What is it? Trials, tribulations, persecutions! Whatever “it” is, are you going through it? Most likely the answer to this question is, “YES!”

Does it ever seem as if the more you seek first God’s kingdom, the more hell comes at you? Jesus says in Matthew 16:18 that the gates of hell cannot prevail against His church. In Matthew 16:16-17 God has revealed to Peter that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

Your Foundation Matters

Jesus tells us that we can be wise or foolish, but the storm is definitely coming! Why? Because, we have an enemy whose only mission is to steal, kill, and destroy God’s children (John 10:10).

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: – Mat 7:24 KJV
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. – Mat 7:25 KJV
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: – Mat 7:26 KJV
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. – Mat 7:27 KJV

We Are All Going Through It!

What’s the difference? The only difference when you are going through it is your foundation. Trials, tribulations, and persecutions are here with more to come. We can be unprepared and get tossed and even destroyed. Or, we can build on the rock, Jesus! Then, even if we do get knocked down, we can always get back up again and build even stronger!

Trials

What do trials look like?

How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. – 2Co 8:2 KJV
And others had trial of [cruel] mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: – Heb 11:36 KJV
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: – 1Pe 1:7 KJV
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: – 1Pe 4:12 KJV

You can have abundance of joy through trials when you know that your faith is much more precious than gold! It is being tried with fire. Your faith will not perish like gold but will be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ!

Who do you think brings trials to steal your freedom in Christ and wants to destroy your faith in Jesus?

Tribulations

Tribulation and persecution also come to destroy faith in Jesus.

Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. – Mat 13:21 KJV

We will not be going through it in heaven! This is temporary just like this present world that we live in. We can be of good cheer and have peace because Jesus has overcome the world.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. – Jhn 16:33 KJV

We should never look down on others when they are going through it! But we should encourage and lift each other up knowing that we are all going through it together. Tribulation comes to keep us from entering into the kingdom of God (John 10:9).

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. – Act 14:22 KJV

We glory in tribulations not about them! Tribulations are hard. No matter what it is, going through it is hard! But when we are going through it, we can glory knowing we are going to be stronger in love and the Spirit on the other side of each affliction.

And not only [so], but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; – Rom 5:3 KJV

Tribulations, distress, persectuion, famine, etc. They all come to separate us from the love of Christ!

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? – Rom 8:35 KJV

Yes, whatever the enemy brings to steal, kill, and destroy, God can use for our good. Hallelujah!!!

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; – Rom 12:12 KJV
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. – 2Co 1:4 KJV
Great [is] my boldness of speech toward you, great [is] my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation. – 2Co 7:4 KJV
Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. – Eph 3:13 KJV

Blue Letter Bible

Our Pastors face more trials, tribulations, and persecutions than most of us can even imagine. Anything that comes to steal, kill, and destroy human life–3 John 1:2–wealth, health, or wisdom (confidence in God Almighty and His Son, Jesus-John 17:3). But Jesus has come that we might have life and that life more abundantly (John 10:10). Hallelujah!

Persecutions

People who are sitting around being entertained aren’t going to face what our church leaders, servants, teachers, preachers, etc. are facing. Why not? Because they are not much of a threat to the enemy.

But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. – Mar 10:30 KJV
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. – 2Co 12:10 KJV
So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: – 2Th 1:4 KJV
Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of [them] all the Lord delivered me. – 2Ti 3:11 KJV

Unfortunately, because of false religion and false doctrine, we will face more persecution from Christians than the lost and dying world. But, we can stop it. Just STOP IT! I am again, guilty! I just realized in the last weeks that I have been an accuser of the brethren just like the devil that I hate (Revelation 12:10)!

We wouldn’t be warned to “be not deceived (Deuteronomy 11:16)” if it were not possible to be deceived (Galatians 6:7). I thank God that His mercy is new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). It is His goodness that leads to repentance (Romans 2:4).

Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in [his] goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. – Rom 11:22 KJV
(For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) – Eph 5:9 KJV

When You Are Going Through It, Repent!

I repent. Hallelujah! Why? Because the kingdom of God is here! I love living in the kingdom.

And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. – Mat 3:2 KJV
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. – Mat 4:17 KJV
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. – Mar 1:15 KJV

Stay in the Kingdom

Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. – Luk 17:21 KJV

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son: – Col 1:13 KJV
That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. – 1Th 2:12 KJV

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. – Rom 14:17 KJV
For the kingdom of God [is] not in word, but in power. – 1Co 4:20 KJV
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. – 1Co 15:50 KJV

But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. – Rom 8:9 KJV
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. – Rom 8:13 KJV
[This] I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. – Gal 5:16 KJV

We don’t want to go through it. But since we know it is coming, let’s build on the only firm foundation. Jesus is LORD!

Life Is Hard