In a way, persecution will separate the genuine from the fake. If you are a true follower of Jesus, you won’t back down if a little persecution comes your way. And if God allows it in your life, he will give you the strength to face it.
Understand, if you are living a godly life, then you will be persecuted in some way, shape, or form. Jesus said, “‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20 NKJV).
If you are a true believer, you will face persecution in some fashion. The word persecute means “to be chased down, driven away, and pursued.” The good thing about it is that persecution can help you grow strong spiritually
Persecution causes us to cling more tightly to Christ and reminds us of two very important things: 1) we are children of God, and 2) this world is not our home.
We are promised that we will be persecuted. In John 15:20, Jesus states, "… If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you." Earlier in the same passage, Jesus tells His disciples that the world will hate them because He chose them out of the world and it hates Him (verses 18 and 19). We are also promised in 2 Timothy 3:12 that "all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." So Christians, who are called out of the world, will be persecuted, especially those who want to live godly lives. This persecution may be as mild as ridicule or as strenuous as torture and murder. But we will be persecuted.
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