Matthew 10:16-25“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you. “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

John 15:18-21 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

Psalms 119:10-11 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.

Many Christians would agree, the times surrounding our Lord Jesus Christ’s imminent return, occur in environment of world-wide persecution against followers of Jesus Christ. Yet often we Christians in America believe our destiny will is to have an environment politically and culturally, which lines up with our morals. We cry out for revival, not realizing true revival in the church did not bring political or peace to the clout to the church in the long term. It usually ended in the body of Christ being marginalized and ultimately persecuted in some form. We cry for revival and the fire of the Holy Spirit, yet why do we expect a different cultural and political environment, that the one it brought throughout the book of Acts? It would seem we believe we are promised something Jesus promised no follower of Christ this side of heaven.

The church in other periods ad nations believed this, to its detriment. Make no mistake this error in theology and worldview (that God destined us to change culture through political position and power) led to the rise of Roman Catholicism. This form of satanic apostate Christianity, wielded almost absolute political power for over 100 years and led the world into the dark ages.. God in turn raised up men like William Tyndale, Jean Wycliffe, Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwinlgi and others, who knew their only government was the theocracy of the Kingdom God, with Jesus as KING. All of these men, were persecuted to a greater or lesser degree.

Let us acknowledge this truth: living in the fullness of the Holy Spirit leads to favor wonderful influence in His church, but persecution from the world (Philippians 1:29, 3:8-10). The Church in America needs to be solely focused on Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, being led by the Spirit of God, and hiding the word of God in our heart, which is the only place man can not burn, steal or speak over it. Please click the link next to the picture below and read the article published on the Christian Post, which deals with details how our Chinese Christian brothers survive and thrive as they are tortured in prison. And let’s not be fooled, what they experience may be our experience in the future. Will we thrive in Christ as they?

Chinese Christians memorize entire Bible in prison: Gov’t ‘can’t take what’s hidden in your heart’