Mike Bickle emphasizes that persecution serves as a seminary for the Holy Spirit, providing unique insights into God's heart and leadership. He explains that while persecution is a demonic attack, it is also a divine gift that enhances spiritual growth and transforms character. Bickle encourages believers to embrace the benefits of suffering for Christ, as it leads to deeper intimacy with God and prepares them for the challenges of the end times. He draws parallels with the life of David, who learned to trust God amidst betrayal and persecution, and urges the church to prepare the next generation for similar trials. Ultimately, he calls for a shift in understanding persecution as a necessary part of the Christian journey.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Brenton. Thank you, Kara. Bless you, bless you. We'll go ahead and turn your Bibles to John chapter 16 as the main passage we'll be looking at, but I have quite a few other passages here on the handout if you want to follow along. Father, we come before you in the name of the Lord Jesus, and Father, we thank you for the presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst today. And Holy Spirit, we ask you to teach us, illumine our understanding, and tenderize our heart. We ask you for living understanding. In the name of Jesus, we thank you. Amen and amen. Well, here, excuse me, you'll see the notes say session two. It's the second part of a 15-part series that myself and Stuart Greaves are teaching on John chapter 16. We're going to be doing it throughout the spring here in 2023. I'm titling this, Persecution, the Seminary of the Holy Spirit, because in the context of persecution, the Holy Spirit brings new dimensions of insight into God's heart and His leadership over our lives. And there's things that we learn and perceptions we have in the place of persecution that are different than any other context in our spiritual life. Now the premise is a statement that I've, the premise to this whole thing is a statement I've made many times over the years, is that when we come under pressure or under persecution, it changes our conversation. Meaning, because of pressure or pain, humans, they seek for a solution. We've got to find a solution to the pressure, the pain, the persecution. And when you fear the Lord, we ask the Holy Spirit, what's the solution? What happens is it changes the conversation, because we begin to ask different questions to the Lord. We begin to talk different to Him. We have different prayers, different conversations in our family context. We preach different messages. In our fellowship together, we talk about different things. And that shifting of the conversation, and that asking different questions, that opens our heart and makes us more sensitive to the Holy Spirit's leadership and His wisdom and His solutions to those problems. And in that sense, He gives us more insight and trains us and emboldens us. More Holy Spirit activity happens. We get more insight into Jesus' heart and leadership and His ways. And it transforms us. That's why persecution is part of God's plan, together with the Holy Spirit, of transforming the body of Christ. And that's going to happen in a very heightened way in the generation the Lord returns. Well let's look at Roman Numeral 1. This is a bit of review that I've given in other sessions. I'll say in paragraph A, we'll start with there, persecution is both a demonic attack that is to hinder our spiritual growth, but it's also a divine gift to enhance our spiritual growth. The enemy has an agenda for persecution, but God has a different one, and they have it at the same time over our lives. Paul made a very strong statement in Philippians 1 verse 29. He said, it's been granted for you. God has given it to you. The idea is as a gift, is the idea, that you would suffer for His name's sake. Now the suffering in context to the New Testament in verses like this, it's not talking about suffering sickness, or you know, financial bankruptcy, or a family crisis, but it's talking specifically about the suffering of persecution for being loyal to Jesus in our love and in our stand and our boldness. Paul says it's granted to us. God gives us this gift, because He knows, Paul did, that responding to God in a right way in persecution, it transforms our character and it transforms our understanding. So we gain benefits from it in this age, but Paul really emphasizes this, we gain dynamic benefits from it in the age to come. In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul said our affliction, and again he means persecution here, he doesn't mean again a family tragedy or sickness, he means standing true for Jesus. It's working for us, catch this, a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory. When believers are persecuted and they respond rightly, in the age to come, there's a far more exceeding response of heavenly reward from the Father. There's quite a few verses in the New Testament that highlight this principle. Paragraph B, the apostles rejoiced when they suffered, they rejoiced that they were found worthy to suffer for His name. Now that's a pretty radical shift from how the apostles first faced persecution. On the night that Jesus was betrayed, the apostles fled in fear, they abandoned Jesus and some of them betrayed Him on that night. Here in Acts chapter 5, it's about a year or two later, different scholars have different time frames, maybe 12 or 18 months. Their view of persecution shifted so dramatically that instead of running in fear, they rejoiced for the privilege of it. And there's quite a few verses in the New Testament where the apostles are declaring they're rejoicing for it. So the question we ask, what is it that they understood that we don't understand? Well they understood the benefits, they understood what God's commitments were to intervene and help us in the place of persecution. I'm determined by the grace of God to understand what they understood, because I know the Holy Spirit wants to reveal it to His church. I don't believe that today, particularly in the West, myself included, that we have a deep understanding of the apostolic revelation of the benefit of suffering. But I believe the Lord's going to give it to His end time church. So multitudes will see the benefit and experience the spirit of glory, and they will be able, millions before this is over, they will be able to rejoice before the Lord in the place of persecution instead of running and failing and drawing back in fear, which is our normal response today. Because we only understand mostly the demonic agenda, but we've got to