So, here is a short summary. God’s saints do not serve Him because they want to avoid Hell and win Heaven. Why does God allow the persecution of innocents? We praise God that He has given us salvation and also strength to face each trial. Peter was not prepared to accept the Father’s will for Jesus. It causes many to wonder why God would allow persecution to happen. 4:8-9] While physically we are harassed, beaten or killed, our salvation is eternally secure and cannot be taken away. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps." The Lord gave me a glimpse of the answer, and it thrilled my soul. Because salvation is a free gift of God, nothing can take away our righteous standing before God. Answer: Satan’s attacks against us come in various forms. My husband and I have tried to hide our sorrow and anger from the…. God Is Faithful - He Has Not Forgotten You - Christian Motivation Why Does God Allow Persecution and Troubles - Part 2 - Benny Hinn (October-29-2020) I've Got A Lot On My Mind - Joel Tudman - TD Jakes Ministries (October-29-2020) God is still there despite any tragedy you may be experiencing. (Matthew 16:16) Peter admitted that he was prepared to die for his master, ". Jesus said, "A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household." God protects what is eternal. (John 16:1-4), Looking into the future, the Bible warns that God’s saints are going to be persecuted: "The [leopard-like] beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. Jesus has some words about that, saying, “whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven” (Matt 10:33), so “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will th… (Matthew 16:24,25, insertions mine). Persecution for Christ’s sake is a challenge, but God does not view persecution as we do. WUAS is not a church, nor does it endorse any denomination. Yet God calls His people to suffer persecution, and God has repeatedly used persecution to strengthen His church and advance the Gospel in the world. Why Would God Allow Suffering for Faith? "Desert U" teaches discernment and insight. Persecution leads to a wider exposure of the gospel. Your article on the rapture is a challenge. After the rooster crowed a third time, Peter had an epiphany. Peter had played the "admission game." He gave His life for us and He tells us time and again that we must be willing to do the same for others. (Daniel 7:25, italics and insertions mine). He began to understand the meaning of submission to the will of God. God uses persecution to point the lost to Jesus (1 Peter 2:11-12) – Only God can sustain and strengthen a believer to stand firm in the face of persecution. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. PERSECUTION of God’s servants has an ancient history. (1 Peter 2:12-21). When Jesus spoke to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3, the Christian faith was only sixty-five years old. True joy redirects our motives from self-seeking to selfless service. There is no way to know where you are going, but your destination is secure! Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For reasons beyond the scope of this article, this prophecy was fulfilled during the Dark Ages. (Remember that Jesus uttered the phrase "Father forgive them" on the cross (Luke 23:34), and Stephen uttered the same phrase when the stones were flying. God’s people accept, through faith, that it is His will that they should stand firm, paying the price that His truth demands. She was a wonderful person, my best friend. (Genesis 6:9, italics and insertion mine) Looking at human nature and knowing that God’s wisdom is perfect, we have to admit that putting the saints in the desert for 1,260 years had to be the best thing that God could do for them. Even though there is very little pleasure in the desert, a person can find joy in the desert. When Peter saw Israel’s Messiah, the Son of God, submitting to inhumane treatment because this was the Father’s will for Christ, Peter became ashamed of himself. (4) We may suffer persecution because of our faith—especially when we take a stand on biblical issues, i.e., suffering for righteousness sake (2 Tim. Notice how Paul associates man's need for "peace and safety" with the Great Tribulation. Peter did not know it, but he had no faith in God. Thou art good and doest good; teach me thy statutes.” 19. When faced with persecution for Christ’s sake, a bundle of God’s grace is delivered. Family and friends rarely understand or appreciate "Desert U. "Desert U" is a holistic experience called sanctification, or in Bible terms, "walking with God." Click the book cover below to get a copy of: Copyright © 1995 - 2020 Wake up America Seminars | XML Sitemap | Website by JADE Computer | Privacy Policy. Jesus said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself [lay aside self-interests] and take up his cross [the will of God] and follow me. We reap what we sow (Gal. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it." In that prayer comes the recognition of one of the reasons God has chosen to allow His children to be persecuted. Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. Aaron writes, "There’s something perverse about Human Nature that we are most likely to respond favourably to the Gospel during times of great hardship." Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked [alone] with God." So consider these promises in Scripture for those who go through persecution. It doesn't seem like a very loving thing to… (1 Thessalonians 1:10) I hope you will reply. Just as God used Christ’s death for good, so He uses the persecution of His believers for eternal good. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Doesn't the Bible say that God’s people will not suffer wrath? For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. When the Great Tribulation begins, everyone who obeys the first angel’s message will face persecution. I have found some points from Scripture that may be helpful to you in your own search for truth. How Does God turn persecution into blessing? They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me." Consider the following: Remember that, like all suffering, persecution brings us closer to God. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” [Romans 8:28]. .‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’ And all the other disciples said the same." Note some of the characteristic traits of the people who were persecuting Stephen. The apostle Paul wrote, "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." Because religion mutates quickly, God allowed the devil to chase His people into the desert for 1,260 years. When people are persecuted for humbly obeying the will of God, there is no room for bitterness or anger toward their predators. I recently came across your website. Our focus is singular: We are dedicated to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and His imminent return. As a result, whatever difficulty, challenge, or suffering you may be going through need not be wasted. And sure enough, when the mob showed up, Peter proved that he was ready to fight and die for Christ’s sake, but his motive was self-defense. The saints become invalids when they should be soldiers of the cross. In our pain, we long to know why God allows grief and hardship into our lives. (Revelation 12:6, italics mine). It was the Father’s will that Jesus go to the cross and Peter did not seek the same destiny as Christ. