“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.” – Matthew 24:9-14 (NLT)

Towards the end of His earthly ministry, Jesus began to speak to His disciples about the future. He gave them clear signs of the end times; key among them is the persecution of His followers. Open Doors, an international, non-denominational Christian mission dedicated to supporting persecuted Christians, reports that more than 380 million Christians currently suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith.

Endurance is a vital trait that every Christian must possess to withstand this season of trials.

From North Korea to Somalia, Yemen to Libya, and Pakistan to Nigeria, the situation is similar: Christians are being persecuted and killed in great numbers, just as Jesus foretold in the twenty-fourth chapter of Matthew. In our text above, Jesus warned His followers that they would be hated all over the world for following Him, but He also gave an assurance that the one who endures to the end will be saved. Endurance is a vital trait that every Christian must possess to withstand this season of trials.

A History of Resilience

The persecution of the Church has persisted for centuries. Following the killing of Stephen, the first recorded martyr in the early Church (Acts 8:1), the Bible records:

“Saul wholeheartedly approved of Stephen’s death. And on that day a great and relentless persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem; and the believers were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except for the apostles.”

This text describes the wave of persecution hitting the early Church as “great and relentless persecution”—words that could easily describe the Church’s experience today. However, Jesus had already prepared the hearts of His disciples. In Matthew 10:22, He warned: “And you will be hated by everyone because of your association with My name, but it is the one who has patiently persevered and endured to the end who will be saved.”

An Unshakeable Kingdom

The good news is that the Church—the body of Christ on earth—is not a man-made institution. It was not born by the will of man. While interpreting King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Daniel said:

The good news is that the Church—the body of Christ on earth—is not a man-made institution. It was not born by the will of man.

“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed… It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands.” Daniel 2:44-45

This is the destiny of the Church. As an expression of God’s Kingdom, the Church is that “rock” which eventually becomes a huge mountain filling the whole earth. This is why Jesus declared in Matthew 16:18: “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”It is God Himself who is building the Church and not man.

Our Response: Faith in Action

What should be our response to this ongoing assault? We can take a cue from the parable of the ten servants that Jesus told in Luke 19:13. The master’s charge to his servants in the parable was simple: He instructed them to “Occupy till I come”. This implies that we must remain faithful stewards of the time, talents, and resources that God has given to each of us, despite the opposition.

We must remain faithful stewards of the time, talents, and resources that God has given to each of us, despite the opposition.

The Church did not arrive where it is today because of the absence of persecution, but in spite of it. If the enemy could not wipe out the Church when we were few in number, it is obvious that those who seek to eliminate the Church today are pursuing a lost cause. Our charge is to continue to advance the Kingdom—expanding the frontiers of God’s dominion and making disciples of all nations. We have an assurance from our Lord and Master Jesus Christ that as we go about this great commission, He is with us always, regardless of the threats of the enemy.

A Prayer for Boldness

Finally, the apostles set the ultimate example for us. When they encountered threats, they turned to God in prayer:

“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness… And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” – Acts 4:29-31

They did not ask for the persecution to stop; they asked for the grace to speak with boldness and for God’s power to be manifested. How are you responding today? Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:12: “And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time, the kingdom of heaven has endured violent assault, and violent men seize it by force [as a precious prize—a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion].”

Hold the fort, Christian soldier, and remain blessed.