“For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” – 2 Corinthians 4:11, ESV.
God uses man as an instrument to exhibit His Glory. It is not about you, but Jesus. For Jesus to be made manifest in our lives we will always be given over to death, meaning, we will be exposed to life threatening situations or dangers. We will constantly be sacrificed on the altar for the sake of Jesus. We will also experience harsh persecutions because of the name we represent.
Stephen comes to mind when we talk about harsh persecutions not to talk about Paul. Stephen was stoned to death. The Bible says in Acts 7:55 ~ “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God.” While Stephen was facing persecution, he saw the Glory of God and Jesus.
For the sake of the gospel, you will be persecuted. Almost all the disciples died as martyrs. Most of the people who brought the gospel to Africa also lost their lives, some got sick so that you and I could be saved. To be a follower of Jesus is about sacrifice. We must sacrifice our comfort for others to be also saved. We must be willing to go to places with harsh conditions to spread the gospel.
Count it all joy when you face trials because of your faith. 1 Peter 4:13 (GNT) says, “Rather be glad that you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may be full of joy when his glory is revealed.” Whenever your faith is under attack, remember that you bear in your body the marks of Jesus. Suffering and persecution are bound to happen to a soldier of Christ.
