Let us arm ourselves once and for all. If we are going to follow in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ, we SHALL suffer persecution. Persecution is not something just of ancient times or for foreign lands that are outwardly hostile to the gospel. Persecution comes from the hearts and mouths and flesh of all unregenerate men and women who will not repent and is something every believer and follower of Jesus Christ shall suffer during his earthly pilgrimage.

There is no way to avoid persecution if you will live godly in Christ Jesus. The New Testament scriptures are clear. Our Lord Jesus himself said that he did not come to bring peace on earth, but rather, that he came to bring a sword (spiritual). He came to bring division by speaking and living the truth of the Father. This division is to separate the sheep from the goats, the wheat from the chaff, and the children of light from the children of darkness. And there is no way to stand in the light, walk in the light, follow the light, believe the light, and speak forth the words of light and not disrupt and disturb the powers of darkness.

So let us just arm ourselves and be prepared to face persecution. However, what I believe is important is to know how to handle persecution and prepare for it.

First off, we must not look at the things which are seen. If we judge according to outward appearance, if we still seek the glory of the things which are seen according to the flesh, then we will never be able to endure persecution or even be able to face proper persecution and see it through unto victory in Christ. We must look at the things which are not seen. We must set our face like flints to the Lord Jesus and his doctrine and the faith of the holy scriptures. We must no longer desire the praise and honour of men but seek only the praise and honour of God. We must not seek to be exonerated by men (or women) according to their judgment seats, but rather, we must seek to stand and be approved only before the judgment seat of our Lord Jesus Christ! And the only way we shall stand at his judgment seat, is if we honour HIS commandments and HIS judgments (in heart, word, and deed). And thus, we must diligently continue in the word of the Lord unto all obedience. Are we still seeking affirmation or comfort in the things which are seen? Do we think that if only we were married or had more money or owned land and businesses then we would have meaningful successful lives? If so, then our minds are warped and we will never stand in Christ for the truth and endure persecution because our hearts affections and longings are still on things of the earth and not on heavenly things. And thus, we will be found to be false disciples of Christ, having a mere form of godliness, but know nothing of the power thereof. Our Lord Jesus had no wife, no children, owned no land, had no earthly operations generating incomes and yet was the most successful man to ever walk the face of the earth. Let us reject all these notions and hold only to Christ Jesus our Lord and the things that be of HIM. We must pursue the things that are not seen, the things of God and his eternal kingdom. Things like: humility, repentance, cleansing, forgiveness, healing, mercy, grace, faith, meekness, gentleness, kindness, longsuffering, endurance, patience, truth, righteousness, love, joy, peace, victory, holiness, everlasting life, etc... These are the things we must pursue. And we must be aware and vigilant of all manners of sins, blasphemies, iniquities, traps and schemes of Satan and the devils, etc... and we must utterly refuse and reject and renounce ALL of these things at every hand. All the works of the flesh must be seen for what they truly are: abominations in the eyes of God and the enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the souls of men. We must have NOTHING to do with these unfruitful works of darkness, whether in action or thought. And we must war against these things in ourselves and in those around us whom the Lord hath put in our paths. If we look at these unseen things AND not the things which are seen, then we can walk by the faith of God and see clearly as HE sees, so that when the persecution comes (any form of attack for living a godly life in Christ Jesus and standing in the truth) we can see what it truly is and where it is coming from and not take personal offense or hold any form of bitterness against flesh and blood (because our battle is not against flesh and blood). Otherwise, if we are not looking at the things which are not seen, then we are bound to fall back into the works of the flesh ourselves and then if we are attacked it is no longer persecution (suffering as a Christian) but rather, it just becomes another strife in the flesh (suffering for our own foolishness). We must learn to ALWAYS and in ALL THINGS, not look at the things which are seen, but in the things which are not seen.

