“All your
fighting men, ready for battle, must cross over ahead of your fellow
Israelites. You are to help them
until the Lord gives them
rest, as he has done for you, and until they too have taken possession of the
land the Lord your God is giving them.”
Joshua
1:14-15
I have a new bracelet I wear every
day. It’s not fancy; in fact, I think it’s made of rubber. And it wasn’t made
for me by one of our grandchildren. On one side it says, “I-am-n” on the other, “I will not let them suffer in silence; I will not let them serve alone.” I got it free
a couple weeks ago at a Voice of the Martyrs conference. There we heard
testimonies from four incredible individuals who have suffered for their faith—prison,
kidnapping, starving, torture, interrogation. And we heard many other stories
of believers who are being tortured and killed because they will not disown the
Lord who died for them. That’s why my bracelet is precious.
We are part of a worldwide network of
believers. In many countries Christianity is illegal or “discouraged” and those
who share their faith risk losing their jobs, homes, health, and freedom. Even
their own families turn against them—the cruelest of all. But they love Jesus
anyway.
God is using their persecution to
spread the gospel around the world just as He did in the early days of
Christianity (see Acts 8:1, 4). I wear this bracelet to honor them, call
attention to their needs, and as a reminder to pray for them daily.
They are like the fighting men who
crossed over ahead of the rest of the Israelites. They are on the front lines
of Christianity, where the struggle is violent and aggressive. Our job is to
help them until the Lord gives them rest. This includes prayer, writing
letters, giving financially, and sharing their stories with other believers so
they are not alone in this fight.
There are Christians facing persecution
in the United States too—in “the land of the free.” The Christian world view is
no longer the norm in our schools, workplaces, and entertainment. It is, in
fact, becoming unpopular and dangerous to speak the truths of our faith. We
know a young man whose parents recently kicked him out of the house for
becoming a Christian; they’re just an average family, not extreme Muslims or
terrorists.
Ponder these things as you walk the
streets of your city and pray for your brothers and sisters facing persecution
in all its forms. You may not realize how many are in your own community—despised,
rejected, targeted for Christ’s sake. You may be one yourself. If you are, you are
blessed to suffer for His name (Matt. 5:10-11).
Pray God will give all persecuted
believers boldness to speak to their persecutors with power and confidence. That
He will provide for their needs and confirm their testimony with signs and
wonders. And that He will grant them fellowship with other Christians and the
comfort of knowing they are not alone. We stand together in Him.
You can learn how to pray and help
members of the persecuted church at: https://www.persecution.com/
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil
with good.
Romans 12:21
*If you’d like to learn more about Halloween
and some possible alternatives for Christians, my book Taking Back October is a terrific resource! Available on Amazon in
paperback and Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Back-October-Believers-Pursuit/dp/1502516292/ref=sr_1_1_twi_pap_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1505868831&sr=8-1&keywords=taking+back+October
#persecution #frontlinesoldiers #blessedarethepersecuted
#prayerwalking #spiritualwarfare #claimingterritory #halloween #AllSaintsDay
#Josh1 #Rom12:21
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