PERSECUTION

1. Persecution
promised to all followers of Jesus:

2Tim.3:12               Yea,
and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution

Phi.1:29  Given not only to believe on Him, but
also to suffer

Mat.10:17               Beware
of men: they will deliver you up...scourge

Mat.24:9 Deliver you up...ye shall be hated of all
nations

Mk.10:30                Shall
receive 100-fold now...with persecutions

Lk.21:12  They shall lay their hands on you &
persecute you

Jn.15:20  If they have persecuted Me, they
will persecute you

Jn.16:33  In the World ye shall have
tribulation

(See
also Mat.23:34; 1Jn.3:13.)

2. Benefits of
persecution:

A. Heavenly rewards
for enduring persecution:

Mat.5:10 Blessed are...persecuted...for theirs is
the Kingdom

Rom.8:17b,18
Sufferings...not worthy to be compared with the glory

2Cor.4:17                Affliction...worketh
for us...eternal weight of glory

2Tim.2:12a             If
we suffer, we shall also reign with Him

Heb.11:25,26          Choosing
to suffer affliction...respect unto reward

Heb.11:35b            Tortured,
not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection

1Pet.4:12,13           Fiery
trial...when His glory revealed, ye may be glad

B. The Lord is with
& helps those in persecution:

Psa.37:32,33           The
Lord will not leave him (the righteous) in his (the wicked's) hand

Psa.46:1  God is...a very present help in trouble

Isa.50:7-9a             The
Lord God will help me...Who is mine adversary?

Mat.10:18-20         Brought
before governors...it shall be given you what ye shall speak...(God's) Spirit
speaketh in you

Acts
7:55               (Stephen)
saw the glory of God, & Jesus standing

Rom.8:35-39           Persecution...(can't)
separate us from the love of God

2Cor.4:8-11            Persecuted,
but not forsaken

Heb.13:5b,6           The
Lord is my helper, & I will not fear what man shall do unto me

1Pet.4:14                If
ye be reproached for Christ...Spirit of glory & God resteth upon you

C. God allows it to
spread His message & messengers:

Mat.10:23               When
they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another

Acts
8:1,4              Scattered...went
everywhere preaching the Word

Acts
11:19             Scattered...travelled
as far as Cyprus, preaching

D. When condemning
God's messengers, enemies often broadcast God's message--thus arousing interest
in it:

Jn.19:4-8 The Jews answered, "(Jesus) ought to die,
because He made Himself the Son of God"

Acts
17:5-7            These
(say) there is another king, one Jesus

Acts
19:23-26        This
Paul persuaded...saying that [idols] be no gods

Acts
24:14             This
I confess...the way which they call heresy, so worship I God

Acts
25:18,19        (Paul's)
accusers...had questions against him of Jesus, which was dead, whom Paul
affirmed to be alive

Acts
28:22             Everywhere
(this sect) is spoken against...but we desire to hear of thee, what thou
thinkest

Phi.1:15-18             Notwithstanding...Christ
is preached

E. It sifts out
those who are not whole-hearted:

Mat.13:21               When
persecution ariseth because of Word, by & by he is offended

F. The Word
preached even in imprisonment:

Jer.38:13-18            [King
Zedekiah consulted with imprisoned Jeremiah]

Mat.10:18-20         Brought
before governors & kings for a testimony

Acts
16:23-31        [Philippian
jailor converted after earthquake]

Acts
28:16             [In
bonds, Paul preached<+> in Rome--See vs.30,31]

Phi.1:12-14             [In
bonds, Paul converts Caesar's household--See also Phi.4:22]

G. God gets good
out of seeming bad:

Gen.50:20               Ye
thought evil...but God meant it to good

Exo.14:1-28            [God
hardened Pharaoh's heart to pursue the Hebrews, so that his entire army drowned
& empire collapsed]

Psa.76:10                Surely
the wrath of man shall praise Thee

3. Attitude to have
during persecution:

A. Be fearless
& unmovable:

Mat.10:28               Fear
not them which kill the body

Jer.1:17-19              Be
not dismayed...they shall fight...but I am with thee

Ezk.3:8,9 Fear them not, neither be dismayed at their
looks

Acts
20:24             None
of these...move me, neither count I my life dear

1Thes.3:3               That
no man should be moved by these afflictions...we are appointed thereunto

1Pet.2:20                When
ye do well, & suffer for it...take it patiently

Rev.12:11b             And
they loved not their lives unto the death

(See
also Phi.1:14)

