Let Your Heart Take Courage

“Teach me your way, O Lord,

    and lead me on a level path

    because of my enemies.

Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;

    for false witnesses have risen against me,

    and they breathe out violence.

“I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord

    in the land of the living!

Wait for the Lord;

    be strong, and let your heart take courage;

    wait for the Lord!” (Psalms 27:11-14 ESV)

This seems to be a running theme in many of the Psalms. But it is a running theme in the New Testament books, too. Jesus faced this. And his NT apostles endured this, too. And the new believers in Christ were persecuted for their walks of faith and obedience to the Lord. All throughout biblical history those whose lives were dedicated to following God – Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit – were persecuted for their walks of faith.

And Jesus warned us that if we surrender our lives to him, and if we follow him in obedience, that we will be hated and persecuted as he was hated and persecuted for righteousness’ sake. And who were Jesus’ primary enemies? They were not those who professed no faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They were his fellow Jews, and his half-brothers, and the rulers in the temple of God and in the synagogues.

For us today, this would be like having pastors and elders of “church” congregations opposing and persecuting us and wanting us disappeared from sight. It would be like having our family members, even those professing faith in the Lord Jesus, coming against us and opposing us or just plain ignoring us and what we are saying about the Lord and his teachings. And it would be like having other “Christians” rejecting and casting us aside.

And, honestly, if you are serious about your walk of faith in the Lord Jesus, in following him in the ways that the Scriptures teach that we are to follow him, and so you are proclaiming the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light, be prepared to have “the church” reject you. And if you are exposing the fruitless deeds of darkness, get ready to be strongly opposed and persecuted and treated as though you are the enemy.

For if everyone loves and accepts and embraces you and your words, then there is something wrong with that picture. For we live in a day and time when the gospel of our salvation and the character of God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and of his church, have been altered and diluted to appease human flesh. So if honestly you are teaching the truth of the Scriptures, and if you are exposing the lies of the enemy, you should not be well liked.

But we are not to fear what other people think about us or say about us or do to us. We should not change course just because we face much rejection and persecution. In fact, this should strengthen and encourage us to be ever more diligent in getting out the truth of the gospel to the people, and to exposing the lies of the enemy, so that many will find truth and be saved. The salvation of human souls, next to obedience to God, should be our top priority. We should be willing to sacrifice ourselves to save others.

And this persecution should push us even closer to the Lord in our walks of faith and obedience to him. And it should give us an even stronger desire to be taught by the Lord in his ways and to be led on a level (righteous) path. And no matter how hard it gets, and it is going to get harder, we should call on the Lord to be our strength and our counsel in how to respond to those who strongly oppose us. And we should trust the Lord with the results.

So, no matter what you are going through, no matter what trials you are presently being called upon to endure for the sake of the name of Jesus, and for the sake of the truth of the gospel, remain strong in your faith. Keep persevering. Keep your eyes focused on the goal. And then wait for the Lord. Be strong in his strength. Trust in his counsel. Let him lead you in the way he would have you to go, and then trust him with the results.

[Matthew 5:10-12; Matthew 10:16-39; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 6:22-23; Luke 21:12-17; John 15:18-21; Jn 17:14; Rom 5:3-5; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 4:12-17; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Jn 3:13; Revelation 6:9-11; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13]

All Through the Night  

An Original Work / December 7, 2013

Based off Various Scriptures

Blessed are you when you’re persecuted

Because of your faith in Jesus Christ.

Blessed are you when people insult you,

And falsely say what leads folks to doubt.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is

Great in the heavens. You’re not alone.

When you are persecuted in one place,

Flee to another. God will be there.

You will be hated by all the nations

Because you testify of God’s grace.

Many will seize you and persecute you,

And put to death the foll’wers of Christ.

Yet do not fear what humans may do to you,

For I’m with you all through the night.

I tell you, love your enemies with my love,

And forgive as I forgave you.

Pray for those who do evil against you.

Rest in my love and grace from above. 

https://vimeo.com/379481617