The hardest thing to do when you find yourself speaking to someone who has nothing good to say about you is to bless them. We can utter the words perhaps, but many times in our hearts we feel anger and not blessing to those who seek to harm us. The Bible says that “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, ” (2 Timothy 3:12, NIV84)
The word persecution in the Greek speaks of driving someone away. It is a harassment, mistreatment and a hostility toward another. Persecution can be manifested in violent actions. Paul was stoned and flogged. Stephen was killed. Sometimes persecution is about the emotional outburst of words. This happened to Paul in Ephesus. “When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting … Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater. ” (Acts 19:28–29, NIV84)
Persecution arises because the integrity and wholeness of a life lived for Christ brings conviction upon the sinners and the hypocrites. The sinners will be drawn to repentance because the see the possibility of a new life. This happened in Ephesus. “Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. ” (Acts 19:18–19, NIV84) However, the hypocrites are usually those who believe that they achieved something in their religious expression. They feel conviction, but they do not want to repent. The want to remove the source of the conviction in order to continue to elevate their own religious influence. This also happened in Ephesus. “Because the Jews made a plot against him just as he was about to sail for Syria, he decided to go back through Macedonia. ” (Acts 20:3, NIV84)
If we choose to live for Christ with a passion and a surrender in our lives that seeks His Glory alone and seeks His Love to be expressed for us, we also can expect persecution. The religious spirit hates the wholeness, integrity and reality of a life filled with passion and love.
How do we respond to persecution and out persecutors? The first thing we do in all things we worship God. Paul and Silas did this in prison. “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. ” (Acts 16:25, NIV84) Our worship even in difficult times demonstrates to others around us that God is a God of love and worthy of praise. The second thing we do is we bless those who hate us. This is hard. “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” (Romans 12:14, NIV84)
Our blessing must be a heartfelt expression of love to those who hate us. “Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:17–21, NIV84)
When we love and bless all people including those who speak abusively against us we show the love of God. There was a time when we spoke against God and yet He still loved us and sent Jesus to die for our sins. Hate is a tool of the enemy. Condemnation is a tool of the enemy. Love is a tool of God. Peace and Joy are weapons of the Holy Spirit.
When we allow God to work in the midst of the persecution, when we refrain from anger and judgment, we leave room for God to work supernaturally. That is how we overcome evil with good.
