Jesus said: ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice…for great is your reward in heaven’ (Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV). To be persecuted for righteousness’ sake is to live as Jesus lived – with His character, His motives, His obedience, His trust in the Father, and His purity of heart. It’s to be a peacemaker, to hunger and thirst for what’s right, to turn your back on sin, and to be a fountain of mercy. If you live this way, you’ll be persecuted just as Jesus was persecuted. You won’t have to be confrontational in what you say or do – your very life will be confrontational. It’s the contrast that will bring confrontation! Jesus spoke the truth, lived the truth, and was willing to die for the truth. He never sought to pick a fight, but He spoke up every time the truth He spoke was challenged. And He promises that when you are insulted and abused for the same reasons He was, if you remain faithful, you will receive the kingdom of heaven. In other words, you’ll have a reward in heaven, and you’ll be given spiritual authority in the kingdom of heaven. What you may suffer here on earth is only temporary rejection, insult, or abuse. What you gain in heaven will be eternal and glorious. The Bible says: ‘The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us’ (Romans 8:18 NKJV).

© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.