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No Fear of The Storm
When Jesus was in the garden on the night of His arrest, He told His disciples what was going to take place. He was going to be arrested and crucified. Earlier in His ministry, He told His disciples that He would be crucified. That night, He told His disciples they would deny Him, even though they swore they would stand by the Lord. After all, throughout His ministry, He performed many miracles. He calmed the sea. He escaped when the Pharisees were about to stone Him (because it wasn't the appointed time). He was able to answer questions that were thrown at Him by the Pharisees and Sadducees. But this night was different. So the disciples did not take to heart what Jesus and the Father had in mind. And when the crowd came and Jesus was arrested, they scattered. Jesus allowed the religious hierarchy to send Him to the cross. Many believers today attribute their unfaithfulness because they didn't have the Holy Spirit, was true, but they were tuned to their own will instead of God's. It was only after the Lord's resurrection they understood that Jesus had to be crucified and raise from the dead.
Jesus promised us we will have tribulation.1The Word says that our affliction will end when Jesus is revealed from heaven2. However, in countries such as America, it is taught we will escape when the bad thing happens. It never crosses some of our minds that one day we too will persecuted. So many of us aren't in tuned to God's purpose and therefore we are not prepared. When we should be in the word, we buy books that gives us comfort. A comfort that tells us we do not need to fear the storm because we'll be gone. Such comfort, but a false one. Which causes me to think that many believers here will scatter when affliction comes. And unlike the disciples, they will have the Holy Spirit. But like the disciples in the garden, they won't be in tuned to God's will and be unprepared when hard time comes.
One of the big selling points of pre-tribulationialsm is that the Great Tribulation will be so bad that no one would want to go through it. In essence, they use fear to convince the masses that God doesn't want us to suffer. Whereas Jesus instructed His disciples in the Book of Luke concerning fear:
"And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that, what more can they do. But I warn you who to fear: fear the One who after He has killed has authority to cast into hell; yes I tell you to fear Him!" 3
Luke 12:4-5 NASB
Jesus told His disciples not to be afraid of those who kill the body. Which leads into the question, when we die where is our destination? Our destination is eternity with our Lord Jesus Christ. After we are dead, there is no more pain, no affliction and no more suffering. What more our can our oppressors do who can kill our bodies? At times we think of temporary solutions instead of our eternal outcome. Sure there will be pain and suffering, but only until we depart from our bodies.
Jesus said we should fear the One who has authority to cast into hell! We should be fearing God instead of those who will seek to take our lives. He has control of our eternal destiny not our oppressors. As we continue further, Jesus said:
"And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man shall confess him also before the angels of God. And he who denies Me before men shall be denied before the angels of God."
Luke 12:8-9 NASB
"And he who does no take up the cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it."
Matthew 11:38-39 NASB
The central point in the Christian faith is our attitude toward the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. When we confess Christ to others, Jesus will confess us before the angels of God. How much of our time are we willing to tell others about Christ? Even at the most opportune times? And there will be times where we will have to stand up to moral principles at our jobs, at home or anywhere including church. There will be times our stand for Christ may jeopardize our jobs, our relationships with our friends, and our relationship with others. And throughout the world today, Christians are in prisons and being tortured and killed because of their stand for the Lord. How tough is it for us today when many of us don't make a stand for the Lord in this country? And if it's that tough, what will happen when persecution enters our land? One thing I do know, I can't expect to be confessing the Lord in hard times if I'm not doing it during the most prosperous times. Being a Christian means more than just going to church every Sunday. Jesus said we must take up the cross and follow Him or else we're not worthy of Him!
If we are truly in the Spirit, If we study God's Word and we take his Word into Heart, then God can lead us through the most troublesome times. Jesus said:
"In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
John 16:33b NASB
Jesus said we will have tribulation. But He tells us to take courage because Jesus Himself has overcome the world. Jesus never promised we would escape these things as many have taught. And if we desire a righteous life then we must accept that:
"...All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."
Second Timothy 3:12 NASB
During times of pressure and affliction we have this assurance:
"And when they bring you into the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not become anxious about how or what you speak in your defense, or what you should say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you what you ought to say."
Luke 12:11-12 NASB
Jesus tells us not to be anxious about what to say in our defense because the Holy Spirit will teach us what we should say. During His meeting with the disciples on the Mount of Olives, Jesus instructed His disciples:
"...Before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before the kings and governors for My name's sake. It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony.
"So make up your minds not to prepare beforehand to defend yourselves; for I will give you utterance and wisdom which none of your opponents will be able to resist or refute.
"But you will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be hated by all on account of My name. Yet not a hair on your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives."
Luke 21:12-19 NASB
Jesus again confirmed we will have hands laid upon us and we will be persecuted. We will be dragged into the synagogues and prisons and brought before earthly authorities for Jesus' sake. Jesus said this will lead to an opportunity for our testimony. Some examples are in Daniel how his friends stood up to King Nebuchadnezzar; how Paul still proclaimed the gospel in his captivity; and How Stephen spoke before the Pharisees before he was stoned.
Jesus tells us not to prepare to defend ourselves because He will gives us utterance and wisdom that our opponents cannot refute! He also tells us we will be delivered up even by our closest relatives and friends and yet not even a hair on our head will perish! And by this endurance we will gain our lives.
Even in hard times, we can follow the example of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as they faced the trial of the fiery furnace:
"If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire: and He will be able to deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you set up"
Daniel 3:17-18 NASB
On the other hand, Jesus did say that some of us will be put to death. But as Christians, we will immediately be with the Lord. One of the biggest testimonies that stands out in scripture is the one Stephen gave before the Sanhedrin just before he was stoned to death. And after he was dragged outside the city and was stoned he said:
"Lord Jesus, receive my spirit... (and cried with a loud voice) Lord, lay not this sin to their charge."
Acts 7:59-69 KJV
In summary, persecution is only minute compared to our eternal destiny. And our oppressors don't control our eternal fate, only God does.
"For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith. And who is the one that overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"
First John 5:4-5 NASB
Footnotes
1. Matthew 16:33
2. 2 Thessalonians 1:1-8
3. See also Isaiah 8:13:
"The Lord almighty is the One you are to regard as holy;
He is the One you are to fear,
He is the One you dread..." NIV
