How to Face Persecution with Courage
As a follower of Jesus, you can endure persecution for your faith because you are not alone.
If I were to ask you individually, “Do you have the courage to stand for the gospel,” I would probably get different responses. Followers of Jesus have always faced the hostility of Satan who is the present ruler of this world. From the time of Jesus’s death,
persecution, and ascension, believers have faced ridicule, been denounced, hunted, arrested, beaten, imprisoned, and executed.
For instance, Peter, James, and Andrew were crucified; Bartholomew was whipped and crucified; James, son of Zebedee, was beheaded; Mark was dragged through the streets of Alexandria until he died; James, half-brother of Jesus was stoned; Stephen and Philip were stoned to death; Matthew, Thaddeus, and Timothy were martyred. We know Apostle Paul was beheaded. Jesus prophetically told them what would happen. It happened then and it is still happening today and it will continue to happen until Jesus returns.
Jesus warns His disciples that they are going to face persecution, but He will give them and all His followers His Spirit to have the courage to face persecution. So how do we have the courage needed to face these same kinds of trials?
First, be willing to stand for Jesus even though we may endure persecution for our faith.
It’s when we are willing to stand for the gospel that people will take notice that what we possess in Jesus is real; and, hopefully, they will come to Jesus as well.
Second, depend on the Holy Spirit daily.
The Holy Spirit guides us, comforts us, encourages us, and enables us to live out our faith in a
hostile world. As believers, we need to have an awareness more than ever of the Holy Spirit in our lives and pray it will control our lives. That
is accomplished as we read and obey God’s Word. In our obedience, the Holy Spirit will enable us to live out our faith even though we may face ridicule and be ostracized by others.
You’re not alone when you stand for Jesus. The Holy Spirit enables us to have the courage to warn the world of sin, the need for Jesus’s righteousness, and the judgment to come.