B. Have joy
in persecution:

Mat.5:12 Rejoice & be exceeding glad...for so
persecuted

Lk.6:22,23               When
men hate you...rejoice...leap for joy

Acts
5:40,41          Rejoicing
they were counted worthy to suffer shame

Rom.5:3  We glory in tribulations also

2Thes.1:4               We
glory in you for your patience & faith in all your persecutions and
tribulations that ye endure

1Pet.3:14                If
ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye

1Pet.4:12-14           If
ye be reproached for...Christ, happy are ye

C. Do not be
ashamed:

1Pet.4:16                If
any suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed

Isa.50:7   I set my face like a flint...I
shall not be ashamed

D. Suffer willingly
for a righteous cause:

Jer.15:15b               For
Thy sake I have suffered rebuke

Mat.5:10 Blessed are they...persecuted for
righteousness' sake

2Cor.12:10              I
take pleasure in persecutions...for Christ's sake

2Thes.1:5               Counted
worthy of Kingdom of God, for which ye suffer

1Pet.2:19                For
conscience toward God...suffering wrongfully

E. Examples of
enduring persecution courageously:

Jeremiah
(Jer.26:11-15); Paul & his companions (1Cor.4:12b); Paul (2Cor.6:4,5,8-10;
2Cor.11:23-27 ); Timothy (2Tim.1:8 ); Early Christians (Heb.10:32,33); Moses
(Heb.11:25); Old & New Testament saints (Heb.11:35-40).

F. Faithfulness to
truth, despite persecution:

Psa.119:51              Proud
have me...in derision, yet have I not declined

Psa.119:86b,87      They persecute me
wrongfully; they almost consumed me...but I forsook not Thy precepts

Psa.119:157            Many
are my persecutors...yet I do not decline

Rev.2:13 Thou holdest fast...& hast not denied My
faith, even in those days wherein...My martyr was slain

G. Endure
persecution because of love for the lost:

2Tim.2:10               I
endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may obtain salvation (See
also Jn.10:11)

Heb.5:7-9               He
suffered...became the author of eternal salvation

1Pet.2:21                Christ
suffered for us ...ye should follow His steps

H. Examples of men
of God imprisoned for their faith:

Old
Testament saints: (Heb.11:36); Samson: (Judg.16:21); Micaiah: (1Ki.22:26,27);
Hanani: (2Chr.16:10); Jeremiah: (Jer.37:11-16); Daniel: (Dan.6:16,17); John the
baptist: (Mat.14:3,4); Peter & John: (Acts 4:1-3); Apostles: (Acts
5:16-18); Men & women Christians in Jerusalem: (Acts 8:3; 9:1,2,14;
22:4,5;19, 26:10); Peter: (Acts 12:1-4); Paul & Silas: (Acts 16:22-24);
Paul's imprisonments: (2Cor.11:23b); Paul's final imprisonment: (Acts 24:27;
26:29; 28:16).

4. Reasons why
persecutors attack Christians:

A. Their goal is to
stop the witness:

Jer.11:21 Prophesy not...that thou die not by our hand

Jn.11:47,48,53        If we
let Him alone, all men will believe on Him. Then they took counsel to put Him
to death

Acts
4:17               That
it spread no further...let us threaten them

(See
also Rev.6:9; 11:7)

B. Wicked, carnal
men hate the righteous:

Gal.4:29  He that was born after the flesh
persecuted him

Psa.38:20                They
are adversaries; because I follow...good

Pro.29:27                He
that is upright is abomination to the wicked

Isa.59:15a               He
that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey

Acts
7:52a             Which
of prophets have not your fathers persecuted?

1Pet.4:3,4               [Righteous
despised for not joining drunken parties]

1Jn.3:12  Cain slew (Abel)...because his own works
were evil

C. Because truth is
a witness against evil:

Jn.7:7      It (the world)
hateth Me (Jesus), because I testify of it

1Ki.22:17-27           [Micaiah
imprisoned for prophesying the truth]

2Chr.16:7-10          [Asa
imprisons Hanani for prophesying against him]

2Chr.24:20,21         [King
has Zechariah stoned for rebuking the people]

Jer.32:2,3                [Jeremiah
imprisoned for prophesying the truth]

Amos
5:10             They
abhor him that speaketh uprightly

Acts
6:10-15          [Stephen
stoned for rebuking Jews.--& Acts 7:51-60]

Rev.1:9   [John exiled to Patmos for
preaching the Word]

(See
also Rev.12:17; 20:4.)

