According to Open Doors International, a missional organization with a heart to serve and support persecuted Christians around the globe, there are more than 365 million Christians who are facing very high or extreme levels of persecution today. The majority of these brutal attacks are taking place in the eastern hemisphere, with Northern Africa, the Middle East, and Asia holding the greatest concentration of these unfortunate happenings.
While this news is heartbreaking and devastating, we need to be aware that we have an enemy at large. The way he attacks certain regions is strategic and methodical (1 Peter 5:8). As Christians, we must face the reality that suffering is a harsh part of this life, but it bears a heavier burden when the darkness of this world is met with our light. However, when that does happen, our first response should be to pause and pray. So, before we continue, will you pray with me?
A Prayer for the Persecuted
Father God,
We lift up our hearts for the innocent victims involved in brutal attacks on the basis of their faith. We know that You are a just and sovereign God and that You will guard them (and us) from our oppressors. You have warned us that we will face persecution, be blamed, hated, and falsely accused because we don’t follow the ways of this world but answer to Your Son, Jesus Christ. So, we ask that You give us strength to continue to stand firm in our convictions, fight for what is good, and shed light in the darkness that cloaks various parts of this world that are in desperate need of Your love. We earnestly pray for the unreached and lost and for their salvation. We ask that You put a hedge of protection around those who are in the grips of the enemy and help us reach out with truth, love, and grace so that You may shine through our words, deeds, and actions.
We ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
What Is Christian Persecution?
It may be wise now to ask, what exactly is Christian persecution? The short answer is, someone that is given hostile treatment or suffers due to their faith in Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, mistreatment can be done in a variety of ways, including not only physical abuse, but mental and emotional torture as well. The point of persecution is to inflict pain in a means to intimidate, silence, punish, or even cause death upon someone that is professing or living out their faith.
These horrendous acts of harassment and oppression began with the origin of sin (Gensis 3, Psalm 51:5). As sin was spread around the world, essentially so was hatred. We see this unfold from the very beginning as both the Old Testament and New Testament have reports of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual persecution of God’s people.
In Exodus 1-3 we see the fate of the Israelites under the rule of Egyptian pharaohs. Then in Daniel 3 we see the persecution of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego for their refusal to worship the king, remaining faithful to the one and true God. Then there were the prophets, Amos, Jeremiah, Zechariah, Uriah, among others, who were cruelly persecuted and met with resistance for their efforts in spreading the will of God.
The New Testament holds the same theme, as faithful followers of Jesus endured brutal and crippling oppression and torment. John the Baptist was rebuked, imprisoned, and even beheaded for following what the religious rulers believed to be a false messiah (Matthew 11:9, Luke 3:19-20, and John 3:6-12). Paul, the faithful missionary also came up against great objection upon sharing the gospel (Acts 20-28). Then of course there was Jesus, Himself, who was persecuted. The Son of Man that led a perfect life, preaching of God’s grace and judgement while creating a ministry that extended love and peace, offering healing with real hope, was mocked, tormented, arrested, and crucified by a twisted group of leaders (Matthew 26:3-5).
Are Believers Being Persecuted in America?
Persecution is nothing new as it has been taking place since the beginning of time and sadly continues around the globe today, but it begs to question – Are Americans being affected? Yes! Unfortunately, Americans are being persecuted for living out their faith. Despite what some may claim or believe, the church is under spiritual attack and sadly the First Amendment that allows citizens the right to exercise their religion of our choice, is experiencing tension, especially in the evangelical sector. While we may currently live in a free country, the stakes are high, and our sweet land of liberty and opportunity appears to be growing thinner by the day.
Americans are sensing the tension, and it is sparking a nationwide debate, especially when it comes to their quality of life and the safety of their families. While the persecution in today’s culture isn’t the same that we see in other countries, as mentioned previously, Satan is strategic and uses certain measures that can be devastating and life-altering. Basically, he is not one to back down and hits America in a different and unique way.
A few examples include private Christian business owners being chastised, accused of prejudice, and even being drug through court, witnessing their lifelong businesses and dreams shatter all because they refused to bend, cater to, or create something that goes against their Christian beliefs. The church is also a prime target as many preachers have become jaded and complacent, slowly twisting the truth in order to conform to a majority of people, sadly leading many astray, while others feel confused and even unwelcome. Not only that but the slander and malice continue in our schools and on social media attacking our youth causing unnerving and alarming statistics showing a rapid decline of emotional and mental health, leading to grave consequences.
The bottom line is that the social hostilities are very high, and it is evident that there is a growing trend of Christian persecution currently taking place in our beloved nation. However, while we may know that this is part of our fate being followers of Jesus (2 Timothy 3:12), we also need to understand how to respond with dignity and grace while standing firm in our faith.
How Do We Respond?
While this topic can surely bring forth many mixed emotions, especially when it comes to the attacks on our own inner circles, we are commanded to pray for our enemy (Matthew 5:44). Yes, we must pray for our oppressors! Yet, we can only do this when we allow the Holy Spirit to speak through us and on our behalf, otherwise we will bend to our flesh and react in a way that could discredit the gospel.
Speaking of the gospel, let’s tuck some Scriptures in our back pocket to lean on in times of desperation and when we need hope. John 15:18 reminds us that Jesus not only knows of our suffering, but He endured it Himself. 1 Peter 1:6-7 tells us that suffering glorifies God. And Matthew 5:10-12 offers us hope through a promise, declaring that our present suffering gives us eternal glory in the inheritance of God’s kingdom.
Through our prayers and clinging to God’s precious promises through His Word we are able to stand firm in our faith and speak truth with love and grace. We must also rejoice in our present suffering, humble ourselves, and trust that God is in control.
Praise God and rejoice.
That’s right! Matthew 5:11-12 tells us that the world will persecute us and try to destroy our testimony, but our response should be to praise God and rejoice in His holy name. We praise God knowing that this world will eventually crumble and fade away, but we have hope in a life beyond this one. The beauty behind our rejoicing is that it could prompt and lead others to question our faith, seeking to understand our source of peace and hope.
Turn the other cheek.
Luke 27-30 calls for us to love our enemies and bless those who curse us. This is a rather tall order and contradictory to what our initial response may be. Yet Jesus is telling His followers to not allow abuse (especially verbal) to be a means to retaliate and strike back. Humility is key here because if we want to fight the good fight, it comes from doing the right thing, not getting sucked into a place of anger or revenge.
Trust God is in control.
“Vengeance is Mine,” declares the Lord (Romans 12:19). This should bring us both comfort and excitement knowing that no matter how crazy the world gets, God is fully aware of what is going on and His righteousness and justice will come to ruin the wicked and evilness that plagues this world. However, this should also break our hearts knowing that so many have fallen for the world’s scheme of what is right and wrong, effectively living a lie. As we trust in God, we should also ask for Him to open our eyes to what breaks His heart, and purposefully live in a manner that is eager to share the good news with those around us.
"He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.'" Mark 16:15
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/katleho Seisa