understand the divine gift. And my prayer, and I believe it's going to happen, that in our community here in the months and years ahead, we're going to become really familiar with the larger body of scripture of the understanding of persecution from the apostolic revelation, that point of view. Look in paragraph C, I'll just, I'll highlight one verse that talks about the transformation that happens in the life of a believer. There's quite a few verses that say this, but Peter says it in such a strong way in first Peter chapter four, verse one, he says, he who has suffered in the flesh. And again, he's not talking sickness, not talking about a trial in their life, in other situations. And the Bible has a lot to say on those subjects, but that's not what he's talking about here. The person that has suffered in the flesh persecution, this is almost, it seems like it's exaggerated. Peter says they've ceased from sin. They no longer live for lust like they used to like really. And what Peter's really saying is in the place of, of persecution, they're asked their conversation with the Lord is so different. The questions are different. Their goals are different. Their expectations are different. What they're longing for is different and it shifts their whole inner man to a different carrying themselves in a different way. They cease from sin or their lives are transformed in their perspective as well as their heart and their character. Well, Peter goes on in verse 14 in the same chapter to give a little insight and how that transformation happens. He goes, if you're reproached or persecuted is the idea, the spirit of glory will rest on you in a greater measure is the idea that when we're persecuted and we talk to the Lord and really reach to him with a heart of devotion, even though in our, our flesh were weak and fearful. But in that context, there's a heightened, an increase of Holy Spirit activity called the spirit of glory. Well, let's look at Roman numeral two. And again, in this 15 part series that we're just endeavoring on John chapter 16, we're doing on Friday nights. Jesus is talking about the importance of preparing. Well, the apostles, but the church through history, but particularly if you read Matthew 24, the end time churches in focus and Jesus is thinking as well. Paragraph a, and that final week of Jesus's ministry, he elaborated, he gave more details on the Tuesday and on the Thursday, the two main teaching days of his last week of ministry. And he highlighted the joyful, but also the painful challenging aspects of discipleship. And the part I want you to really catch here, John 15 and 16 is how Jesus emphasized. They need to remember what he's teaching them because by remembering, they put themselves in the position to be empowered with new understanding and grace on their heart by remembering. Because if they remember it, they'll talk to God more about it. They'll talk to one another more about it. They'll, they'll pray more about it. If they remember John chapter 15, verse 19, Jesus said, the world hates you. And he, and he talks a bit about that. Well, he first introduced the idea of being hated by all the nations two days earlier on Tuesday in Matthew 24 verse nine, but here he breaks. He gives more detail to it. And we've covered some of that in our last semester, but verse 20 is what I want to highlight. He goes, I want you to remember. I want you to remember they're going to persecute you. Don't forget that. Anticipate it. Don't be shocked by it. Be prepared for it in your conversation with me and even in your fellowship with one another. But know this verse 26, when I send the Holy spirit, which he did on the day of Pentecost, about six weeks later, he goes, the spirit is coming and he's going to testify of me. He's going to tell you more about my heart and my leadership. He's going to reveal and empower you to walk in my values. You're going to have new goals. When the spirit tells you about me and marks your heart and marks your understanding. And that's the phrase, the verse I'm using and calling it that we are in, uh, uh, engaging in the seminary of the Holy spirit. Now the Holy spirit has many things to teach us, but some things are very specifically taught us in a unique way. In the context of being persecuted. He says in chapter 16, verse one, he goes, these things I'm telling you, he goes, my goal is that you would not stumble. And the word stumble here. Well, you'll see in the notes is that you would not deny me and fall away. I'm telling you staying and calling you to remember it so that your heart would be emboldened. You would understand the benefits of what's going to happen when they persecute you. And you will understand that I will help you. You will see my commitments to you. Then he says really two dramatic statements in verse two, John 16, verse two. We'll look at this in a minute, but this is a bombshell. He says, they're going to kick you out of the synagogues. And that's a big thing. As most of us are Gentiles, we might not understand this, but the tired Jewish social life and economy and relationships were rooted deeply in synagogue life. You're going to be censored and driven out of the spiritual community that you've been raised in because many of them will not accept Jesus's teaching. That's a huge statement that you could miss as a Gentile. The significance of this, he goes, but it's not going to end there with relational and financial and social persecution. That's going to be physical to some of you will be killed. Then he says in verse four, I want you to remember this. If you, if you don't remember, it's going to happen, why it's going to happen, what the benefits are when it happens, what God's commitments are to you, when it happens, you will be far more vulnerable. Verse one to stumble. And again, in this context to stumble means that the ultimate sense of denying the Lord. Look at paragraph B. Now in John 13 to 17, these five chapters that myself and Stuart are, are doing about a hundred sessions over about a two or three year period line by line on Friday nights through John 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. It's I'm, I'm so encouraged. I'm invigorated by the study. I'm surprised on how much it's touching my heart and illumining my own understanding. But in John 13 to 17, these five chapters that Jesus taught in the upper room on the, at the last supper in context of the last supper, five passages are about the Holy spirit. And each one of those five passages has a particular context of what the spirit will do in that particular situation. And here in John 15 verse 26, it's