4 Victorious Ways to Stand in the Face of Persecution by MEGAN HART – Charisma Mag
Are you in the midst of a great trial or moment of great persecution? Have you recently been mistreated and falsely accused? A 10-year fiery trial in my life has finally come to end where I experienced all of these things over and over again. Looking back, there were moments I felt like I was all alone and that the trial was never going to end. There were times I screamed, cried and whispered, “God, I am so tired and weary and cannot do this anymore!” However, God proved faithful time and time again.
Through my pain, fear and weakness endured for over a decade of persecution, I now see God’s hand in every aspect and detail. With His help, I refused to give up believing the faithfulness and promises of God and would not give in to the lies of the enemy. If you are experiencing this type of pain in your or a loved one’s life, here are four ways we can position ourselves for victory in the midst of persecution.
1. We must stand firm in the fight the right way.
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When facing persecution, one of the common mistakes made is trying to figure things out on our own. We ask ourselves, “How am I going to handle and get through this? How am I going to defend ourselves and prove them wrong? What am I going to do?” We must immediately cast the situation to Jesus. The longer we hold on to it, the more painful our experiences will be. There is no room for self-sufficiency in the midst of persecution. It is time wasted and produces zero positive results. Standing firm cannot occur in our own strength. Jesus is the only one who can give us the strength to stand.
But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will boast in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, in reproaches, in hardships, in persecutions, and in distresses for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong (1 Cor. 12:9-10).
2. We must keep our focus on the only truth that matters.
Our circumstances may seem impossible. The situation may seem hopeless. The cases against us may seem to be closing. Our persecution may increase. It is easy to want to give up, especially when all of the odds are against us and it looks like we are losing the fight. However, we need to keep standing for the truth, even if we as followers of Christ are the minority, and even if we are mocked and mistreated by the world. The only truth that matters, the only truth that has the final say, is God’s Word.