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. Allowing persecution to produce faith and joy in our lives is just one example of His grace to us. Jesus warned His disciples: "Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. The fires of persecution separate the faith-full (the gold) from the faith-less (the dross). . (Matthew 10:36) I have mentioned these matters because there is a special sense of joy at "Desert U." This forces believers to worship God and meet with other believers in secret. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. Trials can produce deeper faith and hope. If necessary, food falls from the sky and water flows from rocks. . | Persecution Sunday, Day 2. Persecution keeps those who love the world and the things of this world out of God’s church. (Galatians 5:22) This grace comes through total submission to God’s will. “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” [2 Thess. Jesus said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Christ’s humility humiliated Peter. But why does He do so? ." Answer: One of the most difficult parts of the Christian life is the fact that becoming a disciple of Christ does not make us immune to life’s trials and tribulations. What does the Bible say the future holds? To begin, you need to know that persecution and true Christianity are inseparable. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” [James 1:2-4] God protects our salvation and also knows what will truly satisfy and bring us joy. The final benefit that comes from persecution is exclusion. Open Doors USA is a 501(c)(3) organization and charter member of ECFA, the Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability. Humans are not robots and are free to persecute Christians; there will be eternal consequences for this, however. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Always be joyful. Instead of being medics to a dying world, church members constantly need a medic to keep them alive. One way to avoid being persecuted is to never speak about your faith in Christ. They will call on my name and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The Lord is our God.’ " (Zechariah 13:9, insertion mine). Wednesday, 28 October 2020 16:48 . They will cry out, "Oh God, how could You let this calamity happen to me?". There are many things that could be said in response to that particular question, but here is one you may not have considered: God allows trials and hardship in your life so you can help others. But why does God allow suffering? (Revelation 13:5-7, italics and insertion mine), Those who stand up for righteousness are often persecuted. Already, six of the seven churches in Asia Minor were corrupted by false doctrines, but the church at Philadelphia was hanging on. (Matthew 5:10-12), The apostle Peter understood persecution and the importance of not giving up. (1 Corinthians 10:13) God’s saints should not fret over past, present, or future persecution. The saints serve God because He imparts love, peace, joy, and sustaining grace. Why Does God Allow His Servants to Be Persecuted? And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind." He wrote, "While people are saying, 'Peace and safety [are man's greatest needs],' destruction [from God] will come on them…. When the mob rushed into the garden to lay hands on Jesus, Peter whipped out his knife and a scuffle ensued. Who handed the saints over to the little horn power if not God? Filled with bitter hatred. Each believer must assemble God’s truth for himself and live according to what he believes is right and true. While this is a reality we live in, have you ever stopped to think, “Why does God even allow persecution to occur?”. On Nov. 21, 1980, when the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas burned, survivors were brought into the Convention Center, where our Crusade meetings were being held. There are many countries around the world where being a Christian can warrant the death penalty. Didn’t God rescue Noah? I would give it four and a half stars out of five. 6:7-9). The Bible indicates that terrorism is a sign of the end of the world. The sixth angel sounded his trumpet . To Make the Church More Like Christ. I like to call God’s desert training, "Desert University." Persecution purifies the soul of the persecuted and in this process, God allows us to see if self has been set aside so that the will of God can be fulfilled. Most of the time it comes from a staunch pretribber who is not really wanting to find a solution to the dilemma he thinks this question portrays. (Matthew 26:35). A wider exposure of the gospel leads to more witnessing of the gospel, and a wider swath of witnessing for Christ, leads to more people being saved by Christ. What is Wake Up America Seminars (WUAS)? That is what Jesus did. Persecution. Why Does God Allow Persecution and Troubles - Benny Hinn, live stream (October-28-2020) Published in Benny Hinn. Peter’s experience is recorded in the Bible because he perfectly mirrors the difference between admission and submission. He [the leopard-like beast] was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. In Genesis 3, Adam and Eve freely disobeyed God, and sin entered the world. (John 18:10) Six hours later, he denied three times that he even knew Jesus. Instead, it wants pleasure, luxury, and the "easy life." Not too many would say that sounds appealing, but we see throughout Scripture how trials and persecution have caused the church to grow exponentially and allowed deep hope and faith to blossom within believers. Persecution purifies the soul of the persecuted and in this process, God allows us to see if self has been set aside so that the will of God can be fulfilled. This allows us to help those who are going through similar situations that we have gone through. (Revelation 12:11). . There are definitely a lot of christian minorities that are being persecuted around the world, the way “modern” life is getting in the west can be called a christian persecution too, and we sometimes persecute our own christian beliefs when acting and thinking against them. Why Does God Allow Trials in our Lives? The Holy Spirit empowers the saint to deal with the situation. God’s people often find themselves all alone in their faith experience. How do we connect the dots of a sovereign and good God with worldwide persecution? You have asked a very good question that I have asked myself. 1) He uses the ungodly world (which he controls, 1 John 5:19) to stir up fleshly lusts within us that tempt us to sin. As we come to these opening verses in Acts 8, we need to know first that this is not just something that happened to … (2) We suffer because of our own foolishness. God uses whatever means He deems necessary to accomplish that purpose in the lives of His children. Why does God allow persecution? True joy expands the ability of the heart to trust God and serve man. I disagree with…, Thoughts on the Movie "The Passion" Several people have asked for my response on Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion. – Revelation 9:13-15 "Dear Mr. Wilson: I came across your website about four years ago. All study materials are based solely on the Bible alone. " Question: "Why does God allow us to go through trials and tribulations?" 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