what the spirit will do in context to persecution. And each of the other four, and we've highlighted them and we're developing them. We want to see what the spirit is doing unique in context, what he promised to do. It's fantastic revelation that Jesus has given us paragraph B and the context of persecution. He's going to teach God's people because remember they've, the conversation's changing. They're seeking solutions. So they're asking new questions and they're getting more understanding and they're getting connected together in this new way of thinking, new goals, new alignment with God's heart. And I have some of the things the Holy spirit is going to teach them how to grow in love, how to grow in mercy, humility, generosity, gratitude. Now we grow in these things apart from persecution, but when we grow in them in context of persecution, there's unique dimensions to each of these areas. Mercy and humility has a different dimension in the place of persecution than it does without. And in all the context it's relevant, but I want to see the fullness of what we will learn as a spiritual family in the years to head in these different areas. Paragraph C, he says twice here in John 15 and 16, I want you to remember, remembering it's going to happen. Why it's going to happen. What's going to happen to you. What the benefits are is critical to you being spiritually prepared. It's critical to you having a vibrant heart. He says in first John chapter three, verse 13, John would say some decades later after, you know, in John 15, it's the night before Jesus would go to the cross and die on Friday, the next day. But this is decades later. John is staying with this teaching. Jesus gave, he received in John 15 from Jesus and he says, don't marvel if the world hates you. And what he means by that is don't be shocked and surprised because if you're shocked and surprised when you're hated, you'll be far more vulnerable to being offended at God and fearful of persecution. He goes, begin to realign your expectation that if you are true to what Jesus says and to his messaging, they will hate you. Now in the Western world, the body of Christ as a whole, we're not familiar. We don't think much about persecution. I mean, in the last couple of years, we've seen different believers being persecuted economically with some different sanctions and censorship, some economic persecution. And it's like scandalous to the church. And I appreciate us not being happy about that in the government, et cetera, et cetera. But the many believers are going, can you believe it? And the spirit would say something like, that's only the beginning of the beginning. Don't be scandalized by it in the sense of you're shocked, surprised. You'll be far more vulnerable to be overcome. If you don't understand, this is part of the kingdom lifestyle, particularly in the end time church, it will be really highlighted in the generation where the great harvest, the billions of harvest, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit like no time in history. And there'll be persecution like no time in history. Don't be shocked. Don't marvel. Don't be surprised, but begin to align your expectation. Begin to picture the future with this as part of it. Part of the kingdom lifestyle that we're called to look at top of page two, paragraph E on the notes here. He goes, why am I telling you this teaching? Why am I telling you these things? So you wouldn't stumble. You would be far more vulnerable to stumble, which means fall away. When we're talking about the ultimate stumbling of denying the faith, that's what he's talking about. He goes in and I'm thinking of so many in the Western church right now, the church in the Western world is so unprepared, so unaware of this and the vulnerability to stumbling and falling away is far more tense. Now I'm concerned by that and I have urgency, but also I have confidence there's going to be millions. The Lord's going to line up with his leadership at his heart and release a spirit of power on their heart. So I know there's going to be millions and millions that are not yet prepared today, but they will be. I have here in paragraph E, our greatest danger as a believer is not in being persecuted physically or financially or socially. Our greatest danger is spiritual. It's falling away, falling away from the faith. I'm talking about the ultimate falling away is far worse than physical harm or physical persecution or penalties. Paragraph F here, we can be equipped by seeing what the spirit says, what the scripture says about the certainty of persecution. Again, this is not in the conversation in the church in our nation much, but I believe we're going to look back at a few years. Many ministries will be, this will be part of their, their, their spiritual family conversation. It won't be the only thing. It won't be the main thing, but it will have an important place in the conversation of spiritual families all over this nation and ministries. We are equipped by seeing what the scripture says. It's really going to come and increase. Number one, we'll be equipped by talking to the Lord more about it. The more we talk to the Lord, and what I mean is, Lord, I set my heart. There's financial persecution. If there's physical, if family and loved ones are at risk, if property's at risk, and, and I bring these things to them, I say, this is what I set my heart to do. Not that by the setting of our heart, it's all done with, but we begin to change little by little. Our understanding grows, grace increases. We get more confidence. It's little by little, step by step, but it really happens. If we, if we take hold of this exhortation, remember, don't let this subject be absent from your spiritual conversation with God and in your spiritual family. Look at paragraph G. Paul said in Acts 14, he said, we enter the kingdom through many tribulations. And again, remember he's talking persecution here. He's not talking just about your car broke down, your business collapsed, you know, a tragedy happened, your house burned. And that's not what he's talking about, which are horrible things. That's not what he's talking about here. He's saying you enter the kingdom through many tribulations, not a few, but, and they're progressive. They're here and there. They're different in different seasons of our life. Now, when Paul says we enter the kingdom, he does not, he's not talking about the day you're born again, you enter the kingdom initially because you were persecuted. So now you're born again. That's not what he's saying. He's talking to disciples who are already born again. And