August 25
"For a great and effective door
has opened to me,
and there are many
adversaries.
1 Corinthians
16:9
Adversaries come whenever one is serving God in any way.
Satan opposes every work of God, and in an effort to discourage the
believer he will be relentless in his attacks. The believer should
take it as encouragement. If Satan doesn't oppose you, you're no
threat to him.
"...but rejoice to the extent
that
you partake of Christ's sufferings,
that
when his glory is revealed,
you may
also be glad with exceeding joy."
1
Peter 4:13
We do not partake of the sufferings of Christ for
nothing. The end of it will be "exceeding joy." But we must
not be surprised when the opposition comes. You may be called hateful
names, you may be rejected, and you may suffer things that are
unfair. When these things happen, it is evidence that you are in the
will of God - for everyone serving the Lord will be opposed by hell.
It's not a person rejecting you, it's Satan causing you
rejection.
"Yes, and ALL who desire to live godly in
Christ Jesus
WILL suffer
persecution."
2 Timothy
3:12
Knowing this in advance helps take the sting out of it.
Jesus pronounced a blessing upon you when you are rejected or
persecuted for your faith in him:
“Blessed are you when they
revile and persecute you,
and say all
kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake.
REJOICE
and be exceedingly glad,
for GREAT is
your reward in heaven..."
Matthew
5:11-12
Be faithful. No suffering is unseen by the Lord, he
knows and he will help you through it. Stay very close to him.
Maintain a heart of forgiveness just as Jesus did.
From the
Cross he said:
“Father, forgive them ...for they do not know
what they do.”
Luke 23:34
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