Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:11, 12
Now here’s an oxymoron…seemingly a play on words. Gods says that we are blessed – empowered to prosper – when we’re insulted…hmmm, persecuted…and falsely accused…. interesting. It takes a minute to process this truth because we live in a fleshly body (tabernacle) that rejects anything that doesn’t feel good.
If you are a Christian, striving to please God, brace yourself for the big three – insult, persecution and lies. We’ve all experienced them to some degree because we live in a world that hates the very mention of His (Jesus) name. Acknowledgement of His name demands total surrender, respect and submission to His authority. The world (represented by the flesh) desires to reject any authority because it doesn’t want to be accountable for its actions. As saints, who have been identified with Christ and have His aroma, we are a stench in the nostrils of men who refuse to accept the truth. This often results in misunderstanding and ultimately persecution.
Don’t despair though, God has already declared our expected end – a reward in heaven. But you say, “I want my reward on this side. I don’t want to wait until I get to heaven.” Certainly, there are some rewards that you will receive on this side, but the greatest is yet to come. I can confess that our light and momentary afflictions do not compare to what we are to receive in the coming age. 2 Corinthians 4:17 – 21. The trials that we endure are only for a season – momentary, when compared to eternity. This life only serves to prepare us for our life in eternity, it is not our final destination. The failure of many Christians today is that they have lost this perspective.
This word is intended to help us regain perspective by adjusting our attitudes when we come “under fire”. I don’t mean to make light of anything that either of you are going through, I just want to make a point…a truth point…no pun intended. As Christians, we exist in two different realms, the natural and the spiritual. Our suffering produces a weight of spiritual glory that far exceeds what we can understand in the natural. When God declares that we are blessed, He means that we have a hope that is beyond this world.
The beauty of it all is that God uses our suffering in this life and the life to come. In this life, our suffering perfects us for ministry, if we allow it to. We must be reverent, submitted and committed vessels to be used by God. Some of the greatest ministries have been birthed out of suffering. Consider Joyce Meyers – repeatedly sexually abused by her own Father; Stormie Ormatian- Power of a Praying Wife author – neglected and abused by her mentally unstable mother; Al Jandl - my pastor – was rejected so many times that he considered taking his own life. These great men and women of God pressed through their pain and suffering and countless people have been helped by their testimonies. Each of their testimonies crowns God’s love, faithfulness and sovereignty. God can use anything and anybody to accomplish His end.
So, in your experience of the big three – insult, persecution and lies – know that God is at work achieving an end that is beyond you, in the natural and spiritual realms. Don’t personalize your pain, give it to God for His glory and let Him reveal its’ purpose.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society
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