The number one request of persecuted Christians is “Pray for us.”
This prayer guide contains a few of the passages of Scripture that reveal the suffering and persecution that the Apostle Paul inflicted on followers of Jesus before he himself became a follower of Jesus, and that he himself endured during his mission to reach unreached peoples with the Gospel after he became a follower of Jesus.
This prayer guide is designed to help us prepare for persecution that comes from proclamation of the Gospel. As followers of Jesus, we do not intentionally seek persecution, nor do we believe that we need to be persecuted in order to receive God's favor or reward in heaven. However, persecution follows proclamation; suffering for the Gospel accompanies spreading of the Gospel. Persecution is not reserved only for our brothers and sisters "over there" on the other side of the world. The ways in which an American Christian is persecuted may look very different from our Christian brothers and sisters living on the other side of the world, because we currently live in a nation of religious freedom, but our nation is becoming more and more resistant, intolerant and hostile towards God and His ways, especially towards those who truly believe God's Word and live to follow Jesus.
As we stand for God's holiness and righteousness; as we live our lives differently than a world that is becoming ever more wicked and tolerant of evil; and as we open our mouths to share Jesus with lost and unreached people, we will be persecuted.
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Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples…
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. –Acts 9:1, 3-5
Notice that when followers of Jesus are persecuted for their obedience to Jesus, their persecutors are actually persecuting Jesus. Just as Jesus bears the burden of our sins, he also bears the burden when we suffer for his name.
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You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. - 2 Timothy 3:10-13
Paul was persecuted throughout his life for sharing the gospel and making disciples. It was an expected part of his life as a Christian. He said that we will also be persecuted if we are living a godly life in Christ Jesus. When we tell people that we believe in Jesus, when we stand for God’s word and God’s values, when we tell others about Jesus and go to make disciples, we will be persecuted. We can expect it as a normal part of our life.
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Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.
“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. –Acts 9:1, 3-5
Notice that when followers of Jesus are persecuted for their obedience to Jesus, their persecutors are actually persecuting Jesus. Just as Jesus bears the burden of our sins, he also bears the burden when we suffer for his name.
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You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. - 2 Timothy 3:10-13
Paul was persecuted throughout his life for sharing the gospel and making disciples. It was an expected part of his life as a Christian. He said that we will also be persecuted if we are living a godly life in Christ Jesus. When we tell people that we believe in Jesus, when we stand for God’s word and God’s values, when we tell others about Jesus and go to make disciples, we will be persecuted. We can expect it as a normal part of our life.
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Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.
- Philippians 1:12-14
Paul considered himself a prisoner for the Lord (Ephesians 3:1, 4:1). He knew that his suffering served God’s purposes to advance the gospel. Seeing Paul’s boldness and faithfulness to Christ, even while imprisoned, other Christians became confident in proclaiming the gospel. We can be encouraged by the boldness and faithfulness of our brothers and sisters who live in persecution.
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Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” – 2 Corinthians 11:23-28
Paul was a servant of Christ and he worked hard and suffered greatly because of it. He was in danger of losing his life for working to reach the unreached with the gospel. He was willing to sacrifice his basic needs such as food, water and sleep and even give his life. God still calls his people today to surrender and sacrifice their basic needs and sometimes their lives by going to dangerous places and dangerous people groups for the sake of reaching the unreached with the gospel.
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For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it…
But when God who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him to the Gentiles, I did not consult any man… – Galatians 1:13, 15-16
Paul was formerly an enemy of Jesus and his followers. He opposed their message and wanted to destroy them for spreading it. But Jesus revealed himself to this hate-filled man, and he became arguably the most faithful and obedient follower of Jesus of all time. His hard work and sufferings spread the good news of Jesus throughout the world. That person you know who is the most opposed to Jesus’ message might actually become the most faithful and obedient follower of Jesus you’ve ever known, just as Paul was.
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“Persecution follows proclamation; suffering for the gospel, accompanies the spreading of the gospel.”
- David Platt
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Paul considered himself a prisoner for the Lord (Ephesians 3:1, 4:1). He knew that his suffering served God’s purposes to advance the gospel. Seeing Paul’s boldness and faithfulness to Christ, even while imprisoned, other Christians became confident in proclaiming the gospel. We can be encouraged by the boldness and faithfulness of our brothers and sisters who live in persecution.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.” – 2 Corinthians 11:23-28
Paul was a servant of Christ and he worked hard and suffered greatly because of it. He was in danger of losing his life for working to reach the unreached with the gospel. He was willing to sacrifice his basic needs such as food, water and sleep and even give his life. God still calls his people today to surrender and sacrifice their basic needs and sometimes their lives by going to dangerous places and dangerous people groups for the sake of reaching the unreached with the gospel.
_________________________________________________________________________________
For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it…
But when God who set me apart from birth and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him to the Gentiles, I did not consult any man… – Galatians 1:13, 15-16
Paul was formerly an enemy of Jesus and his followers. He opposed their message and wanted to destroy them for spreading it. But Jesus revealed himself to this hate-filled man, and he became arguably the most faithful and obedient follower of Jesus of all time. His hard work and sufferings spread the good news of Jesus throughout the world. That person you know who is the most opposed to Jesus’ message might actually become the most faithful and obedient follower of Jesus you’ve ever known, just as Paul was.
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“Persecution follows proclamation; suffering for the gospel, accompanies the spreading of the gospel.”
- David Platt
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“I will not let my brothers and sisters suffer in silence. I will not let them serve alone.”
The Voice of the Martyrs
1815 SE Bison Rd.
Bartlesville, OK 74006
www.persecution.com
The Voice of the Martyrs
1815 SE Bison Rd.
Bartlesville, OK 74006
www.persecution.com
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