Even If i Walk Alone

Finding Hope in Times of Persecution

June 1, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

During times of trial and persecution, finding hope can be elusive. You trust God and desire to persevere, but discouragement is bound to set in. When these times come, never forget God is able to restore all things. His grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:9). Throughout the Word of God, we see the Lord’s care and provision for those who claim Him as their King.

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Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” This is the same God, the unchanging God, who is with you no matter what you might be experiencing. He is your strength, and He is your hope.

Never Alone

May 29, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

Much of persecution aims to make us feel isolated and alone. God designed us to live in community with Him and one another, so being ostracized can cause great stress for most people. That is why going with the crowd rarely leads to any persecution. So long as you are in the flow, the world will readily accept you and you’ll be relatively safe.

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As soon as you swim against the tide, however, you can easily feel like you are the only person fighting the battle. Isolation is mentally wearing on us, and those who would persecute you will do everything to exploit this. The good news is that in Christ, we are never alone. That’s not some spiritual triteness, it is a Biblical certainty in which we can find comfort, rest, peace, and hope.

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Resist the Devil

May 25, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

Continuing in our series of how we can prepare for persecution, today we want to look at how we can resist the Devil and stand firm in the faith. As we discovered in “Prepare for Persecution,” the way to prepare for the physical and mental persecution awaiting each of us is to first prepare spiritually.

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We can never stand up to the trials of this world unless we see beyond the physical world into what is happening in the spiritual realm. If you are spiritually weak, you will never stand up to physical abuse. Without the proper spiritual foundation, you will crack under the mental manipulation you will face.

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Sober-Minded and Alert

May 22, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

As we discussed in Prepare for Persecution, the first step in preparing for persecution, according to 1 Peter 5:8-9, is to be sober-minded and alert. This probably conjures up some ideas in your mind, but what are some practical things we can do to cultivate this in our lives? Remaining vigilant is a discipline that needs to be honed and strengthened over time.

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We don’t wake up one day and suddenly live with greater focus and attention. The first thing we need to do is understand the signs of this age and recognize the urgency of these times in which we find ourselves. Most of us have never had to worry about persecution and cannot grasp the reality or inevitability of it. Let me state it plainly. Persecution is coming; Jesus promises it will (John 16:33).

Prepare for Persecution

May 18, 2023 by Tim Sherfy

What is certain, but not being preached from many pulpits today, is that persecution is coming. Why pastors are not preparing their flocks for the coming trouble is beyond me. I listen to sermons from various churches constantly as I seek to learn and understand more about God and His Word. What I’m not hearing from most pulpits (thankfully, there are a few exceptions) is an urgency to repent and prepare for what is coming.

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There is no talk of how to prepare for persecution, and resources on the topic seem scarce. But Jesus told us the world will persecute us because of His name (John 15:20-21; Matthew 24:9). Because most of us live in places where persecution has not been a reality in our lives, we’ve become lazy, blind to the signs of this age (Matthew 24:3-31), and so comfortable in this world that we are ill-prepared for the coming persecution.