he's saying, you will experience more kingdom activity as persecution increases. And you respond to the Lord, right? You will enter, you will experience more. That's a very positive statement. So much so that he strengthened the disciples with that because they understood he was saying something very positive. If you don't have the new Testament revelation of persecution, which we don't, I'm a little bit, I got a little bit, but I got a lot, a lot more to go. Of understanding. So I'm not claiming some great insight, but I'm claiming a zeal to get more insight. I would have said Paul warned the disciples about persecution. He didn't, he strengthened them by telling them the benefits of it and what God's commitments were to them in it. Now, my burden is this many young believers. I'm thinking about our nation, but many nations and particularly in the West, but other outside the West as well. I'm not picking on the Western church. I love the Western church. I is one, you know, I'm part of it. I love the church in our nation. So I'm not looking at it critical. I have great confidence. There's going to be a huge recovery of the spiritual dullness that's so prevailing right now in the spiritual weakness. But today, when I look at the last 10 or 20 years and beyond that as well, many young believers are being trained in the gospel, in leadership, in ministry, opposite of what Paul taught. They're being told they're being trained and discipled in imagining they will avoid it and they will escape all pressures and persecutions. It's just absolutely not true. And they're being taught that the most effective and the best way to talk about Jesus is only to emphasize the positive things he said and avoid totally the unpopular things that he said. I love the popular things. Jesus said, I mean, I love free forgiveness. I mean, who loves it? I love free forgiveness. I love the resurrection. I love the power of God. I love the Holy Spirit's ministry, many things. But Jesus didn't only teach popular truths, which he did, and we love them. He taught unpopular truths. And one of the big reasons why most of the church in the West hasn't faced this hatred, because I mean, the vast majority of the 500,000 congregations in America, there's a few more than that, mostly only talk about the positive things he said. Once we begin to embrace and proclaim the unpopular things, the whole counsel of God, that's when the hatred will begin to emerge. Because a lot of folks look around, they go, I don't see any great problem. That's because we're only saying part of the message. But before the Lord returns, he's going to have a faithful bride, a prepared bride, body of Christ worldwide that will be loyal to his leadership and to his messaging. And the Lord is beginning to move us. The Spirit is in that direction. Young people are taught to remove the offensive things in their gospel preaching. And more unbelievers will listen. And more unbelievers will like them. And they think, wow, that's what, but it's just, it's opposite of the apostolic gospel of the New Testament in the book of Acts. The Christian culture in the West, again, sounds like I'm picking on us, but no, I'm committed to us. I'm part of the West. The Christian culture in the West teaches young people. I want you to catch this. You already know it anyway, but that physical safety or add the word comfort or safety is a good word and financial prosperity. These are the main signs, the primary signs of God's grace and God's favor. Now there is a dimension of the grace of God with physical safety and financial blessing. There is a dimension. It's not the primary sign of God's favor and God's grace. They've embraced this distorted gospel. Without making any hard or deliberate choices with eternal values in place. Most of them are not making life choices, financial choices, sin choices, thinking of eternity. They're mostly thinking of now and comfort and increase and influence. And that's leaves the church in great spiritual weakness and failure right now. Paragraph H, one of the primary weaknesses today, the, of the, whatever the, some say 20 million, some say 50 million believers, some say 70 million. I don't know. They depends on what they call a believer in America, but the millions of believers, the vast majority, maybe they don't articulate it, but they have a deep commitment in their soul and they have a very strong mental expectation to enjoy a lifestyle under Jesus's leadership that I call the gospel of the American dream, which means the primary thing that happens. If you really obey Jesus is you're going to have personal comfort more. You're going to have more friends. They're going to have more financial blessing. You're going to have more prominence and influence. If you really obey him, that's the signs of it. And that's not the new Testament gospel. And just for the record, I love more personal comfort. I love financial prosperity. I like it. If you like me, I like all those things, but that's not the primary message of the apostolic gospel. I like it when it happens, but that's not the primary thing we're aiming for. And I am always grateful for whatever measure God will give. The reason why this error is so serious and why this weakness is so serious, although the Lord is going to deliver, he really is, is because of paragraph I, the Bible makes it very, very clear that there's going to be a significant amount of, of, of persecution in end time prophecy. Read it there. It's growing rapidly in the world right now. I talked about it. One of the other messages that on the persecution watch lists, there are 60 nations that have severe persecution, but there's 200 nations in the world. So 140 don't have it. But Jesus, this is Thursday, John 15 and 16. He dies on Friday, go back two days to Tuesday, Matthew 24 verse nine. He said, the day's coming when all 200 nations will hate you if you're true to me. So those 140 nations are going to be, things are going to change before it happens. But the great harvest happens in the great outpouring of the spirit and the great transformation of the end time church happens. So I'm in, I'm saying, let's do it. But I want to be prepared and I want to be among the people who are prepared for it. Paragraph J here. There are important reasons to understand these end time prophecies. I'm not just reading them because they're interesting prophecies like, well, I want to know prophecy. I have three very clear applications. I developed this in the message that I gave here on Sunday, January 1st. I'm not going to really spend much time, but I just wanted to put it in front of you again. I