Preparation And Equipping

This world wants to recruit you as its own and sink you deep into its systems or help you attempt to do life as you see fit. With this kind of set-up or mentality, the world has no room for Christ. Therefore, persecution is inevitable and suffering a certainty for the Christian.

John records Jesus recalling to the listeners memory, "Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also." (John 15:20)

However, Jesus encouraged His disciples about the coming persecution by stating, "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12) This is because He knew that after establishing His church, persecution and suffering would follow.

1 Peter 4:12-19 addresses this suffering that Christ followers will experience and what to do to lessen or overcome the suffering. Here is what the passage states - 

"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And,

'If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?'

So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good."

If you read the passage carefully or perhaps once more, you will notice four active words for the believer in Christ to perform toward lessening or overcoming suffering.

1. "rejoice" - "But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."
2. "praise God" - "However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name."
3. "commit" yourselves to Christ - "So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator"
4. "and continue to do good"

Peter mentions that as a believer in Christ, persecution and suffering should not shock us. In fact, we should expect it according to Jesus. So, when persecution and suffering does come - rejoice, praise God, commit or recommit yourself even moreso to Christ and continue to do good. Peter admonishes us that doing these things and simply being persecuted for the name of Christ brings with it a blessing - "If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you."

No one said rejoicing or praising God within the persecution or suffering would be easy, but the instruction is there the same. When the believer goes to "commit" himself/herself to God know that the original word for "commit", paratithemi, (par-at-ith-ay-mee) means for you to place yourself alongside, present yourself, deposit yourself, put forth or set before - in this case Christ Jesus, the "faithful Creator". Then when you have worshipped the Lord and presented yourself to Him, continue your good work.

There are different degrees of Christian persecution and suffering going on in the world today. Many End-time scholars state that this is going to worsen just as other signs of Christ's return are noted by their intensity and frequency. I tell you this today not to scare you but for your Preparation And Equipping.