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REJOICE

Text : Matt. 5:11-12

 *How blessed are you whenever people insult you, persecute you, and say all sorts of evil things against you falsely because of me!* 

 *Rejoice and be extremely glad, because your reward in heaven is great! That’s how they persecuted the prophets who came before you.* 

One of the blessedness that Jesus pronounced on the mount while teaching His disciples was for those who are wrongly persecuted. 

To be wrongly persecuted is to suffer for an offence you did not commit, for Jesus' sake. 

1 Pet 2:20 says What good does it do if, when you sin, you patiently receive punishment for it? But if you suffer for doing good and receive it patiently, you have God’s approval. So you must be able to draw the line from when you are receiving the consequences of your actions and when you are simply being persecuted. 

Now Jesus' words to His disciples that are being persecuted is not an advice but a command. He said, "Rejoice and be extremely glad." Obviously, the natural reactions of any man to persecution, moreso when wrongly accused is not rejoicing. But you are not natural man but a spiritual being if so be that the Spirit of Christ dwells in you. Rom 8:9.

 *Your reactions as a Spiritual being to persecution should be rejoicing, because your reward in heaven is great.* 

Paul said he takes pleasure in persecutions for Jesus' sake. What do you take pleasure in? 

 *PRAYER FOCUS* 

1. Lord, give me the grace to see persecution as an opportunity to accumulate more reward for myself in heaven. Help me to rejoice even in the face of persecution. 

Bible Reading : Matt. 5:1-12.


CIA CAMPUS MOVEMENT PUBLICATION, +233241109074, +233558355977 https://hisvoicedevotional.blogspot.com

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