Blessing Through The Persecution | Pastor Marco Garcia
Channel: The Way World Outreach
Date: 2021-07-01

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3 FACTS ABOUT PERSECUTION 

• Matthew 5:10 (NLT) 10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right for the  Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. 

FACT #1- GOD BLESSES THOSE WHO ARE PERSECUTED FOR DOING RIGHT.
• Persecute: (Di-o-ko) To pursue with a desire to harass, mistreat, injure, beat, torture, and  destroy because of beliefs, morals and message.  
 A. TWO TYPES OF PERSECUTION
• Matthew 5:11(NLT) “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie  about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 
 1) PHYSICAL PERSECUTION _____
 2) VERBAL PERSECUTION _____
 B. PERSECUTION IS THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF ENEMY RESISTANCE.

FACT #2- THE GODLY WILL BE PERSECUTED _____
• 2 Timothy 3:12 (NLT) Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will  suffer persecution. 
 A. THE ENEMY PERSECUTES US SO THAT;  
 - We will shut up. (Stop preaching, teaching, sharing your testimony etc)  
-We will give up. (Quit ministry, give up vision etc)  
 -We will doubt God.  
 - We will stop following Jesus. 
 - We will get offended and stop loving. 
 -We will turn to lust or fleshly escape to relieve pressure.  
  
FACT #3- GOD DOESN’T BLESS US FOR DOING WRONG _____
• 1 Peter 4:14-16 (NLT) 14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will  be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God[a] rests upon you. 15 If you suffer, however, it must  not be for murder, stealing, making trouble, or prying into other people’s affairs.  
HOW TO RESPOND TO PERSECUTION ?  
1) RESPOND WITH JOY _____
• Matthew 5:12 (NLT) Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in  heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
 • Happy: (chairo) rejoice, thrive, praise, cheer.  
 A. WE CAN RESPOND WITH JOY BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT IN US PRODUCES IT _____
• Galatians 5:22 (NLT) But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy,  peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness
B. WE CAN RESPOND IN JOY BECAUSE WE KNOW IT WILL END IN A GREAT  REWARD _____
 • Hebrews 11:6 (NLT) And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek  him. 
2) RESPOND IN LOVE _____
• Matthew 5:44 (DARBY) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, [bless those who curse you,]  do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who [insult you and] persecute you
 A. WE SHOW OUR LOVE BY VERBALLY BLESSING OUR PERSECUTORS _____
• Romans 12:20 (ERV) But you should do this: “If you have enemies who are hungry, give  them something to eat.  If you have enemies who are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this you will  make them feel ashamed.” 
B. WE SHOW OUR LOVE BY DOING GOOD TO OUR PERSECUTORS _____
• Romans 12:20 But you should do this: “If you have enemies who are hungry, give  them something to eat.  If you have enemies who are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this you will  make them feel ashamed.” 
 C. WE SHOW LOVE BY PRAYING FOR OUR PERSECUTORS _____
3) RESPOND IN FORGIVENESS _____
 A. JESUS FORGIVES THOSE WHO PERSECUTED HIM _____
 • Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.” 
B. UN-FORGIVENESS OF OUR PERSECUTORS CUTS US OFF FROM GOD’S  FORGIVENESS _____
• Matthew 6:14-15 In prayer there is a connection between what God does  and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving  others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part."
WHAT ARE THE BLESSINGS THAT GOD GIVES THE PERSECUTED ?  
1) STRENGTH _____
 A. EMOTIONAL STRENGTH _____
• Matthew 5:10 You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes  persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.
• Blessed: (makarios) happiness, joy, A sense of well-being, peace of mind
• Nehemiah 8:10 Don’t be sad, because the joy of the Lord will . make you strong.”  
B. GOD’S STRENGTH _____
• 2 Corinthians 12:10 So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with  distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am  weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from  God’s strength]. "
2) HARVEST _____
 A. NO HARVEST FOR THOSE THAT CAN’T GET THROUGH PERSECUTION _____
• Mark 4:17 & they have no real root in themselves, and so they endure for a little  while; then when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word, they immediately  are offended (become displeased, indignant, resentful) and they stumble and fall away 
B. PERSECUTION ALWAYS COMES BEFORE A HARVEST _____
• Luke 8:15 But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the  Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there’s a harvest. 
3) THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN _____
 • Matthew 5:10 Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous