Suffering for the Cause of Christ: Renewed Perspective

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LISTEN NOW! Steve, John and Pat have an encouraging conversation of how to look at suffering for Christ, biblically. Steve shares about a recent day while working in the house which caused him to pray for the persecuted church. Suffering in the West can sometimes be described as the air conditioner going out, the traffic on the way to work, or long lines at the Department of Motor Vehicles. What the church is enduring throughout the world is a far different story: beatings, being tortured, houses being burnt, and even being killed, because of standing boldly for Jesus. They share how challenged they are by looking at how Paul declared that what had happened to him really caused the advancement of the gospel.

Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guardand to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.

-Philippians 1:12-14

To see what Paul saw, we must endure what Paul endured. To be more like Jesus, we must walk like Jesus did. The church in the book of Acts demonstrated great power and boldness; they also suffered great persecution. If we are fearful of persecution, then we have a wrong perspective of it which probably means we are focused on the flesh. Persecution for standing for Jesus Christ is coming to America. In order to endure, we must have an accurate perspective of why we’re enduring it and for who we’re enduring it.