In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

-2 Timothy 3:12

Have you been persecuted after accepting Jesus into your heart and living for him?  Well, the Word of God promises us that if we are trying to live a Godly life, we will be persecuted for it!  Many people tend to think that living for the Lord is going to result in less persecution and in fact it is the exact opposite!  If you think that you are living for God, yet you are not even slightly being persecuted for it, then you might want to question whether you have truly been filled with the Holy Spirit and if you are truly living your life for God.  Many so-called “Christians” claim they are believers in Jesus and they masquerade in sheep clothing, claiming they are one of the flock!  Yet when push comes to shove they do not hold up if persecution comes their way, instead they flee!  And as true believers in Jesus we are to be long-suffering, just as the Word says.  We do not run away at the slightest persecution!  Rather, when we are faced with persecution for Jesus, we dig our heels deeper into the Word of God, becoming even more grounded and rooted in our faith in our unshakeable God!  We are flint-faced and unmovable in the middle of adversity!  We cling tighter to the God we know is Real!  And we stand on his word like the Rock of Gibraltar!  This persecution will only refine what is his!  We might be put through the fire for Jesus, but we will not be consumed, we will only be refined and purified into gold fit for His Kingdom!  This persecution will produce in us a godly life for Jesus Christ our Lord!