Leading The Way - Devotional for February 27
February 27, 2025
Facing Persecution
By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.
The world has always fought against righteousness, godly virtues, and faithfulness to God. When we live godly lives, we will inevitably face antagonism from the ungodly. We will constantly be challenged to compromise and abandon our beliefs and morals.
Worldly people hate the Truth because it condemns their self-indulgence, sinfulness, and pride, and they will oppose anyone who stands for Truth. “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:12-13).
Persecution—whether extreme and violent or subtle and manipulative—will happen to every Christian at some point in their lives if they are walking by faith. The only Christians who escape opposition to their values, faith, lifestyle, and godly character are those who either shelter themselves from the world or those who have masked their Christianity by conforming to the world.
Jesus modeled for us the proper balance. He walked among the worldly without becoming like them. He mingled with sinners, but He never sinned. He showed them God’s love and spoke the Truth without compromise. Even when He faced betrayal and torture and an excruciating death, Jesus stood for Truth because He knew the eternal significance of His sacrifice.
Whatever may intimidate us about the ungodly—their vulgarities, profanities, or obscenities or their condescension toward Christians—we must always remember that they are in desperate need of salvation. We must be willing to risk rejection and ridicule because their eternal lives are at stake.
Prayer: Lord, when I feel as though I am being persecuted for my faith, help me to remember that those who are persecuting me need to be shown Your love. Help me to find that balance of being in the world but not becoming like the world. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.
“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back” (Luke 6:35).
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