Matthew 5:11-13 ‘Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad:’

DAILY READING – John 9:1-23; 2 Chronicles 6; Malachi 2:17-3:18

John Wesley was the founder of the revival movement that became known as the Methodist Church. When John Wesley’s ministry started, his fiery preaching was unnerving to many of the priests and laity of his day. Many of these offended priests closed their Church doors to him

Wesley then began preaching in the fields and marketplaces, but these offended people often hired thugs and rabble-rousers to disturb his gatherings. They constantly persecuted Wesley. During nineteen years of preaching, Wesley was pelted with rotten tomatoes, manure, and stones. He was dragged before magistrates, beaten with fists, pummeled with rocks. Homes where he stayed were set afire, he was harassed, harangued, and lampooned by thousands. This was his weekly, even daily experience, but he refused to give up.

One day he was riding along on his horse when he realized that three days had passed, and he had not been persecuted in any way. Not a single brick had been thrown in his direction. He had not been hit by an egg. So he actually stopped his horse and said out loud, “Could it be that I am backslidden or I have sinned?” Slipping down from his horse, he knelt on one knee and asked the Lord to show him if there was anything wrong with him spiritually.

A man who disliked Wesley saw him kneeling in prayer, so he picked up a brick and threw it at him, barely missing the preacher. When Wesley saw the brick fly by, he said, “Thank you, Lord! I know I still have Your presence.”

Indeed in his persecutions John Wesley counted it all joy. And God protected him and gave him miraculous deliverance from harm.

In Matthew 5:11-13 Jesus tells us ‘Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad:’

Here Jesus is asking us to be joyful in the midst of persecutions. He didn’t say ‘if’, He said ‘when’, which means that every believer will experience persecution at one time or the other.

2 Timothy 3:12 says “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution”

The truth is that if you live a godly life, you will be persecuted. As a matter of fact, one of the signs of the end-times is that believers will suffer persecutions. The end-time is a period when our faith will pass through many tests and trials. These seasons of trials are actually processes that refine us and make us better. Remember that Jesus is coming for a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle. When we have been tried, we shall come forth as gold.

So however things may seem right now, believe that God is at work in your life. Though sometimes it may seem as if you are in a tough battle, understand that God knows how to turn that battlefield into your blessing field. Through that situation, God will be working out His perfect will concerning you. His grace will be sufficient for you. And even in the midst of the trying times, God will manifest His blessings all around you.

David said, “God prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” He didn’t say, “God will remove all of my enemies, eliminate everything that’s bothering me and then prepare the table.” No, in the midst of the trouble; in the midst of the adversity, He prepares the table. He doesn’t have to deliver you from it; He can deliver you in it.

Therefore don’t complain about the valley; it is only a transit point on the way to your mountaintop. This is why you should count it all joy. No matter how things may look, keep giving God praise. Indeed God is able to deliver you from every valley of trial, and turn it all around to become a valley of new beginnings and greater fulfillment for you. No matter what may come your way, always know that God is in perfect control of your destiny.

PRAYER: Lord, please help me to praise You despite any situation I may face. I know that even right now You are working it all out for my good, therefore let nothing ever stop the continual flow of Your praise from my lips in Jesus Name.

QUOTE

Praise always guarantees you power for a raise, learning to praise God in season and out of season is key to fulfilling destiny. – WORDBITE 222.