Do not be afraid of their faces!

Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. Jeremiah 1:8

We live in a world where there are nearly 8 billion people, and 223 nationalities intermingling with each other . So it is not surprising that when you leave your house you will encounter people whose beliefs and faith may differ to yours. It is because of these differences, that they may not like your outward declaration of your love for Jesus Christ. They may jeer at the preaching of the gospel, or they may threaten to fight you because you won’t be quiet. But as the Lord has repeatedly said ‘ Don’t be afraid of their faces.’ In other words, don’t let their ignorant threats, their cold stares and physical appearance, silence you.

God wants you to remember, that you are not alone in persecution.

The Lord has given all believers the assignment to ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation’ Mark 16:15.

With this assignment the Lord promises that he will be with his people and that he will strengthen them.

2 Corinthians 12:9–10

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

God has also put the body of Christ together, to support one another, even during times of persecution.

1 Corinthians 12:25-26:

“But God has put the body together, giving greater honour to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body a community of believers from all around the world who are united with them in Christ., but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honoured, every part rejoices with it.”

Persecution is not all bad.

All Christians will face persecution at some point in their life. We cannot escape it. This is why it is important that you understand that despite the pain and challenge of persecution, it does have its benefits. A few of these benefits are that persecution can shape our character, produce fellowship with Christ and anchor our hope firmly in him.

“we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4).

“For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too” (2 Corinthians 1:5).

So today, I want you to remember that persecution should not make you feel afraid, discouraged or rejected . Rather, you should embrace the experience of persecution, because persecution makes you exercise your faith to believe in God and his son Jesus Christ. The Lord’s kingdom plan is real, it is coming and he will establish it in Christ. Therefore, as you go out to evangelise, make sure that you hold on to the Lord’s commands and “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9