PERSECUTION .

Are these paradoxes in connection with persecution?

– No one persecutes a counterfeit.

– children grow throuh fever, et.al, as they learn to creep, learn to walk, get new teeth. Thus, growth persecutes the child, but these are fruitful experiences.

– a child ran to me crying ” my teeth has fallen off” and I said the child, “there is a better one coming.”

– anyone, who percecutes a saint of God, will surely pay a great price in this life.

In another range of matters in life :

Those who persecute you are those who know you so well or those who are close or even very remote. Paul in one of his epistles calls them unfriendly friends. An “unfriendly friend” is someone who, despite being considered a friend, acts in a way that is unkind, hostile, or disloyal. Read Romans 16 : 17 – 18. By their action they resist a good course of the Lord which you tend to prorect.

Satan knew Job so well, and brought a weight of persecution over him for satan had said to God, concerning Job:

1:9 -10, ……… Doth Job fear God for nought? 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. (Job 1 : 9 – 10).

You know progress makes a man visible and a subject of persecution by men and satan.

So often persecution comes from envy, hatred and or a jealous spirit, to bring down an innocent man struggling to survive and or serving the Lord God Almighty, for the cause of the salvation of his soul.

The children of Israel were hard working people, favoured by God and the Egyptians sought to bring them down craftly, through hard labour and by killing the male child at birth, to bring down their population of armour carriers.

Was it not at that time that Moses was born?

And was it not in the event of great persecution that God took Israel back to the promised land with great wealth from Egypt, and dealt decisively with Egypt in destruction, before Israel left Egypt and also Egypt ended their military pride, at the bottom of the Red Sea, right there till today ?

Do not mind your persecutors. While your persecutors, do their worst, God does His best for you.

At Mount Olivet Discourse, Jesus said :

5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. (Matthew 5 : 11 – 12).

In this world today, some saints have been abandoned by their family, by friends in their neighbourhood and some ostracised and killed in their country. And the Bible encourages us in saying, “through persecution you will earn eternal life.”

For those who are abandoned,, because of their faith in Christ Jesus said in :

Mark 10:30 The Passion Translation (TPT) it will come back to him a hundred times as much in this lifetime—homes, family, mothers, brothers, sisters, children, possessions—along with persecutions. And in the age to come, he will inherit eternal life.( Mk. 10 : 30)

What is it like to ostracise?

1. to exclude, by general consent, from society, friendship, conversation, privileges, etc. His friends ostracized him after his father’s arrest. 2. to banish (a person) from his or her native country; expatriate.

Many Christians have gone through this.

HAVE YOU HEARD OF THE ABOVE? ARE YOU A VICTIM? DO YOU SAY THE WORST HAS COME UPON YOU?

THERE IS HOPE FOR THE PERSECUTED.

While you will be transported to heaven in the midst of some or often unbelievable persecution, your persecutors are bundled to hell fire. You who had been isolated as a child, will find brothers, mothers,fathers and friends, from diverse nations. God is awesome in frienship, and He is the best friend you can ever find in life.

MEDITATE ON THE FOLOWING QUOTATION IN Mark 10 : 30.

In all you have read or heard me present in this message, persecution leads to the promotion of God’s children, Amen for you and for me.

PRAYER :

May I find you Lord in the time of persecution? Lord may I hear Your whisper saying to me, ” son, I am with you, fear not?”.Thank you Lord in Jesus name Amen.

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Sermon from Miracle Valley @ Land of Goshen 34 Bisi Adelesi Street Agiliti Mile 12, Lagos.

11th May 2025.

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