D. Ignorance of the
truth:

Acts
3:13,14          I
wot that through ignorance ye did it (Also vs.17)

1Tim.1:13               (I)
was a persecutor...I did it ignorantly in unbelief

E. Do not truly
know God:

Jn.5:18,38,42          Ye
have not His Word...ye have not the love of God

Jn.8:37    Ye seek to kill Me, because
My Word hath no place

Jn.15:21  They (persecutors) know not Him (God)
that sent Me

Jn.15:24b                Now
have they...hated both Me & My Father

Jn.16:3    Because they have not known
the Father, nor Me

Acts
13:27,28        They
knew Him not...nor yet the voices of prophets

F. Self-righteous,
misguided religious zeal:

Jn.16:2    Whosoever killeth you will
think that he doeth God service (See also Isa.66:5)

Acts
13:50             Jews
stirred up the devout & honourable women

Acts
21:27-32        Men
of Israel, help: This is the man that teacheth

Acts
22:3,4            Zealous...I
persecuted this way unto the death

Acts
23:12-14        [40
men vowed & conspired to kill Paul]

Acts
26:9-11          I
thought I ought to do many things contrary to Jesus

Gal.1:13,14             Persecuted...being
exceedingly zealous of traditions

Phi.3:6    Concerning zeal, persecuting
the church

G. For breaking
religious traditions & doctrines:

Mat.12:10-14         Is
it lawful to heal on the Sabbath days?

Jn.5:16    [Angry Jews seek to kill
Jesus for healing on Sabbath]

Jn.9:16a  This man is not of God, because He
keepeth not

Jn.10:31-33             For
a good work we stone Thee not; but for blasphemy

H. Religious
jealousy & fear of competition:

Mat.27:18               For
He knew that for envy they had delivered Him Mk.11:18 Feared Him,
because people astonished at His doctrine

Acts
13:44,45        When
the Jews saw the multitudes...filled with envy

Acts
17:5               Jews
which believed not, moved with envy...assaulted

I. Because we do
not belong to this world:

Jn.15:19  Because ye are not of world...the world
hateth you

Jn.17:14  World hated them, because they are not of
the world

1Jn.4:5,6 They are of the world...we are of God

J. Persecution by
corrupt rich:

Acts
19:23-27        By
this craft we have our wealth...but Paul persuaded

Jam.2:6b,7              Rich
men oppress, draw you before judgment seat

Rev.17:1-6,18         That
great city...drunken with the blood of saints

K. Wickedness,
pride:

Psa.10:2  The wicked in his pride doth
persecute the poor

Psa.74:22                The
foolish man reproacheth Thee daily

Psa.119:69a            The
proud have forged a lie against me

L. For refusing to
compromise faith:

Dan.3:14-20           We
will not serve thy gods, nor worship the...image

Dan.6:4,5                [Jealous
princes accuse Daniel regarding his faith]

M. For refusing to
worship the Antichrist & his image:

Rev.13:14-17          As
many as would not worship the image...be killed

Rev.20:4 Beheaded...had not worshipped the beast

N. For no valid
reason at all:

Psa.119:86b           They
persecute me wrongfully

Psa.119:161            Princes
have persecuted me without a cause

Jn.15:25  They hated Me without a cause (See also
Psa.69:4)

5. How:
Persecutors usually begin with verbal attacks:

A. Slander, infamy,
lies:

Psa.69:9-12            I
became a proverb to them...they speak against me

Psa.119:51a            The
proud have had me greatly in derision

Mat.5:11 Men shall revile you...& say all manner of
evil

Lk.6:22    Men shall reproach you, &
cast out your name as evil

Lk.22:63-65            Men
that held Jesus mocked Him...blasphemously spake

Acts
14:2               Made
their minds evil affected against the brethren

Acts
28:22b           This
sect...everywhere it is spoken against

1Cor.4:13                Defamed...we
are made as the filth of the world

(See
also Psa.35:16,21)

B. Persecutors
twist words to defame:

Isa.29:21 Make a man an offender for a word...lay a snare

Isa.56:5   Every day they wrest My
Words...their thoughts evil

Mat.22:15               Took
counsel how they might entangle Him in His talk

Mk.12:13                They
send Pharisees...to catch Him in His words

Lk.11:53,54             Seeking
to catch something out of His mouth, that they might accuse Him

Lk.20:20  Take hold of His Words...deliver Him to
the governor

C. Lying
accusations & false charges:

Psa.35:11                False
witnesses...laid to my charge things I knew not

Mat.26:59-61         Chief
priests...sought false witness against Jesus

Lk.23:2    We found this fellow
perverting the nation, & forbidding to give tribute (pay taxes)

