"Several years ago I was in Africa in a nation where a new government had come into power. The first night I was there some of the Christians were commanded to come to the police station to register. When they arrived they were arrested and that same night they were executed. The next day the same thing happened with other Christians. The third day it was the same. All the Christians in the district were being systematically murdered.

The fourth day I was to speak in a little church. The people came, but they were filled with fear and tension. All during the service they were looking at each other, their eyes asking, "Will this one I am sitting beside be the next one killed? Will I be the next one?"
The room was hot and stuffy with insects that came through the screenless windows and swirled around the naked bulbs over the bare wooden benches. I told them a story out of my childhood.

"When I was a little girl," I said, "I went to my father and said, 'Daddy, I am afraid that I will never be strong enough to be a martyr for Jesus Christ."
"Tell me," said Father, "When you take a train trip to Amsterdam, when do I give you the money for the ticket? Three weeks before?"
"No, Daddy, you give me the money for the ticket just before we get on the train."
"That is right," my father said, "and so it is with God's strength. Our Father in Heaven knows when you will need the strength to be a martyr for Jesus Christ. He will supply all you need - just in time."

My African friends were nodding and smiling. Suddenly a spirit of joy descended upon that church and the people began singing,
"In the sweet, by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore."

Later that week, half the congregation of that church was executed. I heard later that the other half was killed some months ago. But I must tell you something. I was so happy that the Lord used me to encourage these people, for unlike many of their leaders, I had the word of God. I had been to the Bible and discovered that Jesus said He had not only overcome the world, but to all those who remained faithful to the end, He would give a crown of life.

How can we get ready for the persecution? First we need to feed on the word of God, digest it, make it a part of our being. This will mean disciplined Bible study each day as we not only memorize long passages of scripture, but put the principles to work in our lives.

Next we need to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Not just the Jesus of yesterday, the Jesus of History, but the life-changing Jesus of today who is still alive and sitting at the right hand of God.

We must be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is no optional command of the Bible, it is absolutely necessary. Those earthly disciples could never have stood up under the persecution of the Jews and Romans had they not waited for Pentecost. Each of us needs our own personal Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We will never be able to stand in the tribulation without it."

- Corrie Ten Boom



"Begin reading, studying and memorizing Scripture as never before. The Bible says, “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth” (Ephesians 6:14). The truth is the Word of God. We are to be girded and undergirded with the Word. Read it, assimilate it, feed on it; let it be your staff and strength. It is quick and powerful. It is the bulwark of the soul. Too many Christians today are entangled with the affairs of this world, caught in a net of material interest and diversion. Scripture, to many, is little more than a reference book for biblical facts. It is seldom opened and rarely relished as the spiritual staff of life that it is.

Many souls are anemic and starved for the things of God. They are totally unprepared for a time of crisis. Store these Scriptures away so that if your Bible is ever taken from you, you will have the Word of God written on the tablet of your heart. Many stories have come out of prison camps, of Christians who had no Bibles but had committed to memory great portions of Scripture. What a comfort, blessing and strength these Scriptures were as they repeated them over and over again to themselves. One missionary who was in a concentration camp for three years in China told me that during that time his greatest regret was that he had not memorized more of the Bible."

- Billy Graham

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Lisa

Follow, when you found the Graham quote, were you able to also find the larger article or sermon it comes from? I am interested to know what triggered this motivation in him to say this. Is it from his book on Revelation?

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Tim

"We must be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is no optional command of the Bible, it is absolutely necessary. Those earthly disciples could never have stood up under the persecution of the Jews and Romans had they not waited for Pentecost. Each of us needs our own personal Pentecost, the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We will never be able to stand in the tribulation without it."

This is the key, there is no other key than this, it starts right here. No soldier can fight without a sword, can defend himself without a shield, can protect him head without a helmet or march forward to victory without having his feet shod. The truth, infused into our very bones with a fire that cannot be quenched no matter how fierce the flood, is central to who we are in Christ. Does this fire burn in you? The love of the truth is a gift from God, the armor of the saints comes from the Holy Spirit. Who will stand in that evil day?..........bro Frank

Hey, I saw where it was from. Thought it was more recent. I am a bad reader! :).

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Tim

With great trial there is great grace, and we
boast in our weakness knowing that without
His grace we would not be able to withstand
the coming persecution. God has given us
exceeding great and precious promises and
He has promised us that He would not allow
us to be tempted and tried beyond our
ability to endure but with the trial, He would
make a way of escape.

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Mike

Brother, this is good advice. Jesus told us
that in this world we would go through
persecution and tribulation, but He also
told us to rejoice because He had overcome
the world.

We do need to be prepared for persecution
but we also are exhorted not to fear or worry.
There are many doom and gloom preachers
out there that are filling many in the Body
with fear, because they are telling them
how bad things are going to be without
showing them in the Word how to overcome.
Many promises in the Word to those that
overcome. There is victory in Jesus, and
there is nothing that can separate us from
the love of God. "Whatsoever is born of
God overcomes the world."

_________________
Mike

I have been persecuted by the world and by the "church", you expect it from one but not the other. Regardless, there is only one way to prepare for anything that attacks your faith. Don't throw off the Lord's yoke. You took His yoke upon you, now don't throw it off and become faithless. Remain in Him and you will remain in the love of Christ so you can pray for those who persecute you and be able to say with the Lord, "forgive them Father, they know not what they do."

Your faith is attacked everyday in some way, the Lord knows this. "Sufficient for the day is the evil, thereof."

"Fret not yourselves because of evil doers." Psalm 37:1

Amen Julius.

Art Katz once said," Our lack of persecution,speaks volumes about us
as Christians."

Because The Word says,as He ( Jesus) was persecuted,so would we
suffer persecution in this world. ..The opposite spirit,hates The Spirit of God that is in God' son's /children.

Tried as GOLD,in a furnace.To be purified.
How we 'see God',..Who is invisible,...We see His back side.... What He is working and does for us),..after we 'hold fast' and go through these things...
As He passes by.

But if we will allow it,..and not get carried away in the flesh,then it will
have it's perfect work in us. Although,it is SO HARD,AND DARK,that we cannot hardly see,...while we are going through it,it is working something very important in us. (The fruits of the Spirit) and we all know what they are,...Love,joy,peace,long-suffering,gentleness,kindness,.....on and on.

,we know,that we might can hold to some of these,when the times are
going smooth,but when it tightens down as a vise,in persecutions,then it must be worked in our innermost being,by His Grace.

His Grace,..as someone has just mentioned,is sufficient.
( The Devine influence upon the heart,and it's reflection in the life.)

BUT ! ,..It must be working in us NOW,..before the BIGGER,and BIGGER things,come upon us.

Also,I think about David,how a lion,and a bear, came out,..How he was able
to over-come that challenge,before he delt with the giant, Goliath.

In His love,
elizabeth