How can we have victory over persecution as Christians?

Our Heavenly Father sows his word into our spirit.  We want to receive that word and put it into practice in our life.  But we have an enemy of the brethren called the devil.  It is the devil's goal to put up a challenge to us walking out what our Heavenly Father has taught us.  Our main weapon against the devices of the enemy is to be rooted and grounded in love.  It says in Mark 4:17 "and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time.  Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word's sake, immediately they stumble."  In other words, Satan is after the word in us.  So he will attempt to bring persecutions into our life.  But we have an almighty weapon that he cannot penetrate and that is called walking in the love of God.  In other words, being rooted and grounded in the love of God.

Our spiritual foundation is the love of God

As God's children we have been renamed or adopted into his family.  When you have the name of the family head that you have been adopted into, that means that you get all of the privileges associated with that new family name.  The reality of that makes our heart leap for joy.  As God's child we get all of the privileges and inheritance that is associated with that adoption.  But with that adoption we are also provided what we need for the foundation of our spiritual life, which is the love of God.  It says in Ephesians 3:17 [portion] "...that you, being rooted and grounded in love,..."  As God's children it is essential that we have as our spiritual foundation the love of God.  Because the love of God enables us a working knowledge of his word, affords us greater understanding, passes knowledge through to us, and will enable us to experience more of of his fullness or presence in our lives.

How do we know we are walking in the love of God?

There are many different definitions of love in the world.  However, there is only one right definition of the love as it relates to our Heavenly Father.  Our Heavenly Father has made it clear for us, that when we do what he shares with us to do, that is a reflection or measure of whether we really love God.  It says in 1 John 5:1-3 (AMP) 5 Everyone who believes (adheres to, trusts, and relies on the fact) that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah) is a born-again child of God; and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him (His offspring). 2 By this we come to know (recognize and understand) that we love the children of God: when we love God and obey His commands (orders, charges)—[when we keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and His teaching]. 3 For the [true] love of God is this: that we do His commands [keep His ordinances and are mindful of His precepts and teaching]. And these orders of His are not irksome (burdensome, oppressive, or grievous).  Our Heavenly Father provides for us a benchmark with which we can gauge our love for him.  Do we strive to do that which shares with us and teaches us to do?

Walking in the love of God is so vital for us

If we have received Christ as our Lord and Savior, then we have received the love of God into our heart.  This is vital for our eternal security and is necessary to live a fulfilled life.  It says in 1 John 5:18 (AMP) 18 We know [absolutely] that anyone born of God does not [deliberately and knowingly] practice committing sin, but the One Who was begotten of God carefully watches over and protects him [Christ’s divine presence within him preserves him against the evil], and the wicked one does not lay hold (get a grip) on him or touch [him].  When we walk in the love of God it keeps us from sinning against God and our fellow man.  It serves as a motivating protection for us.  This scripture also tells us that when we walk in the Love of God it keeps the devil out of our life and our affairs.

What is necessary for one to experience the Love of God?

If someone wants to experience the love of God, it is necessary to have the love of God in their heart.  It says in 1 John 4:15-16 (NKJV)” 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”  So in order to experience the love of God we first have to receive the love of God in the person of Jesus Christ.  When we have been born again of water and spirit, then we have received the love of God into our hearts.  If we have received this love already, then we need to stir it up and elevate it in our thinking.  We need to give it priority in our life.

Jesus is the light of this world

We should be so thankful that Jesus came to save us and that he came to be a light for us in the darkness of this world.  He came and manifested such grace and truth in our midst. It says in John 8:12 (NKJV) "12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”  If we make a decision and a choice to accept Jesus Christ into our life and to follow him, we will not walk in darkness.  You see there is no darkness in God or there is no other essence in him but light.  We can evaluate our walk with the Lord Jesus by simply taking stock of ourselves and measuring that against the teachings of the Holy Spirit as recorded in the Bible.

We invite you to a call to prayer

Next week Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday we will be fasting and praying for our nation. We will be praying for all of those in authority and those who influence the people that make up our nation. We are praying that our nation will turn to God in a greater way. We are praying for those who are unemployed and those in our nation who are living in poverty.  We are praying for those who are affected by the worst drought our country has experienced in 50 years.  We are praying for our people to choose life.  It says in Jeremiah 17:7-8 "7 Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit." You can access our website at www.arms.cc

Do we take time to listen to the word of God?

In order for us to remain healthy spiritually, we have to remain spiritually fit.  In order for us to remain spiritually healthy, we have to be continual hearers of the word of God.  Do we expose ourselves to hear the word of God on a daily and / or weekly basis?  It is very important that we make ourselves available to hear the word of God on a weekly basis.  It says in Hebrews 10:25 (NLT) "And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."  There is strength in coming together as believers and Christians and being in fellowship together.  We are all a part of the body of Christ and we need each other.  Jesus put it this way, where two or three are gathered in my name there I am in the midst.  There is strength in the gathering of believers.

Everything in life begins with a choice

We are ultimately the choices that we make.  The question is will we make a choice for life?  It says in Deuteronomy 30:19 (ERV) "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live." Our Heavenly Father sets before us the word of God which is life.  If we will choose our Heavenly Father (his word) in our decisions, we will make a choice for life.  We will find that we are more joyful, happy and fulfilled in our life.  We will find that we have that peace of God in our hearts and souls.  We will find the contentment that we so long for.  Because we have made a choice for life and for our best well-being.