Persecution is Coming. Can you Stand?

By Harold Sadlier

July 1, 2024

Acts 7:54-60

“When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.  Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”

Persecution will come, will you stand? Our world is in serious trouble, for it is ruled by the Prince of Darkness, whose primary goal is to steal, kill, and destroy. A time is coming when it will mean death to be a Christian, perhaps very shortly. In several countries, this is already the case. Are you willing to die?

God’s children have always been persecuted and always will be. This happens either directly or indirectly. Direct persecution comes from the government or another authoritarian figure, outright and deliberately creating pain, suffering, or death, solely and intentionally directed at God's people. Indirect persecution can come in many forms by slandering God’s people, mocking, belittling, etc. There has always been a degree of persecution and always will be.

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Do you think that by following Christ, you will leave this world unscathed? Jesus also said, “…In this world, ye shall have tribulation…” (John 16:33).

Paul says in Galatians 6:17, “…I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.”

Stephen did not go looking to die for Christ; indeed, to do so is nothing short of a martyr complex. He preached the gospel, and such was their hatred for him that they purposely set up false witnesses against him. His faith never wavered, nor did his love and compassion for these men.

Man seeks a reason, a cause to live, and will not willingly lay his life down for nothing. Our human body fights against death; we want to live, so How could Stephen die this painful, agonizing death? Go back to verse 55:

“But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.”

Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost. God was with him, for God was in him. He knew who he was! He knew where he was going! He knew that killing his body was the extent of these men’s power!

“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do” (Luke 12:4).

Stephen looked up steadfastly into heaven; he saw the glory of God. His affections were set on things above and not on the things of this world! Through faith, he looked beyond his pain. He saw the finish mark; his race was nearly won! Nearing death, he saw the One who had given him his breath in the first place, and very soon, he would be face to face. He found that God’s grace was sufficient in life and remained sufficient as he neared death! Stephen saw Jesus standing on the right hand of God.

The Patriot of this world says, “I’ll die on my feet before I live on my knees!” Stephen was willing to die on his knees as he saw his Lord standing on His feet! Jesus is not oblivious. Jesus’ face was set toward Stephen. What a way to die!

Consider the Apostle Paul. He was kept chained in a dark, cold dungeon, waiting for his execution day after day until, early one morning, THUD, THUD, THUD! Paul woke out of his sleep. “What is that?” he wondered. A key rattled in the lock, and a big Roman soldier swung open the door.

“Paul!” He barks.

“Yes,” Paul replies.

“Paul, get up! You’re coming with me!”

“Uh, ok,” Paul replies.

“Why so early? Where are we going?”

“Haha!” The soldier grins. “Today you die, Paul! I’m here to take you to the square. I’m taking your head off.

Paul, Paul, Paul, this is going to be fun!

“Really?” Paul replies. “Hold on, let me grab my hat!”

They stepped into the prison hall and the soldier led Paul out. Paul can’t help but smile; a whistle breaks his lips.

Bewildered, the soldier looks at Paul and asks, “You must not understand. You realize I’m taking you out to kill you, right? How can you be so joyful? Not many people recover from a beheading, you know.”

Paul stops whistling, turns and looks at the soldier, and with a twinkle in his eye, he says, “This is nothing new; I die daily!” (1 Corinthians 15:31)

What did both of these men have that they could face death in such a way, without fear? Jesus! Again, they knew who they were and where they were going!

Paul said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

They knew they lived in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom they were called to shine as lights in the world (Philippians 2:15).

Will you be able to stand? Do you have real salvation? Does the spirit of God live within, that with Christ and because of Christ, you can stand…and you will?

 

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