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Persecution

The document discusses the concept of persecution faced by Christians, highlighting that it is a long-standing issue rooted in the rejection of Jesus and the values of the world. It emphasizes that despite the challenges, believers can find comfort in their faith, as they are assured of God's presence and eternal life. Furthermore, it encourages young believers to remain steadfast, as persecution can lead to great rewards in heaven.

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emmanuel.ilegar
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10 views

Persecution

The document discusses the concept of persecution faced by Christians, highlighting that it is a long-standing issue rooted in the rejection of Jesus and the values of the world. It emphasizes that despite the challenges, believers can find comfort in their faith, as they are assured of God's presence and eternal life. Furthermore, it encourages young believers to remain steadfast, as persecution can lead to great rewards in heaven.

Uploaded by

emmanuel.ilegar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Emmanuel Ilegar

Persecution
Short Slides Encouraging Young believers
What Is Persecution?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, Persecution is defined as:
unfair or cruel treatment over a long period of time because of race, religion, or political beliefs:
Long over time, people who believed Jesus faced persecution. Some people have been killed,
thrown in prison, and threatened for their faith. Even Jesus faced persecution.
Jesus says in John 15:20
'Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the master.’ Since they
persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they
would listen to you. They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the
one who sent me. '
John 15:20-21
we know, Jesus was crucified and eventually killed by his own people the Jews. If there’s
any example of persecution, it’s Jesus.
He did good all his life, lived a sinless life, but died a sinner’s death. This shows that we live
in a cruel world, where bad things happen to good people.
Why Do Christians face Persecution?
• Jesus says in John 15:19-21
'The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are
no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates
you. Do you remember what I told you? ‘A slave is not greater than the
master.’ Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if
they had listened to me, they would listen to you. They will do all this to you
because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. ‘
You see, when you become a Christian, you are no more of this world. The
values you have now are the total opposite of the values the world has.
The Bible says in 1 John 2:15-17:
• 'Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the
world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only
a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in
our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are
from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that
people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. '
The Good News
• We don’t have to be afraid. The good news is, Jesus has
overcome the world. For The Bible says in 1 John 5:4-5;
'For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory
that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the
world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? ‘
• You see, this world belongs to Satan, but we are not of this
world, We are citizens of heaven. The good news is, all who put
their faith in God are saved! Our sins are forgiven, and we have
eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8 says:
'God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t
take credit for this; it is a gift from God. '
• Furthermore, the Bible says:
'But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory
over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the
spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to this world, so they
speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we
belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not
belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone
has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception. ‘

You see, we don’t have to be afraid of opposition as Christians. Because


God has already assured us in Hebrews 13:5 that he will never leave us
nor forsake us.

The Bible says in Matthew 10:28;


' “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch
your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.’
The Christian Life

You can think of the Christian life as a pilgrim


on an endless journey. We are like pilgrims on
this earth. The earth is not our true home, but
only a pathway to heaven. You see, heaven in
our permanent destination. The customs of
this world are not our customs. The Bible says
in 1 Peter 2:-11
-12
'Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary
residents and foreigners” to keep away from
worldly desires that wage war against your
very souls. Be careful to live properly among
your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they
accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your
honorable behavior, and they will give honor
to God when he judges the world. '

1 Peter 2:11-12
The Christian
Life
• We can also liken the Christian life to one of
an athlete. We are all running a race as
Christians. The heavenly race. There will be
many obstacles along the way, but if we put
our faith in Jesus, we will not get tired.
• 1 Corinthians 1:24-27 says; 'Don’t you realize
that in a race everyone runs, but only one
person gets the prize? So run to win! All
athletes are disciplined in their training. They
do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we
do it for an eternal prize. So I run with
purpose in every step. I am not just
shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an
athlete, training it to do what it should.
Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to
others I myself might be disqualified.'
Reward for Persecution
The Bible says:
' “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. 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. '
Matthew 5:11-12
Moses, Elijah, and even Jesus, who are celebrated by billions today, all went
through immense persecution during their lifetime. The truth is, going through
persecution will never be easy, however you are not alone. The holy spirit is with
you, and there are thousands of believers around you that can help you in your
faith.
The Bible says in Proverbs 17:17
'A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. '
Proverbs 17:17

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