Lk.23:5    [Sedition] He stirreth up the
people

Jer.38:4   [Treason] Seeketh not the
welfare...but the hurt

Acts
6:11-13          We
have heard him speak blasphemous words

Acts
16:19-21        These
men exceedingly trouble city...teach customs

Acts
17:5-7            These...do
contrary to the decrees of Caesar

Acts
18:12,13        Persuadeth
men to worship God contrary to the law

Acts
24:5               Pestilent,
mover of sedition, ringleader of sect

2Tim.2:8,9              I
suffer trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds

(See
also Psa.94:20)

D. Character
assassination:

Lk.7:34    Behold a gluttonous man &
a wine-bibber

Jn.7:12    Nay; but He deceiveth the
people

Jn.9:24b  We know that this man (Jesus) is a sinner

E. Accusations of
being "of the devil":

Mat.10:24,25          They
called (Jesus) "Beelzebub", how much more (us)

Mat.9:34 He casteth out devils through the prince of
devils

Mk.3:22  He hath Beelzebub, & by the prince of
the devils

Jn.8:48    Say we not well that
Thou...hast a devil?

Jn.10:20  Many said, He hath a devil...why hear ye
Him?

F. Charges of
religious insanity:

Mk.3:21  Went to lay hold on Him: Said, He is
beside Himself

Jn.10:20  He...is mad: why hear ye Him?

Acts
26:24             Much
learning [of the Scriptures] doth make thee mad

G. Persecution
through fear of society's disapproval:

Jn.9:22    Parents feared Jews: for Jews
had agreed that if any

Jn.12:42  [Some believing] chief
rulers...did not confess Him, lest they be put out of the synagogue

6. Persecution from
family & friends:

Jer.12:6   Thy brethren...have called a
multitude after thee

Mat.10:21               Brother
shall deliver up the brother to death

Mat.10:35,36          A
man's foes shall be they of his own household

Mk.3:21  Friends...went out to to lay hold on Him

Lk.12:51-53            There
shall be five in one house divided

Lk.21:16  Ye shall be betrayed by parents,
brethren, friends

Jn.7:1-5   [Jesus' brothers taunt Him to go
endanger His life]

1Thes.2:14-16        Ye
also have suffered...of your own countrymen

Mk.6:4    Prophet is...without honour
among kin, & in own house

(See
also Mic.7:2; Jn.1:11.)

7. The world
persecuted & rejected Jesus:

A. Evil plots &
persecution against Jesus:

Mat.12:14               Held
council against Him, how they might destroy Him Mat.26:3,4 Consulted that they
might take Him by subtilty & kill

Lk.4:28,29               Led
Him unto the hill...that they might cast Him down Lk.6:11 Filled with madness;
& communed what they might do

Lk.19:47  Chief priests & scribes...sought to
destroy Him

Jn.5:16    Therefore did Jews persecute
Jesus, & sought to slay

Jn.11:57  Given commandment, if any man knew where
He were

(See
also Lk.20:20)

B. Look to Jesus'
example of suffering persecution:

Heb.12:2-4             Consider
Him Who endured such contradiction

Isa.53:3,7,8             Despised
& rejected of men...afflicted...cut off

Jn.15:18  The world...hated Me before it hated you

Jn.15:20  If they have persecuted Me, they will
persecute you

Heb.13:13               Let
us go forth unto Him...bearing His reproach

1Pet.2:21-23           Christ
suffered for us, leaving us an example

1Pet.4:1  Christ suffered...arm yourselves with the
same mind

C. When persecuting
Christians, they persecute Jesus:

Mat.25:40               Inasmuch
as ye have done it unto one of the least of these...ye have done it unto Me

Acts
9:1-5              Saul,
Saul, why persecutest thou Me?

Zech.2:8b               He
that toucheth you toucheth the apple of His eye

Acts
5:38,39          Refrain
from these men...lest ye fight against God

8. Compromising,
fleeing & avoiding persecution:

A. Bad examples of
compromising to avoid persecution:

2Ki.5:15a,               [Naaman
believed in God, but to save his position &

17b,18     life, bowed down to the
pagan idol of Rimmon]

Lk.6:26    Woe unto you, when all men
speak well of you

Jn.12:42  Rulers...did not confess Him, lest they
be put out

Gal.6:12  Lest they suffer persecution for cross of
Christ

B. Fleeing
from persecution (discretion, not cowardice):

Mat.10:23               When
they persecute you in this city, flee ye to

1Ki.19:2,3               [Elijah
fled from the wicked queen Jezebel]

Jer.26:20,21            [Urijah
fled from king Jehoiakim to Egypt]