don't want to take time to go through it again, but application number one, Peter said it in first Peter four, he says, arm yourself mentally. He's talking about, he's talking about conceptually. Arm yourself, prepare yourself to suffer, which means to embrace, to encounter persecution. And we arm ourself by developing a biblical understanding, a New Testament understanding of why God allows it. What are the benefits? What are the rewards? What does God promise to do? How will he intervene? Etc. But the other way that we arm ourself, one is mentally by gaining this insight, which we don't have that much of, but by the grace of God in the next months and years, we're as a community when we're growing this. Then the second way we arm ourself, the first is conceptually. The second is spiritually. We grow in our intimacy with God, with Jesus and John chapter 15, two thirds of John 15 is about intimacy with Jesus. The first two thirds and the final third is about persecution. Jesus put those two subjects together intentionally because there's something if we grow in our intimacy, the fact of reality is that love is the most powerful force on the human heart. Love is far more powerful than fear. Love that's awakened and tenderized will overpower fear and the lives even of weak people like normal human beings, weak in our humanity. The third way we arm ourself is by developing kingdom relationships of people that are seriously minded and radically committed. I'm not just interested in kingdom relationships of somebody says, yeah, I grew up in the church and yeah, I believe the Bible. I appreciate people, but I want to have relationships with people that are radically serious about wholehearted obedience, even in the face of persecution. Now I can learn the biblical narrative, have my mind and alignment enlightened. I can have my heart empowered with love for Jesus, but I still need other relationships with believers to do this thing successfully. The three of these together is what arms us and prepares us. Well, the second reason I want to study these end time prophecies is number two, and I really have passion for this one. I want us to be intentional about preparing the next generation. The 15 and 20 year olds right now, right now, the vast majority across our nation are so completely unaware of what I'm saying today. It's not an issue of them remembering it. They've never heard it once, and they're going to be blindsided in a horrible way. If the shepherds, the spiritual moms and dads, and these next five and 10 years do not prepare them biblically. And I'm a part of a community here of spiritual moms and dads that take this seriously. And then the third application is we want to help the persecuted church. So we want to understand it. And again, I talked more about that earlier. I mean, the first Sunday of January, top of page three, I want to point out two sobering details that Jesus puts in this passage. John 16 verse two. I mean, it's the bombshell. These are the, he highlights the two most costly, and I would even add the two most painful types of persecution. The first one he points out again, we as Gentiles might miss it. It's the relational and the social and the financial pain and costs they will pay that people, even with a Bible background, people that have a similar background, a family that says, yeah, we will love the Bible. We grew up in the same spiritual community together. They will drive you out of that community, out of that synagogue. This is the apostles can't even believe this statement. Hardly. They don't really believe Jesus is going to die the next day. There's still a little bit deer in the headlights. I mean, not a little bit, a lot, actually. Then the second he goes, it's going to go more than social and relational and economic persecution. It will be physical for some people. Now, not every believer is going to experience all of these things, but the problem is, I believe it will be a minority of people who are, who actually are martyr. It will still be millions, but there'll be hundreds of millions that aren't martyr. And so the issue is nobody knows who is and who isn't going to have this affect them. And the Lord keeps it that way. So he wants the whole community brace for it, though. I don't believe the majority of them will be hit hard. I believe mostly it will be people in leadership, not only, but mostly that's the record of history. It was shocking to them when Jesus said, they'll kick you out of the synagogue. In other words, we're familiar with the secular government persecuting us for loving Jesus, but not people in our spiritual community, religious people with the same, I mean, with a similar background of Bible believing heritage and family members. Those are the ones Jesus is highlighting will do the persecuting. The secular government will too, but that's not what he's talking about. That is still serious, but that feels very different than when people from your own background or your own community do this to you. Paragraph B, they'll put you out of the community and I just, out of the synagogue. And I've already mentioned that you can read a little bit more. This is so important because inclusion in the synagogue was one of the most, Israel's most important ways they related socially, relationally, and it was very important that they're connected to the synagogue. Down to paragraph two, remember we're on Thursday night at the Last Supper, John 15 16, 17, go back two days earlier to Tuesday, Matthew 24 and Luke 21, Jesus said, I want to remind you, I told you on Tuesday, you're going to be betrayed by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends, because when he's talking about kicked out of the synagogue, that's brothers, relatives, friends, and parents. Those aren't strangers because in the Jewish community, most of the towns were small. Everybody knew everybody for decades. And he says, you have to have, you have to know that obedience to me will come to that for some of you. Now for the apostles, it happened to every one of them. Paragraph C, the part that complicates it is that the people that are persecuting you, they claim to believe the Bible. They claim to be obeying God. Again, this is very different than the atheistic secular state does it, and they will do it too, but that's a different thing. Paragraph D, there's great reward. Jesus said, when this happens to you, it's a great reward. Luke six, he goes, your reward will be great in heaven. Now, when people face death, meaning persecution, maybe they won't be killed. I think the majority will not be, of the billion soul harvest. But