This is a word of encouragement I shared with a ladies’ prayer group on dealing with spiritual warfare while fulfilling the assignment God has given you.
[Edited for this blog post.]
My scripture reference:
Matthew 10:22, Mark 13:13, Luke 21:17,19, John 15:18,19 CSB
22 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
13 You will be hated by everyone because of my name, but the one who endures to the end will be saved.
17 You will be hated by everyone because of my name. 19 By your endurance, gain your lives.
18 If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.
As we embark on our role in fulfilling God’s purpose, we will have to endure much more than we have previously, especially in terms of spiritual warfare.
I reread the gospels and this verse stuck with me. Then I read it in each gospel. We will endure much more in the coming weeks and months if it hasn’t already begun.
We see the world is literally going in the opposite direction of God. Running as fast as they can to the land of pleasure. Some of those who call themselves Christians are blatantly ruining the name of Jesus with their antics, behavior and mischaracterization of what Jesus actually commissioned us all to do. To be Jesus’s Witness. Not to use Jesus to justify what we believe, how we believe things should go or to place oneself above others. The hate is coming from inside the body of Christ. The Judas’ are too loud, more intentional and their consistency dwarfs us. We can’t let that continue.
Now is the time for those God has called to be obedient, faithful and intentional with obeying the call. Now is the time for those God has called to push past fear, uncertainty and doubt. Now is the time for those God has called to get equipped. The time is coming when God’s chosen ones will need to be in place to fulfill the assignment we’ve been given and fulfill the great commission. We are to be shrewd yet innocent. That means to minister with wisdom and grace
There will be nights of tears, isolation, confusion, silence. Yet, the Holy Spirit is within helping us take it moment by moment, step by step. Stepping up to the call will bring increased and intense persecution probably from those closest to us. But the world will see us as it saw Jesus. The opposition in the way of self-fulfillment, immediate desires fulfilled, having it or doing it our way.
Jesus was hated because He was not of this world. And He walked in that manner. Jesus never let man-made rules dictate when, where or how He was to do as the One who sent Him told Him to do. That’s how we’re supposed to move. Despite not having knowledge of what’s next, we are to move with the grace, mercy and intention as Jesus did. We will be hated for following Jesus and not conforming to this world. And if anything we see right now, we desperately need Spiritual Leaders who will not conform to this world but uphold God’s Word in light and in truth. The world is hungry for truth. The problem with that is they aren’t used to it so the truth isn’t appealing yet it’s what they crave. So how do we get the world to acknowledge they crave a relationship with God?
It will be a test of faith for those of us who have been called to endure until the end. The end is where our reward will be. The end will reveal how committed we were to the assignment we were given. The end will be where our souls will reside in the New Jerusalem. But before we get there we must be faithful and be held accountable for the souls we testify to and witness to here on earth. Because Jesus said those who endure until the end will be saved.
If you want to give your life to Christ, say this prayer below.
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