Jer.36:19,26            Go,
hide thee...& let no man know where ye be

Mat.2:13,14            Arise,
& take the young child...& flee into Egypt

Mat.12:14,15a        When
Jesus knew it, He withdrew Himself from thence

Jn.7:1      He would not walk
in Jewry, because the Jews

Jn.10:39,40             They
sought again to take Him: but He escaped

Jn.11:53,54             He
walked no more openly among the Jews; but went

Acts
9:23-25          Took
(Paul) by night, & let him down in a basket

Acts
14:5,6            An
assault made...they were ware of it, & fled

Acts
17:5,10          Assaulted...brethren
sent away Paul & Silas by night

Acts
17:13,14        Jews...stirred
up people...brethren sent away Paul

Acts
23:12-35        [470
Roman soldiers helped Paul flee a conspiracy]

C. Pray to avoid
persecution, if possible:

2Thes.3:1,2            Pray...that
we may be delivered from wicked men

1Tim.2:1,2              Prayers...that
we may lead a quiet & peaceable life

D. Use wisdom to
avoid stirring up unnecessary persecution:

Mat.5:25 Agree with thine adversary
quickly...lest he deliver thee to the judge...& thou be cast into prison

Pro.15:1  A soft answer turneth away wrath

Pro.16:7  When a man's ways please the Lord, He
maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him

Rom.12:18-21         If
it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men...overcome
evil with good

9. God will judge
your persecutors:

A. The Psalmist's
prayers & curses against his enemies--& for the Lord to protect His people
from them:

Psa.3:all;
5:8-12; 6:7-10; 7:all; 9:3-6,9,10,13-20; 10:all; 11:all; 12:all; 13:all;
17:4-15; 18:37-50; 21:7-13; 23:5; 27:1-6,11-14; 28:all; 31:all; 34:1-7; 35:all;
37:all; 38:12-22; 40:13-17; 41:5-11; 43:all; 52:all; 53:1-5; 54:all; 55:1-9,18,23;
56:all; 57:1-6; 58:all; 59:all; 62:1-8; 63:8-11; 68:1-3; 69:4,22-30; 70:all;
71:4,10-13; 82:3,4; 83:1-4,12-18; 94:1-7,16,21-23; 105:12-15; 109:all;
118:5-14; 119:84; 124:all; 125:3-5; 129:1-6; 139:19-22; 140:all; 143:3,4,9-12;
144:6-11; 149:5-9. (Other prayers: Jer.15:15a; 17:18; 18:18-23;
Lam.3:59-66; Rev.6:9,10) Prayers for God to stop their evil devices:
Psa.10:2; 17:13; 21:11,12; 27:2,12; 31:4; 33:10; 64:all; 70:2,3; 71:13;
119:126; 120:2.

B. God's judgment
on persecutors:

Deut.30:7               Lord
put curses on enemies which persecuted thee

2Chr.36:16              Wrath
of the Lord arose...till there was no remedy

Psa.7:11-16            He
ordaineth His arrows against the persecutors

Psa.11:2,5,6            Upon
the wicked He shall rain fire & brimstone

Psa.37:12-15,17     The Lord shall laugh at
him, for He seeth that his day is coming

Psa.105:14,15         Touch
not Mine anointed, & do My prophets no harm

Isa.54:15 Whosoever shall gather against thee shall fall

Jer.20:2-6                [Pashur
persecuted Jeremiah, then Jeremiah prophesied God's judgments against him]

Lk.11:49-51            Blood
of prophets...be required of this generation

1Thes.2:15,16        Forbidding
us to speak...wrath is come upon them

2Thes.1:6-9            Recompense
tribulation to them that trouble you

(See
also Rev.16:1-6; 18:2,4-8.)

10. Endtime
persecution:

A. Suffering
persecution in last days:

Mat.24:9,10            Then
shall they deliver you up to be afflicted

Mk.13:12,13           Brother
shall betray brother to death

Lk.21:12,16,17        They
shall lay their hands on you, & persecute

2Tim.3:1-3              In
the last days...despisers of them that are good

B. Persecution
during the great tribulation:

Mat.24:21,22          Then
shall be great tribulation...except those days

Mk.13:19                In
those days shall be affliction, such as was not

Dan.11:33-35         They
shall fall by sword, flame, captivity, spoil... they shall be helped

Rev.12:12,13,17     Dragon persecuted the
woman (church)...war with remnant

Rev.13:7 It was given unto him to make war with
the saints

Rev.13:15               As
many as would not worship the image...killed

Rev.20:4 Beheaded for witness...had not worshipped the
beast

Deut.4:30,31          When
thou art in tribulation...in the latter days

C. Tribulation
saints greatly rewarded:

Rev.7:13-17            Came
out of great tribulation...before throne of God

Rev.20:4 Beheaded...reigned with Christ a thousand years