The Rising Tide of Persecution: Standing Firm in Faith

00:00:30 - The Spiritual Temperature Around the World
00:04:06 -Thankful For the Persecution
00:05:38 -Information on Empower Connect (New Video Report)
00:08:11 -India’s New Law Against Persecution
00:11:39 -Pastor and Wife Abused by Extremists
00:13:08- China: Persecution Growing
00:15:40 — Revival Among the Romani in Serbia
00:17:12 — Explosion of New Believers in Ethiopia
00:19:34 — Concern for North America
00:21:08 — Update on Vietnam

JOY: Welcome to Asked and Answered, the podcast series that answers all your missions-related questions.

JOY: With me in the studio today are Ron and Charis Pearce. Welcome, guys.

JOY: So, Ron, I have a question for our listeners today about persecution and what it looks like currently — the spiritual temperature. You’ve been traveling a lot, so you must have a good perspective.

RON: Well, the temperature is going up. That’s the very broad strokes on that one. Simply because there are a lot of countries right now starting to experience persecution in increasing intensity and frequency, and new countries are coming on board. So it’s really ramping up all over the world. And we were anticipating this because of the revivals that are breaking out, and this is the pushback from the dark side, from Satan.

JOY: So you were anticipating it, you saw it coming.

RON: It’s not me anticipating. They — as in the national churches around the world, the leaders in these countries that are experiencing such great growth — they have been telling us that they were expecting this.

JOY: Kind of goes hand in hand.

RON: It does.

JOY: Well, yeah. And Charis, I’ve got a couple of verses here. I was looking up this morning when we came down here, at all the verses in the Bible on Christian persecution, Christians being persecuted for their faith. And there’s dozens into the hundreds. And I just pulled out three just to share with everybody.

JOY: Second Timothy chapter 3, verse 12: Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. That’s it.

JOY: Matthew 5:10 – 12 — this is a longer one, it’s got a bunch of parts on it we’re gonna comment on: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. And that is going on right now. We’ve got examples of all of those. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. And that we’re pointed out all the time. Everybody talks about the fact they’re gonna endure this because they know they’re gonna be rewarded for their stand when they get to heaven. So that comes up periodically. For so were they persecuted the prophets who were before you. In other words, this is an age-old response to the voice of God coming out, either through a prophet or through His church or wherever it is.

JOY: Last one — 1 Peter 4:12 – 14: Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial—again, they’re not surprised—when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.

JOY: So just those are three highlight reel verses, you might say, talking about the attitude that we are supposed to have in regards to persecution, restrictions, surveillance, beatings, everything that goes along with this. And not because we’re being obnoxious — some people just are obnoxious, they’re religious people — but we’re not talking about that. We’re talking about people that are standing up for Christ, witnessing, sharing the Word, carrying their Bibles, shall we say, all those sort of things. Those are the things that Jesus was talking about and all the apostles. Don’t be surprised.

CHARIS: Well, and in the Scripture, it’s saying for them to rejoice.

JOY: That’s not easy.

CHARIS: It’s easy for us to read, but is that what’s happening? Are they actually embracing this and being thankful for the persecution?

RON: Thankful, that’s a good word. They’re expecting it. They’re standing firm. The Spirit of God is being poured out upon them continually, in other words, giving them mini revivals in their spirits, which means yes, it’s not an enjoying of it, but it’s a reward both here and in heaven for the fact that I stood for Jesus. I knew this was coming. They’re not gonna break me. Father, help me. But also when that help comes, the Spirit of God comes down on and into these people and the situation and actually gives them emotions of joy and peace and long-suffering.

RON: Here’s a good word. You know how we talk about long-suffering as the King James word? I remember Bible school, one of the students — I don’t think it was me — said, what does long-suffering mean? And the professor turned around at the chalkboard — that’s how long ago it was — turned around at the chalkboard and said, it means suffering for a long time. And then turned around again, started to look like, stupid.

CHARIS: It definitely wasn’t you that asked that.

RON: No, no, no, no, I will disown them. But no, what the idea is, is long-suffering is being prepared for a long time to endure and to suffer, but God will bless you in the midst of the persecution.