millions will, but hundreds of millions won't. But the very fact that we will know friends, family members, associates, somewhere in the mix, that it will, the thought of it, the chance of it will be in front of everybody who loves Jesus. It will be a big conversation. And we have to, and when we face death, the chance of death, a physical death, I mean martyrdom is what I mean. What we believe about Jesus comes really clear. We think we believe this, but they said, okay, if you do believe this, you die. Jesus, I'm really counting on you being the resurrection and the life. I'm really counting on this. Well, I thought you believed that. Well, I do, but you, I hope you really are. I mean, it really brings it up close and personal, what we believe. I have here in paragraph D in the middle, we have to settle the death issue. Meaning are we people that believe he's the resurrection? We're sons of the resurrection. Do we believe it even if they kill us? And you don't typically believe that one afternoon because you read the verse. I'm in, that's something you talk about. You think about, you talk to Jesus about. I have here at the paragraph D, I just have to say this. I'm running out of time, but I need to slip this in. The end time persecution is going to discourage a whole lot of ministries today in the Western world that are really embracing the showmanship spirit on the platform. There's so much showmanship and preachers and ministry and worship teams is so much going on. That's unnecessary on stages. And there's a whole lot of folks, they're putting tons of money to getting more popular, get more likes, more people buying their stuff, their sermons, their music, their messages, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. But what's going to happen, the reality, the most well-known leaders will be the one the government's coming after. And many of the folks that are pushing hard to get famous, they're going to be running from the stage. So you're praying and fasting. God will give you a great, powerful ministry. Be careful what you wish for. I mean, go for it, but it's the apostles they aimed at. And through church history, it's the main leaders. Some of the others as well, but that's who they target. But the Lord's going to purify the showmanship spirit, the look at me spirit that's so prevalent in the Western church. That's going to be who's willing to die for Jesus. Take a stand and be bold. Okay, let's, I'm all, but that it's going to be so different. And that encourages me that part. Let's look at top of page four. Well, on top of page four, what happens is that God raised David is the man in the old Testament that the Lord that experienced more persecution from family members and religious leaders in his community. I'm talking about in his family and in his community of any man in the Bible, it was King David much more than any other person. So he's the prominent biblical picture. And I would say Jeremiah is probably the guy there's more text on that it was persecuted. Moses, some Elijah, some Joseph, some, but David far more than anybody than Isaiah 55. The Lord says, I want to make it clear. I made David a picture, a model for others to know that when I'm raising up a King after my own heart, I'm going to, this is how I'm going to train him. And God trained David in a pretty intense way. God trained David under the tutelage ship of an angry, jealous King Saul betrayal by his family betrayal by his countrymen that all had biblical heritages. And David was trained to understand God's heart. God's leadership, how to walk in meekness, how to give mercy, how to receive mercy. He learned about generosity. And God said, David's in the seminary of the Holy spirit of betrayal. He was betrayed more than any man in the Bible. And I mean, when Jesus was talking to the apostles, that was clearly the man that was the prototype and the model. And he was meant to be seen as a model. Paragraph B here. God raised David up as a King after his own heart. And God taught him he was persecuted. He had trouble the whole 40 years of his reign plus the 10 years before his reign. I mean, he had from about age 20 to 70, he all not every season, but always it emerged again, betrayal by the spiritual community that he was a part of and family members. And David was trained in this. I call it the seminary of the Holy spirit. And sometimes I call it the seminary of Saul. If God wants to raise up a King like David, he allows those kinds of people to be in their life. God trained him. And he said, and look at Psalm 25. He said, God, show me your ways. Teach me your path. He was learning about humility. He was learning about trusting the Lord, et cetera, et cetera. Now I've taught the life of David. I'm not saying this. I'm not trying to be boastful, but I've taught the life of David for about 45 years plus. And probably I've taught it for a second, Samuel 10 times verse by verse all the way through. I don't really know, but maybe 10 times. My point being is that I'm familiar with David's life. And so I've drawn from his life. And my, I just want to give these three chapters, my three go-to passages over these 45 years, first Samuel 24, first Samuel 26, Psalm 31. I want to identify them for you because some of you might not know the life of David. Paragraph C, David refused under betrayal and persecution. He refused to answer back and to take matters into his own hands. Now, when the Philistines, the pagans attacked him, he went to war and he defeated the enemies of the Lord. That was one thing. Persecution is not when the Amorites or the Philistines or the other groups attacked him. That's not persecution. Persecution, it's when it's within the family of faith or they claim to be in the family of faith. Some pretty dubious where their faith really was, but they all were looking for a Messiah and believed in God's promises for Israel. He refused to answer and to strike Saul back and those that betrayed him. And my favorite sentence, I have it here, first Samuel 24, 15. That's been one of my favorite David. I got about 10 favorite David sentences, about 10 of them, but this is one of them. David in the conflict of betrayal from the religious family community, from his friends and family members and from his quote presidential court, the king's court. He was betrayed a number of times by his own team. David would say this sentence, let God decide. Or other translations, let God judge. I'm not going to bring the judgment. I'm going to take my hands off and God will judge or decide the matter. And that's what God requires in the seminary of the Holy Spirit because