Attacks on God's People - Protestant Caucus/Devotional

Yesterday we saw how Satan attacks God's Word. Today we will see how he attacks God's people. Persecution, peer pressure, and preoccupation are three weapons he employs with great effectiveness.

Persecution should never take Christians by surprise because Scripture repeatedly warns us that it will come. For example, 2 Timothy 3:12 says, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." Yet such warnings are often overlooked in the health, wealth, and prosperity climate of contemporary Christianity.

As the greed perpetuated by such a movement continues its assault on Christian virtue, many professing believers have come to expect a pain-free, trouble-free life. When trials come, they're caught off guard and often disillusioned with the church or with God Himself. Some prove to be phony believers, whom Jesus described in His parable of the four soils: people who initially respond to the gospel with joy, yet fall away when affliction or persecution arises because of the Word (Matt. 13:21).

Satan also uses peer pressure as an effective weapon. Many people never come to Christ for fear of losing their friends or being thought of as different. For them the cost of discipleship is too great. Even Christians sometimes struggle with peer pressure, compromising God's standards to avoid offending others.

Another weapon is preoccupation with the world. Often the hardest place to live the Christian life is in the easiest place. For example, becoming a Christian in America isn't the life-threatening choice it is in some parts of the world. Some who stand boldly against persecution or peer pressure might falter in a climate of acceptance. Often that's when the danger of spiritual complacency and preoccupation with the world is greatest.

To guard against those attacks, remember that God uses persecution to mature you and bring glory to Himself. Also, make a conscious choice each day to please God rather than people. Finally, evaluate your priorities and activities carefully. Fight the tendency to become preoccupied with things unrelated to God's kingdom.

Ask God to keep you spiritually alert throughout this day so the enemy doesn't catch you off guard.

Read Matthew 26:31-56. What might the disciples have done to avoid being caught off guard?

Prayers for all who suffer persecution for the sake of Christ, including you and me, and for the persecutors as well.

Prayer For Those That Persecute Us

Dear Lord Jesus, thank You that You are our precious Price of Peace and our perfect example. Thank You that we have Your peace in our hearts and for the understanding that without You there is no perfect peace in this world of strife. Lord, there are many people today who do not know You and who seek to destroy those that are Your children, but Lord You have commanded us to love our enemies, to bless those that curse us, to do good to those who hate us and to pray for those who despitefully use us and persecute us.

Lord, we lay before Your throne of grace the many individuals and groups that openly seek to kill and persecute our Christian brothers and sisters. We pray for each one and lay each soul at Your feet, asking for Your mercy to rest on each of them. Look down in pity on those who are openly aggressive toward Christians for they have been blinded to the truth of the glorious gospel of Christ Jesus our Lord. Open their eyes we pray, and bring them to a saving faith in Jesus.

Lord, we ask Your blessing and mercy on each one for we too were once a stranger to the truth and at enmity against You, but You lifted us up out of the miry clay and set our feet on the rock of our salvation. In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/prayer/prayer-for-those-that-persecute-us-763

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