If you talk a lot or write about things to come, especially about persecution for the Church, it tends to be a very unpopular word. After years of writing about such things, I know that many tend to shy away from it. First of all, it is not natural to expect that people would embrace such a message. It is often cast into the ” doom and gloom,” category or it is lumped in with the undoubtedly numerous quacks and fear mongers that are out there and have always been out there. I think this is inevitable and like a parable, then only those who truly have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church will hear, and only those with spiritual eyes will see what is coming.

Let me tell you how I see this dark subject of persecution soon to come. I see it in glorious terms. God has commanded that light would shine forth out of darkness. The greater the darkness the greater the light.2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. You see, God first illuminates the hearts of those who hear Him and then He commands that the illumination, the light, be shone forth into the darkness of this world.

Those who ” know,” God, who are intimate with God see Jesus. To know God is to know Jesus for we see the glory of God illuminated in the face of His Son and with this light we light up the world. No where is this better illustrated than in the persecuted saint. The persecuted saint, though surrounded by troubles on every side is not distressed and this not being distressed is supernatural light. The saint who suffers persecution is often struck down but is not destroyed, he seems to be forgotten but not forsaken in his loneliness. He has a treasure inside of him that illuminates all the brighter when he is hard pressed, that treasure is the glory of God that resides in him. Tear down his flesh and you merely reveal the glory within.

When we are torn down and ridiculed and persecuted for His sake then our flesh is stripped away in death and the life of Christ is revealed in us, it becomes a witness to the world. Many times the world can come up with excuses for the Christians joy, just like Satan’s accusation in the opening pages of Job. Yes of course they love Jesus, look what He has done for them, look how He has blessed them. All of these accusations are stripped away in the backdrop of persecution. For the saint who is fully given to God, his tears will give way to joy. His despair will give way to hope. His degradation will give way to humility in Christ. And of course persecution comes in many shapes and degrees. You may be suffering many of these things in your present situation. Perhaps at work or in your own home or by your spouse.

We know this, that all who live Godly in Christ Jesus can expect to suffer for His sake whether on a personal level or community level or national level. We also know that there is a tremendous blessing reserved for those who are accused and abused for His name sake. There is a spirit of glory that rests upon us when we suffer for His sake. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.(1 Pet 4:14) Now imagine this saints. If the Spirit of glory rests upon you as an individual when you are persecuted individually for His sake, can you imagine what the Spirit of glory will look like when every saint in the land is persecuted? Now imagine saints what that glory will look like when every saint in the world is persecuted for His sake. Indeed as the Scriptures tell us, the glory of God will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea  (Hab 2:14)

So, when you are tempted to be fearful about the future, remember that the glory of God is going to rest upon you as you have never experienced it before. Darkness will become light to you. Even if you are made to lie down in the valley of the shadow of death, Christ Himself will be your rod and your staff and you will fear no evil. In the midst of that dark valley of persecution He will lead you to pastures you have never experienced before. He will feed your soul in ways that you cannot even begin to imagine. While others will experience stormy and turbulent seas as circumstances grow darker by the day, you will experience still waters. A peace that surpasses all understanding will take possession of you as perfect love casts out all fear. You will stand on the unshakable ground of Christ. Do not let others speak to you of doom and gloom, for it shall only be doom and gloom to those who are perishing, but for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear then it shall be the ultimate glory, the ultimate witness for Christ just prior to Him coming, and then He comes. Stand fast saints. Days are coming upon us such as we have never seen before. Yes, tremendous darkness. Yet the greater is the light that is within us than the darkness that is in the world.