Praying God's great and precious promise: Blessing for Persecution

Praying God’s great and precious promises over our spouse, children, and loved ones.  Today’s promise is BLESSING FOR PERSECUTION.  Matthew 5:11, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
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Did you know that as we step out boldly in front for His namesake, as our children courageously speak about the Father in school with their peers, as our spouse shares the name of Jesus with co-workers that we open up an opportunity for the Good News of Jesus Christ to save someone but we also open up the door of possibility for persecution.  To boldly and courageously speak about the saving grace and mercy of Jesus can bring on undeserved criticism, insults, and even people who want to smear your reputation in the dirt.  Some people will strive to bring trouble to you.  We must be aware that persecution can and will come to our effort of spreading the name of Jesus.  But during those times of persecution, we must intentionally train ourselves to focus on the first part of this scripture which is a promise from God, which can read something like this: Blessed are you when co-workers and peers insult and condemn you for talking about Jesus; blessed are you when people try to smear your reputation for sharing the Good News; blessed are you when the public falsely says all kinds of evil about you because of the name of Jesus. During these times, God promises to supremely bless you!
 
Father, what a beautiful promise for a hard experience to go through.  I do not want my reputation undeservedly lied about and smeared and I definitely do not want my spouse, my children and my loved ones to have their reputation lied about and smeared because of the name of Jesus; because of being the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth. I do not want us to be insulted and criticized for Your namesake but I do know we cannot avoid it on this side of Heaven; we cannot avoid the darkness that is on this earth so, Lord, I thank You for strengthening my spouse, my children, my loved ones during these very difficult times of persecution; during the times when they boldly speak of Your goodness, Your saving grace; when they boldly love people for Your namesake; when they boldly speak Your name at work, at school, or anywhere they may speak Your name.  Lord, teach us how to not be offended during these trying times.  Lord, help our children who walk through persecution for Your namesake to rise up above the insults, the lies. Teach us to turn our eyes and heart to Your promise of blessing us during these times, supremely blessing us, extremely and enormously blessing us.  I thank You that we all can trust that if people lie about us for Your namesake that it is a matter of time before You bring forth the truth.  We do not need to be offended or retaliate with unkind words. We do not need to rehearse their lies and insults in our head.  We instead can praise You and know You promise blessings upon us for stepping out in faith for Your namesake. We love You, Lord, and pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen
 
I want to end with The Message version of Matthew 5:11-12, “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit Me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.”
 
I am celebrating and cheering with you as you go forth and boldly speak the name of Jesus!