This is Donna again. This is a follow up of my last post. I realize it is lengthy, however I believe it is a crucial read.

I finished the previous post writing, “You would never regret moving from an “experience” into a wonderful, personal, intimate relationship with God. If you have made a decision to have or to deepen the intimacy of your relationship with God, we would love to tell you how proud we are of you and congratulate you! We care about you, wherever you are in your relationship with God.

To begin today, I am quoting Rick Renner, author of Sparkling Gems From the Greek, Volume 1 and Volume 2, “You will always have another opportunity to be tested. Make the decision before it happens that you are never going to quit, throw in the towel, or bend to circumstances. Stay faithful to the very end.”

Revelation 2:10 (NKJV), “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” I want us to particularly look at the last phrase. The phrase ‘be thou’ (in the KJV) is ginou in the Greek, meaning : a process of becoming; literally it means to keep on becoming faithful. Our faithfulness is a process, we do not stay where we started in it. We grow and it increases as we live out our daily lives. ‘Unto death’, archi means: never renege on commitment, regardless of the price that had to be paid. ‘Faithful’ is from the Greek word pistos, meaning: faithful, reliable, loyal, steadfast (no matter what assails, or how hot the fires of persecution); remain unwavering in your commitment to Jesus Christ, be devoted, trustworthy, dependable, dedicated, and constant.

Writing Revelation 2:10, incorporating the Greek means, it could read like this: Do not dread or fear to undergo some suffering. The false accuser and slanderer, satan, the author of evil is about to throw some of you into prison, to try or test your faith, virtue, and character. You will have oppression or distress that will last for just a short time. Continue on in your faith and faithfulness, and never renege on your commitment, regardless of the price that has to be paid. Be faithful and loyal, no matter how hot the fires of persecution. Remain steadfast, unwavering, devoted, trustworthy, dependable, dedicated, and constant in your commitment to Jesus Christ. He will give you the joy of eternal life because you are a genuine servant of His!

This is what you must determine you will do, before the trials, tribulation, and persecution come, and then continue to do. when you are walking through it.

We need to hide this Word in our heart! Realize the evil one will try or test your faith, but for only a short time, and remember, as you choose to continue walking in your genuine faith and faithfulness, He will reward you. Having gone through a very trying time when Eric was incapacitated for 10 months because of a damaged nerve, I remember thinking it would never end, the time certainly did not feel like it was a ‘short’ time. Looking back and comparing it to over 7 decades of life, and recognizing the goodness of the Lord in helping and ministering to us during that season, I feel today that it was a relatively short time.

John16:33 (NASB20), “These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." ‘Tribulation’, thlipsis, is pressure, stress, anguish, adversity, affliction, crushing, squashing, squeezing, and distress.

Tribulation is never pleasant, however, Jesus said, we should take courage because He has overcome! (And by extension, so do we!)

We see many Biblical examples of those who have been persecuted for their faith in Christ. Jeremiah 37:15,16,17 and 21, “Therefore the princes were angry with Jeremiah, and they struck him and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe. For they had made that the prison. 16 When Jeremiah entered the dungeon and the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days, 17 then Zedekiah the king sent and took him out. The king asked him secretly in his house, and said, "Is there any word from the LORD?" And Jeremiah said, "There is." Then he said, "You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon!" ... 21 Then Zedekiah the king commanded that they should commit Jeremiah to the court of the prison, and that they should give him daily a piece of bread from the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city was gone. Thus Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.” Jeremiah, the weeping Prophet was thrown in jail for speaking a true prophetic word from the Lord.

After Stephen told the high priests they were stiff-necked and uncircumcised because of resisting the Holy Spirit, (Verse 51 of Acts 7), we read in verses 59 and 60 (NKJV), “And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

Following Stephen’s death, according to Acts 8:1, “Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles” ‘Persecution’, in the Greek, diogmos, means, the hatred and affliction that follows the witness and holy life of God’s people in a hostile world. I believe this definition is important for us to understand. The hostility in the world comes from those who are followers of the evil one, and the hostility comes because we are followers of Jesus Christ. Some commentaries state this is a part of our sharing in the suffering of Christ. (1 Peter 4:12 tells us, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you”.) Then in verse 3 of Acts 8 we read, “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.”

Then, after Paul had an encounter with the Lord and became a follower of Jesus, he wrote concerning what he called his ‘light’ afflictions; 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 (NASB20), “Are they servants of Christ?--I am speaking as if insane--I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift at sea. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, dangers among false brothers; 27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.”

Speaking of the ‘faithful’, we read in Hebrews 11:36 - 38 (NASB20), “and others experienced mocking and flogging, and further, chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented 38 (people of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts, on mountains, and sheltering in caves and holes in the ground.”

Open Doors is the largest network in the world serving persecuted Christians. (60 + years). According to their latest report, right now, there are 360 million Christians around the world who suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. 5,898 were murdered for their faith this last year. Also, 5,110 Christian buildings were attacked last year. You can read more at www.opendoors.org

Our nation was founded on God’s principles and because of that, we have not yet, to date, suffered the tremendous persecution our brothers and sisters around the world are encountering. However, it appears the times are changing. We believers must humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways and pray, so that God might heal our land. We need to, as Rick Renner said, “Make the decision before it happens that you are never going to quit, throw in the towel, or bend to circumstances. Stay faithful to the very end”.

Jaelene Daniels plays in the National Women’s Soccer League. Because of her commitment to faith, she made the decision to miss a game rather than wear the “Pride” jersey the team was scheduled to wear.

I have not heard of U.S. citizens being tortured or beheaded for their faith at this time, however, there are those who have taken a hit and become a victim of the cancel culture. There are many scenarios playing out now, that Christians must be aware of and prepare to possibly face. and determine in advance to remain faithful to their commitment to God.

Some of these scenarios are:

Having to quit a job because you refuse to teach children that same sex marriage is okay or you refuse to tell a 5 year old that he/she can choose their own gender.

You get arrested because you’ve taken a stand against abortion.

You refuse to take the mark of the beast and cannot buy food.

You’re told to renounce Christ or be shot.

You’re thrown in jail because you refuse to surrender your Bible

You refuse to make a wedding cake for a same sex couple because it violates your Biblical beliefs.

Some of these situations are being lived out now, some will come in the future.

When you are faced with the incredulous situations, will you stay faithful and steadfast in your faith relationship with the Lord, or will you compromise?

Our prayer is that you will be strong in your faith and not bend in the face of tribulation.

As Rick Renner encourages us, “Be faithful to the very end.”

Then as John, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote, as recorded in Revelation 2:10, “Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life.”

KJV King James version

NASB20 New American Standard Bible 2020

NKJV New King James Version