David learned many, many things in that posture. Because often God did decide and vindicated David, but often years later in a way that David might not have thought. I always say, Lord, I want you to vindicate me my way in my time, which is like yesterday, if you don't mind. And God normally does it a different way and often many years later. And sometimes only in the resurrection does he vindicate ultimately. But David said, I'm good with this. There's so many verses where he says that. Now, when the reason this is important, these saw a first, same with 24, sir, for same with 26, top 31. And there's others too. But these are my favorite three passages is that we want to teach a whole generation of 20 year olds how David, the man after God's own heart, a leader after God's heart engaged in the seminary of the Holy Spirit under persecution. And he had classes for literally 50 years in that seminary. In his 60s, he died at age 70. He was still being betrayed in his 60s. He had reprieves, but he would have intensity reprieve intensity reprieve for 50 years. You think, well, we did it hard in our 20s. Now we're going to just go into the glory of God. No, for 50 years, different seasons. He was back in that seminary because God wanted him to be a model and a witness to the body of Christ, to redemptive history of what it looked like to be trained by God for leadership. So I want a group of 20 year olds. I don't mean group, whatever, whatever that means. We want to get 20 year olds familiar with this narrative. So when the betrayal, because persecution is one thing by the secular government, but betrayal, when it's by the community of faith, I mean, that persecution is betrayal. That's a way different. And for those of you that are just so interested in hearing more about betrayal Friday, session three, I'm talking about persecution and how to face and overcome betrayal, because we're going to really break down a bunch of passages, how Jesus did it. The apostles did it. David did it. So that's this Friday, that session three, and we're still in John chapter 16. For those of you that just can't wait to hear more about being betrayed and how to be kind. But here's my point. And I'm coming to the end here when the Holy spirit is establishing an important kingdom purpose, wherever he's doing that. And there's about a thousand places in the earth, maybe a million, I don't know, thousands of places. He's establishing important kingdom purposes, but here's what I want to tell you. Whenever he's doing that, there are always people that the enemy will inspire, but God will use to test and train his young David's always in every move of God, there'll be an anger. There'll be a jealous King Saul or two, a jealous leader or two that you're moving in on their turf and he will throw the sword or he threw the spear and swung the sword. There will be the rebellious young absolums and every one of these movements, there will be the money loving Judas's and be clear. Judas betrayed Jesus because he loved money. That's what it says. There will be angry Pharisees, religious leaders angered for another reason. David was betrayed by his father-in-law, Saul, his wife, Michael, his cousin, Joab, the main advisor in his court, Ahithophel. He was, he was, he was betrayed over and over by his brothers. I'm 50 years. He had these seasons. And at the end, God said he did it right. He had failures, but he landed right as a picture of what I want. So let's look at these two examples in first Samuel 24 and the first Samuel 26. I'm going to give you the rapid fire because you kind of know these stories anyway. I just want them in front of you. You can read the details. Paragraph D Saul has been chasing David with 3000 soldiers to kill this one man 3000. David had 400 on his team. Then it grew to 600 against 3000. And one day in a cave King Saul, who's leading the 3000 goes to take a nap. He falls asleep in the cave. It's the cave David's hiding in David and his guys go. Oh my goodness. And false Saul, the King Saul, the head of the 3000. He's falls asleep. David's leaders go. This is the Lord. David said, no, this, he's not a Philistine. He's one of the community of faith. No, no, I'm not touching him. And this guy's go, David, get with it. This is God. What are you wanting? Wait, he's been chasing you ended up seven years. Maybe the five-year mark here or something like that. Take him out. David goes, no, look what he says. Verse 12, David said this. No, David said this to Saul because Saul woke up. And David tells him later when David's in a place of safety, he goes, Hey, Saul. Verse 10, the Lord delivered you into my hands. Saul's kind of over the way. And David's in a place of protection. If he wakes up because Saul cut his robe and says, look, I got your robe. Saul looks Douglas. Oh my goodness. You were in that cave. Oh my goodness. Then he goes, Saul. Verse 12. I'm not going to touch you. I'm going to let the Lord decide. You're part of the community of faith, not just an anointed leader. You're part of the community of faith. My hand shall not be against you. God will decide between you and me. And the Lord did. First Chronicles 12 tells you God killed Saul, but it was some years later. It was seven years of being hassled by Saul. I mean, seven, come on. What about one year? God did take out Saul and David didn't touch him. Well, David restrained his servants in chapter 24, chapter 26. It's a little bit time later. He finds Saul asleep again. David's man saying, David, you blew it. You missed God the last time. Kill him. David said, I'm not going to, not going to. And so then David gets in a place of safety. Again, you can read the story. Verse nine. David says, we're not going to destroy him. The Lord will take him out. Verse 18. David says to Saul, Hey, Saul. The Lord delivered you to me again. This time he has his spear. Last time he had his, you know, part of his garments, he cut. He goes, here's your spear. How'd you get it? I was next to you a couple of hours ago. And he goes, I'm not going to kill you. God will deliver me in his time. In paragraph F Psalm 31. I love this song. We see how David interacted with the Lord when betrayed in the community of God. And there's much betrayal in the community of God. Because that will train God's people in a way that the secular betrayal attack is different. That's not betrayal when it's the secular world out there. It's betrayal when it's inside, but that's the most intense seminary of the Holy spirit. When it's in, they kick you out of the synagogue and your own people come against you. Here's what David says. Look at Psalm 