The Benefits of Persecution For Obedience to the Word of God

Saul Observing The Stoning Of Stephen.

It’s been my observation that some Christians fear persecution for their faith to the point of compromise. This should not be. The Bible says we should rejoice when persecuted for righteousness sake!

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. – Matthew 5:10-12

What an encouragement from the Lord! Jesus likens Christians who are persecuted for sharing the Word of God to be on the same level as the persecuted prophets!

Testifying the truth of the Word of God will result in eventual persecution.

Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. – John 15:20

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. – John 16:33

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. – 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

Preachers who go through life without any opposition against their message may be false brethren. They may be members of Masonic lodges and are leading their flocks astray with false doctrines.

Seven reasons for persecution

Persecution purifies our hearts. It tests our devotion and loyalty to Jesus, and keeps us closely dependent on Him, crying out for help!
And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.- Daniel 11:35

Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried… – Daniel 12:10
It purges the Church, even your church, of the people with hearts of “stony ground”, those that don’t mean business and who are not devoted to God’s Kingdom. Persecution will cause them to leave your fellowship resulting in more of God’s blessings through the Holy Spirit.
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. – Mark 4:16-17
Persecution shows us who our enemies are and what to expect from them. They expose themselves by stepping out to fight against us.
Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: – 2 Timothy 4:14
Persecution confirms to us who we are, God’s people, and that our Message is the truth, by the very fact we are persecuted.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 5:10
Persecution shows us we have done a good job, delivered our souls, warned the wicked, and finished the job! By the time the Enemy starts persecuting, it shows we have really gotten the Truth of the Word of God out!
And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. – Acts 6:8-11
God can bring His judgments on those who first rejected our Message and finally rejected us, and He can show His righteousness in so doing because their wickedness has been made clear.
For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. – Revelation 19:2
The Church is scattered through persecution which results in other people hearing the Gospel.
And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. – Acts 8:1