Life is never easy, God never promised us an easy life. We have seen attacks against God's people in the past, but in today's world we are being tried and tested, sometimes in a court of law, but more so in the court of public opinion, speculation, and in the face of our Lord and Savior, to our One True God.
God is a loving God, yes, God is patient, He is so longsuffering, that He allows these attacks and persecutions to go on for a season. In the US, right now, we face trials as a follower of Jesus Christ, we get told we are closed minded, judgmental, and hate the ones who are not like us... but that is simply not true. God told us we would see this, we would see haters of the faith, we would face persecutions and even death. As a Christian, even with what we face here in the US, I was shocked to find out the overwhelming statistics of the mortality rates of Christians in other countries.
There are 100 Million Christians being persecuted for nothing more than their faith in Christ. Many are imprisoned and tortured because they are believers. People who knew if they were caught they would face these horrible outcomes because of one thing, they professed to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Not because they hurt someone else or murdered someone, simply because they stood on the Word of God and Believed. (http://www.religionnews.com/2015/01/07/persecution-christians-reached-historic-levels-2014-will-2015-worse/)
God told us this was going to happen, He said in His Word, the Bible, that He would be persecuted for His teachings, but that we would be as well. Some even to the point of death. He also tells us to stand in the last days.
Eph 6:11-13
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, ad having done all, to stand.
We see evil everyday in our world, in our state, our city, and our community, sometimes the greatest evil you have is in your own home, but God has given you the weapons you need to have to stand against it. It does not tell us to live in combat with everyone around us, it tells us to Stand. Christ already won the battle, and in the end, He wins the war as well. He wants you to stand, stand on the word of God, stand fast in your faith, and stand for your God who stood for you the day He gave His Son to die for you. He has been right there waiting. He needs His people, His army to stand and be counted, to let others know that God is still God, whether they believe or accept Him.
He does not ask us to put on this armour for a bloody battle, but for a spiritual one, He says to have your loins girt about with truth, your breastplate of righteousness, your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace (good news of peace), and ABOVE ALL, taking on the Shield of Faith, to be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked, and the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God. Eph. 6:13-17
All of this is what it takes just to stand, to live in our world, but He doesn't tell us to go out and kill those who do not believe the way we do, He doesn't tell us to fight, kick and scream everytime we are attacked. He says in His word...
Eph 6:18
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.
God tells us plainly over and over that we are to pray for our enemies, not who we declare enemies, but who declare to be enemies against us. We are to love our neighbors as ourselves, to love our enemies, and to love God with our whole, Heart, Mind, Soul, and Spirit. We are to pray asking God to give us strength, to give us the ability to stand firm in all that is coming toward us, against the attacks of Satan himself. We are to allow the Holy Spirit to flow through our being and keep open intercession with God on our behalf, filling us, giving us the strength to stand against it all.
Prayer:
I pray dear Lord, on behalf of others, my family and myself, that you give us the strength to stand for you in these last days. We have seen your power, your creation, and your way, that is why we have chosen this life, to follow you. Lord as we stand with our armour on, I ask you today that you come and fill our hearts, to lift us up and prepare us for the coming spiritual battles ahead. Fill us with your strength and allow the Holy Spirit to flow through us, and let it spill over to others, that we can share your gospel, the Good News of you, the Father in Heaven, and all you have done for us. Keep our hearts turned toward home, to you.
If Lord, there be anything in me today that would keep that line of communication between you and I closed, I ask you to remove it from my life, reveal to me what is hindering the Holy Spirit from having intercession with you, and free my heart and mind from the clutter that gets in the way.
I thank you God for all you are doing in my life, and about to do in and through me. I ask all these things in Jesus' Holy, Precious name, Amen.