Secondly, we must learn to live lives of prayer and fasting. If we are to both experience persecution and endure and overcome it with a good spirit and still be able to genuinely praise and glorify God and not be pulled down into some sort of pit of pity or woe or envy or strife or bitterness, then we must be living lives of regular prayer and fasting. If we are able to draw our strength from our earthly supplies and our earthly sustenance, and we are not living lives that are dependent on the living God though prayer and supplications, then when the heat turns up a bit, we will find a way to duck out and just coast in our own strength (thus fulfilling the lie of Satan to God himself recorded in Job 2:4). We are going to need to have a steadfast spirit to endure persecution, and one of the keys to a steadfast spirit is to keep casting all your cares upon the LORD and plugging into his Spirit and power and will through seeking his face in prayer. And another key to strength and steadfastness in the spiritual realm, is fasting. The more you afflict the flesh and set yourself to be obedient to the LORD's will so that his will may become your meat on this earth then the more steadfast you will become to hold to the will of God when things get uncomfortable for the flesh. Fasting is so invaluable in the spiritual realm and in the building up of a spiritual man and woman in Christ. Also, there's the reality that fasting can help gain strength to cast out certain unclean evil spirits out of their strongholds. Jesus said, "This kind cometh not out but by prayer and fasting." So it's interesting that Jesus had given the apostles the gifts and the authority to cast out all manner of devils, and yet, when it came to this certain instance, they evidently lacked the spiritual fitness to actually do it. So we can be the most gifted people in Christ and have all kinds of authority and yet lack the actual strength and stamina to cast rebellious spirits out of the men and women we are dealing with. This is where fasting and prayer come in and are both so key.

Thirdly, we must have a deep conviction to be completely holy and pure unto the LORD. We must desire holiness and acceptance in Christ more than anything else. We must count the cost and be willing and even happy to suffer pain and affliction if it will be used of God to purify us and/or anyone else on this earth. Why give honour to the temporary at the expense of the eternal? How vain and foolish we are by nature. No, let us seek to be pure and holy and for everyone else to become pure and holy no matter what the cost. If we are absolutely convinced that no man will see the LORD without holiness, and if we are absolutely committed to becoming holy and helping all men become holy in Christ Jesus, then to endure some suffering and persecution no longer becomes some wearisome thing that we will duck or shy away from, but rather, it becomes an honorable and noble thing worth enduring and giving thanks for as it is used by God for the good of his own. Amen? Amen! May our minds be thus set and made up. To pursue holiness is worth enduring the pain and affliction of the flesh so that Christ might be fully formed in us and those around us.

Lastly, we must receive and continue in the word of Christ in a deep and living way. Shallow Bible reading and quick hasty doctrinal positions will never endure persecution. These things will lead to other forms of suffering, but not persecution for continuing in the truth of the gospel. No, we must receive with meekness the engrafted word deep into our hearts and souls. This word must be rooted and grounded deep into our bellies and souls so that the wellspring of life itself may spring out of us from within by the Spirit of the living God. We must hold deeply with deep persuasion and gravity to the truth of God; only such an one will be able to stand, rooted and grounded, and remain unmoved (immoveable) during the worst of the storms of persecution. This is why you must not seek to be a great preacher or a great evangelist or a great anything. You must just seek to know the LORD, and please HIM. You must give his word the chief place and treasure of your heart and soul. And then, when the storm and fierce attacks of persecution come against you (wherever they arise from) you will stand and withstand in the evil day because you were planted and steadfast and sure in the immoveable word of Christ. Even if heaven and earth move against you, yet you shall not move, because our Lord Jesus said that "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass." Let us not be forgetful hearers of the word of God, but doers, and thus, we shall be BLESSED in our deed! Consider the apostles, they suffered persecution, and yet they were still blessed even in the midst of it! Because if we are firmly planted in HIM, then no matter what we face, we shall be blessed, because in HIM is no curse, but only blessing. For in him all the promises of God are yea and amen! For he became not our high priest through a carnal commandment, but through the power of an endless life (all according to the word of our Father in heaven). So let us seek to be sanctified wholly by the word of our Father so that we might stand in HIM no matter what comes against. "Greater is HE that is in us, than he that is in the world."

So beloved, stand fast in the Lord and in the power of his might. Look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are unseen. For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are unseen are eternal. And continue to seek the LORD and seek to be holy and pure in HIM by prayer and fasting. For truly it is good to be afflicted in the flesh, so that we might not go astray. And let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom. For it is the word of Christ that gives strength and soundness in the inner man to overcome the wicked one and all of his onslaughts. Remember, all persecution is ultimately from the devil himself, and it isn't even so much an attack against us personally, as it is an attack against the word and person of our God. But praise the LORD, greater is HE that is in us, and through his power and might and spirit, we can both submit to God, and resist the wicked one, so that we might endure all persecution and sufferings patiently for his name's sake as a testimony unto both heaven and earth that the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ has come down to earth and reigns over all other kingdoms, world without end. Amen and amen.

2Ti 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

2Ti 3:13  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

2Ti 3:14  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

2Ti 3:15  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.