Blessed Are Those Who Are Reproached or Persecuted for the Name of Jesus

Blessed Are Those Who Are Reproached or Persecuted for the Name of Jesus

 

Acts 14:22 "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."

 

As the passage above says, the word that we must go through much tribulation in order to enter into the kingdom of God was not written to make us afraid. Rather, it was written to awaken spiritual vigilance in us who are living in these last days. Through this word, we can know in advance that there will be many kinds of tribulations before we enter the kingdom of God. Therefore, even in times of peace, we can prepare and be ready with the strong and courageous "faith of Jesus" (Revelation 14:12). To neglect training and preparation because things are peaceful, or to have a heart that fears and avoids spiritual warfare and tribulation, is surely not the heart that a soldier of Jesus should have.

 

Ephesians 6:10-13(-20) "10Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand..."

 

No matter how this world appears to us now, we must not forget, as the passage above teaches, that these are the last days and a time of fierce spiritual warfare. Therefore, as soldiers of Jesus who fight the spiritual battle (2 Timothy 2:3-4), we must put on the whole armour of God through the words of Jesus and always be armed with strong and courageous faith.

 

1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour."

 

The word "devil" is said to mean "slanderer" or "accuser" in Greek. The reason we must always be sober and watchful is that this devil, the slanderer, goes about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. The one whom the devil seeks to hinder is God’s anointed one.

 

Psalm 89:51 "Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed."

 

By seeking out the Lord’s anointed ones, that is, those who are people of the Holy Spirit, and by hindering their conduct, the devil ultimately tries to cause the name of God to be blasphemed. This is the purpose desired by the devil, the slanderer. In other words, through the things of this world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17) — he hinders those who believe in Jesus, and in the end he seeks to dishonor the name of Jesus, which is the name of God, so that others may not rely on the name of Jesus. There is a clear reason why the devil does this. It is because "the name of Jesus is the only name with authority that can restrain him."

 

Luke 10:17-20 "17And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy (John 1:12-13): and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven."

 

Acts 16:16-18 "... 18And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour."

 

Mark 16:17-18 "17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues..."

 

Even in the wars of this world, when a soldier captures an enemy soldier, he must first disarm him. This is to take away the enemy’s weapons so that he can no longer fight. Spiritually, it is the same. Because the devil knows well that the name of Jesus is the only authoritative name that can restrain him, he tries to take the name of Jesus away from us. In the end, his purpose, as the slanderer, is to hinder the conduct of those who believe in Jesus, to make the name of Jesus be dishonored, and thereby to keep others from believing in and relying on the name of Jesus.

 

Romans 2:23-24 "23Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? 24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written."

 

Thus, the result of hindering the conduct of the Lord’s anointed ones ultimately appears as the defiling of God’s name among the nations. Therefore, as written in Ezekiel 36:21-23 below, God clearly declared His will to sanctify His name again, which had been defiled among the nations. This is also mentioned first in the Lord’s Prayer that Jesus taught us.

 

Ezekiel 36:21-23 "21But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. 22Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. 23And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes."

 

Matthew 6:9 "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."

 

From what we have examined so far, it has become clear what kind of tribulation we must endure and what spiritual battle we must fight. The tribulation we must endure until we enter the kingdom of God must be tribulation endured for the sake of keeping holy the name of Jesus, which is the name of God. And the spiritual battle we must fight is the battle against the adversary, the devil, who seeks to dishonor the name of Jesus. Because the devil tries to hinder our conduct and thereby dishonor the name of Jesus, we must fight against this so that, rather, the name of Jesus may be glorified through us.

 

On the other hand, the adversary, the devil, is trying all the more to make God’s people forget the name of God.

 

Jeremiah 23:27 "Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal."

 

Acts 4:17-19 "17But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. 18And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye."

 

Acts 5:33-42 "... 40And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name..."

 

In the face of the power of Satan, which seeks to make people forget the name of Jesus and keep them from using it, we too must fight with strong and steadfast faith, just as the disciples of Jesus did (1 Timothy 6:12). Even if we suffer because of this, we should rather rejoice that He has counted us worthy to suffer shame for the name of Jesus.

 

The old serpent, called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9), deceives the whole world according to his name and hinders people from relying on the name of Jesus, the name of God, which can restrain all his power. As mentioned above, this is because that path becomes the way to destroy us all. Therefore, it is not at all strange for us to be reproached or persecuted in this world because of the name of Jesus. Rather, through this, it becomes evidence that we do not belong to them, and so it becomes a cause for joy to us.

 

John 15:18-22 "... 19If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin."

 

Matthew 24:9 "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake."

 

Thus, when we seek to endure so that we do not dishonor the name of Jesus in this world, we may face many kinds of tribulation. This is because the adversary, the devil, hates it. However, since tribulation surely works patience, patience experience, and experience hope (Romans 5:3-4), the tribulation we receive because of the name of Jesus will certainly become a blessing to us, as the passage below says.

 

1 Peter 4:12-14 "12Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you."

 

Amen.