Matthew 5:11–12, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (NIV)

Whenever people seek to serve the Lord, persecution inevitably follows. Jesus said that it would be this way. When He sent out His disciples, He warned them that they would face great resistance even while God was accomplishing a great work. Listen to His warning to the disciples:

“Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you” (Matthew 10:17-20, NIV).

There are at least four powerful words of encouragement in these texts: Persecution is not a sign that God has removed His blessing. Jesus clearly teaches that we are blessed in the midst of persecution. Second, when persecution comes it is cause for rejoicing. It does not need to rob us of joy in Christ. He commands us, “Rejoice and be glad.” Third, God promises us a great reward. The reward for faithfully following Jesus in the midst of the mud of this world will far outweigh the temporary trial. Fourth, and finally, the Spirit of God will speak through us with great clarity in the midst of the difficulty. God will give us the words, so we don’t need to worry about it. There is no need to succumb to fear.