract and thrilled you had the Son as your character witness, the Blood as your alibi and the Holy Spirit as your defense attorney. You were even pretty comfortable with having God as the judge knowing He was now your Father. That old accuser and prosecuting attorney, Mr. Slewfoot, did not look quite as fearsome as he did before you accepted the plea bargain.

Why balk now? Ah, you wanted all the benefits of sonship and heirship without any of the responsibilities. You are so 21th Century. Honey, when you get His Name you get all that comes with it. God has no intention of His children just Sonning themselves on the beaches around the Glassy Sea with palm fans of His promises. He has more character than that. Your character should be more than that, but have no fear if you are lacking for He will work on it.

In addition, you forgot Mr. Slewfoot. He is a very sore loser. He is not going to just let you run rampant through the world destroying his kingdom by winning others to Christ. He does not want the testimony of your life influencing others that you do not even know. He cannot destroy your soul, but he will try to destroy your joy, your witness, and your fruitfulness. That is at least a consolation prize to him since he lost the grand prize of your soul.