Our hope in troublesome times

 Daniel 7:25

He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall oppress the saints of the Most High ….

A few years ago I became aware of the testimony of a member of the underground church in China, where the person lamented the fact that the church had not prepared them for martyrdom. The message they had received consistently was that as Christians, they would all be protected from harm, while not realizing that God chooses some to be martyrs for Him. (He blesses all who are persecuted for His sake and holds them in great honour - Matt 5:11). Many Chinese believers then fell away from the faith when serious persecution started.

Daniel is referring to the Antichrist in the verse quoted above, and how he will treat all believers in Jesus at the end of times. The Hebrew word used here for oppress means to wear away; wear out; to harass constantly. At that future stage, the Antichrist will be operating under the full power of Satan himself (Rev 13:4), and we are therefore speaking of the constant, unrelenting demonic harassment of believers during that time.

Jesus warned us that the signs of the end times will present themselves as birth pangs do with pregnant women - the same pain is felt throughout, but with increasing frequency and intensity (Matthew 24:8). We can therefore anticipate that believers everywhere, who are currently already being harassed by the enemy forces to some extent, will be worn down in ever increasing measure, until the worst-case scenario plays out at the end of the age where the saints will be persecuted relentlessly and beheaded when found (Rev 20:4).

Since none of us knows whether we will be martyrs for God or not, it seems prudent to be prepared to face such circumstances. Like soldiers who are trained to be prepared for battle, even if not all are even called into battle. Knowing the tactics the enemy uses against us is crucial if we are to counter them successfully.

In line with the verse from Daniel above, the testimony from many believers coming for inner healing sessions currently, is: I am so tired! What wears out the saints? A few issues were identified by Estell Brink – busyness; unresolved disappointments/offenses; trauma from prolonged sickness; financial delays to fulfil the calling; continued strife/conflict; allurement – what holds your fascination?

Stephen, as he was being stoned to death (Acts 7:56), saw a wonderful vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of the Father - waiting to welcome him home. He showed us that our hope ultimately lies in Jesus our Saviour, no matter what the circumstances, because He will never leave us, nor forsake us! The end-time church will be singing love songs to Him, even under persecution, which will be totally beyond the comprehension of the rest of the world who rages against Him!

Points to ponder:  Look for areas in your life that would hinder your faith in difficult situations. What wears you out? What pulls your eyes away from beholding Him? What can you do now to prepare for challenging times of persecution that might come your way?

In Christ alone my hope is found