Matthew 5:10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven

Important Takeaways:

• Prepare To Stand: The Unexpected Blessings From Persecution
• Four dangers that can knock us out if we’re not prepared for persecution: the danger of acting according to fear; the danger of the heart becoming offended toward God; the danger of pursuing pleasure as an escape; and the danger of being derailed by deception.
• I’ve also suggested six steps that prepare our hearts to stand.
  • Step one is to talk about persecution so we’re not caught by surprise.
  • Two, develop fear of God, in the right perspective.
  • Three, pursue the heart of God.
  • Four, build perseverance. This is how we persist under pressure.
  • Five, build community.
  • And six, guard the Word. These last two are safeguards for us, our families and our churches against sliding into deception.
• So what can we expect if we practice these steps and remain faithful under pressure? Blessings!
  • Persecution can draw us closer to Jesus.
  • Intimacy, one that comes from being tested. The testing and proving of our love brings us into a more confident intimacy with God
  • The truth is that pressure can push us to run after God in a way that we don’t normally do.
  • Experiencing the hardships that Jesus experienced draws us closer to His heart.
• What we do here really does matter for eternity. Jesus will honor those who prove their faithfulness in difficulty.

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