31. We know the passage. He tells God into your hands. I commit my spirit. Then in verse 15, my times are in your hands, meaning you will answer the way you want when you want. It was always years later. Like, oh, come on, Lord, not years, please. But this phrase into your hands, I commit my spirit. That doesn't mean when I go to heaven, you will receive me. I mean, that's part of it, but that's not the main point. When David says, I commit my spirit, I haven't written here. David means the things that touch my heart, the deepest, my promises in God, my finances, my physical safety, my reputation, my social relationships. I'm trusting you with them because they were telling lies about David all over the nation. The king and all of his men were pushing all kinds of false reports about David. David wouldn't answer any of them. He says, God, I commit my spirit into your hand, meaning everything dear to me, you got to answer it. Now here's, I want you to get this. When David committed the cause to God's hands, I have written here, he brought God into the conflict. And if you take matters in your own hands, you better be smart and have a lot of endurance because none of us are smart enough to solve them all ourselves. David said, I'm not, I'm bringing God into the conflict by appealing to him and me, not doing it myself. Years later, worship team, come on up. The greater David years later, Jesus is on the cross into your hands. I commit my spirit. He didn't mean when I die, I will be with you for sure. That was included. He meant my messianic promises, my new leaders, their future, all of redemptive history in the future. My place is king in Jerusalem over the earth. I'm committing all of it to you, father. I'm not going to touch them. I'm going to let you bring the promises your time and your way. And so it was years later, look at first Peter two, Peter's talking about this years later about how Jesus entrusted. It's very much David language. This is like right out of first Samuel 24. Peter said, we got the David message and then he showed it right in front of us. So therefore they walked in. He goes, when Jesus was being revivaled, he wouldn't, he wouldn't revile back when they were cussing at him. He wouldn't only spoke words of kindness and truth when he was suffering. He did not threaten them. He could have called angels down, destroyed was no, no threats, not, Hey, you'll be sorry one day, no threats. He entrusted himself to God, just like David did. Peter says, he taught us that we were going to be betrayed. And of course that drove us to the David story, even though David was not mentioned in John 16, that's clearly the prominent example in the Bible. They all had. And then Jesus does the David exchange. He entrusts himself to God and they kill him. He raises from the dead, but in God's time, all the nations of the earth will be under his kingship and his glory will fill the earth. And his times are in God's hands. God's Jesus's father, you determine when and where and how and beloved. That's our mandate. We're going to obey the Lord in the seminary, the Holy spirit. And when betrayal comes, we are going to say, Lord, train us in your seminary. What does mercy and generosity and gratitude and kindness and diligence look like in this, in this situation? And that's what we want to impart to the 20 year olds. I mean, we want it ourselves because we can't impart it if we don't have it. But beloved that generation needs models of moms and dads that will do this for them. Well, amen. And amen. Let's stand before the Lord. Again, session three, we're going to look at betrayal. If you got the guts, he's having fun. It's important, but trails so important, much apart of what's coming in the future. Father, here we are before you. We want to be leaders after your own heart. Like David, we want to train an army of 20 year olds and 15 year olds that have a leadership paradigm like David. Lord train us to train them, help us to help them. So the billion, so harvest comes under leaders. They have a heart after God, like David. Any of you that would like prayer for anything for this, maybe you feel like you're a messenger to train the next generation. You want to come and stand on this, this dark carpet, or maybe you're sick in your body, or maybe you're discouraged. So you need prayer, family issue. If you would like prayer, I invite you to come stand up here. Jesus, here we are. Father, we say yes to training the next generation in this message. Lord, I ask for tokens of the spirit of glory even right now in this room today. Give us apostolic revelation of persecution, the benefit. Give me love that will carry me through. Love will overpower fear. God's going to pour love that overpowers our fears. Lord, give us love that will carry us through. Appreciate this song. This is an awesome song. Father, I ask for the spirit of grace and glory. The spirit of grace and glory in this room tonight. Sustain me with your beauty in every season, through every dark night of the soul. Sustain me with your beauty in every season, through every dark night of the soul. Sustain me with your beauty. Father, we ask you for love that carries us through. Empower us with love to equip the next generation with love. In this room, those joining us by the website right now. And more, Lord, yeah. I commit my spirit into your hands. You who judge us rightly. I want to be a man after your own heart, a leader after your own heart. I trust in you. I trust in you along the way. I commit my spirit into your hands. I trust you. Father, I trust your time. I trust your wisdom. I trust your ways, God. A far greater weight of glory. I will work in you a far greater weight of glory. Here I am, Lord. We need your help. We trust your grace and leadership. Trial by trial. Lord, work in us a far exceeding work of glory. You know what to do, Lord. Yes, Lord. Work in us a way of glory. You work a way of glory. Into your hands, I commit. Into your hands. Into your hands, I commit my. Into your hands. Into your hands. I commit my spirit. My time is in your hands, Lord. My spirit. The very passions and promises that you've given me. Into your hands. I put them in your hands. I commit my spirit. Into your hands. Into your hands. I commit my spirit. Oh, into your hands. I commit my spirit. Into your hands. I commit my spirit. Into your hands. I commit my spirit. Into your hands. I commit my spirit. Set my heart on fire, whatever it takes. God, I trust you. So even when it doesn't make sense, I'll still bless. Bless your name. Casting off every hindrance to run this race. I've set you, my Lord, ever before.