Worship

“Thank You Jesus for the Blood” by Charity Gayle

Scripture

“The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.” -Acts 4:1-4

Modern Witnesses of Courage

I just returned from a conference last week to train and equip women evangelists in South Asia. Seventy-eight of them came from an area of their country where persecution is increasing at a very fast pace. In fact, in 15 of the states in this country, you can spend 12 years in prison for sharing the gospel. The northern part of this country, from where these women came, is experiencing increased persecution at a level where people are being drug from their homes and beaten because they follow Jesus. It was humbling and profound, to say the least, to be in a room where women are counting the cost and moving forward with boldness and courage! After we ministered to their souls and helped them get free of the burdens they were carrying, we helped get them ready to advance with the gospel. It was incredible to watch these women leave with the fire and passion of the Spirit of Jesus who lives in them.

The Early Church’s Example

This portion of Scripture so stirs my heart because the Church, although small, was unstoppable! The apostles weren’t cowering for fear of man. Their voices were unapologetic and their hearts were ablaze. The religious of their day, who crucified Jesus, were back on the scene. We see them rising up in defiance because of the thousands who had given their lives to Jesus. In fact, Peter was such a threat that they sent the captain of the temple guard, essentially the police force of the temple precincts. They were threatened by the words Peter was so boldly preaching. So coming to listen, they suddenly arrested Peter and John. Enough was enough! To them, there was no afterlife, Jesus was surely not the prophesied Messiah, nor was there a resurrection of the dead in Jesus. If they could arrest the leaders, perhaps the Church would stop growing!

Persecution and Church Growth

Peter and John remained faithful to the commission Jesus gave them. And just as promised, suffering came, and this was only the beginning. But for those who are persecuted and endure, blessing comes to the faithful. And as we see all over the world right now, persecution is stirring up the growth of the Church. We see such examples in the underground Church in China and the expanding Church in Iran. And the Church around the world watches with mounting faith and courage at the ones who are going ahead of us.

“‘If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.’” -John 15:18-19

 “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted … .” -2 Timothy 3:12

As I looked at the 78 women sitting before me, I wanted to weep. I so long to fill a room with 78 women who are willing to lay down their lives for the gospel, who will give everything so that our neighborhoods and nations know Jesus. I said to them, “As the Church in America grows more lukewarm and apathetic, please pray for followers of Jesus in America.”

“Whenever the Church has been thoroughly distinct from the world, she has always prospered. During the first three centuries, the world hated the church. The prison, the stake, the heels of the wild horse, these were thought too good for the followers of Christ. When a man became a Christian, he gave up father and mother, house and land, nay, his own life also. … But then was the age of heroes; that was the time of giants. Never did the church so much prosper, and so truly thrive as when she was baptized in blood. The ship of the church never sails so gloriously along as when the bloody spray of her martyrs falls upon her deck. We must suffer, and we must die, if we are ever to conquer this world for Christ.” -Charles Spurgeon

Growth Through Faithful Preaching

The very persecution that entered the scene as a result of Peter’s preaching is, the very thing that confirmed the message Peter was preaching. The Spirit of God was convicting the people and they were repenting and turning to God. And in the face of opposition by the most religious of their time, 5,000 were added that day!

“These numbers display a rapid and dramatic expansion of the church. This growth reveals the explosive power of faithful gospel preaching. Pastors and church leaders go to church-growth conferences all the time, looking for new methods to grow churches numerically. The method given by Luke in the book of Acts is simple: faithfully preach the gospel to the lost.” -R. Albert Mohler, Jr., “Acts 1-12 For You”

Persecution will come to the church in America in increased measure. But right now, the greatest persecution I see is from one believer to another. We justify our offense and our theological differences and stand with arms crossed, pridefully convinced, “I am right, you are wrong, and therefore I will insult, reject, and stand offended against you.” The most painful persecution is the friendly fire that we endure from other followers of Jesus. We should not be offended that someone finds freedom in their life with the Holy Spirit. We should not be offended when believers don’t follow the Old Covenant law we expect them to live by. We aren’t permitted to judge the intentions of another person’s heart based on our own standards—that is not our role in the Body of Christ. Our primary role is to give grace to one another, to love lavishly, and to overlook offenses sent to us. Persecution from one believer to another needs to stop, lest we all die in this hour on the battlefield of pride and offense. This is the one way the Church will never grow or expand! The world will never know we love Jesus if we don’t put away our swords and direct them at our real enemy. Church, it’s time to lay down our offenses for the sake of the gospel.

It is time for unity for Christ followers who bear His name.

It is time to pray for persecuted believers all over the world.

It is time to preach the gospel like never before in the name of Jesus!

I want to end by recommending three books related to this devotional:

• “When Faith is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians” by Todd Nettleton
• “Women Who Risk” by Tom and Joann Doyle
• “The Bait of Satan” by John Bevere

A Few Key Notes

• Come take the gospel to the nations with Arise. View our open teams and apply for one today!
• If you have a heart for intercession and want to be a part of a team that petitions the throne for God to move, join the Arise Prayer Team! Discover a rich community and grow your prayer life. We meet weekly over Zoom.