Shooting Straight, Part 14--Letter Links: In Denial of Persecution

April 12, 2005

Table of Contents

(ML #3538, GN 1129)

FD/MM/FM September 2004

The Knock On The Door Dream

ML #1067:87, 112, 116, 140-141, 150, 177; Vol.9

87. [This dream] MADE ME THINK SERIOUSLY & PRAY ABOUT ALWAYS BEING PREPARED FOR ANY EVENTUALITY & any heavy–handed knock at the door which could represent the authorities with some important message for you or warning or even investigation, questioning, search, etc., such as I dreamed about one time in that famous dream, "The Empty Wind" about a search of the house & so on. (See No.367.) So you should always be prepared for such a thing if it should happen.

112. IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO BE READY FOR THAT KNOCK AT THE DOOR! Whatever happens, be ready with your hospitality & cheerfulness & cooperation & answers to questions. Be sure that you always have the answers ready & that they are honest as can be.—Tell the truth!

116. Peter tells us to "be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the faith that is in you" (1Pet. 3:15)—as well as the reason for a lot of other things, why you're here & how come you've been here so long & what are you doing passing out literature & asking for money, etc. You'd better always have an answer ready for all these things & be prepared that if your answers don't satisfy them, or if they don't like the answers, they may ask you at least to leave.

140. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS BE PREPARED FOR THESE POSSIBILITIES & EVENTUALITIES, your Home tight & secure & nothing that's going to blow in the wind & get you in trouble. Everyone's papers & passports & visas should be in order, stamps in order & up–to-date so that even one careless neglectful member of the Home does not get the others in trouble because of his negligence & failure to renew his passport in time or to get his proper stamp or whatever it may be.

141. IN OUR HOME WE ALWAYS MAKE SOMEONE WHO HAS SOME MANAGERIAL ABILITY & A LITTLE AUTHORITY to frequently have at least a monthly passport check, check the expiration date of your passport itself, check your stamps‚ make sure they are in order & you're not overdue for a visa trip, & also to check & make sure each time you leave the house that you have sufficient funds in case you're stopped to show money.

150. IT'S WISE TO MAKE THESE PREPARATIONS, discuss them & have Godly counsel & advice on it & be prepared for such a knock on the door, so that when it comes you are all ready for it & you'll know exactly what to do. You've already discussed it & decided what preparations you're going to make and what consequently you're going to do.

177. GBAKY always ready!

Contingency Plans

ML #1104:1–10‚ 15-19, 25-28, DB 7

1. (Dad:) We need to look at the sober side of things sometimes, & not be ignorant of the Devil‚ the Enemy, & his devices, but always be prepared to give an ANSWER‚ have an answer & to have a PLAN if possible. We don't know WHAT the future holds‚ but we know WHO holds the future! Hallelujah!

2. You can get a false sense of security & suddenly—boom!—Then you wish you had PLANNED or counted on something ELSE & had kept some OTHER options open & had some OTHER alternatives planned. I think that's what you all need to always remember.

3. We have always tried to do that regarding our housing & our locations everywhere we have been. We've always thought, "Well, now, if we had to leave here, where would we go?"—And we studied travel books & tours & places & countries & their rules & regulations & all kinds of things, always trying to keep in mind that if we had to flee at a moment's notice we would have some idea of where would be a good place to go to next.

4. So just in case something comes along to upset YOUR nice little status quo, what are YOUR plans? What do you have planned as your next move?—And where?—And how?

5. And there'll probably be some reason why you'll have to move. That's not at all unlikely or improbable. It's not only POSSIBLE‚ but it's quite probable‚ because you are aliens & foreigners & non-citizens, etc. Sooner or later you are going to find that it's getting a bit HOT!

6. What I would like you to do is make out a list of suggestions & plans, what they commonly call CONTINGENCY PLANS. In other words, in case something doesn't work, what else would you try? It's better to have it & not need it than need it & not have it, so you'd better be prepared! …

7. I want to shake you out of any false sense of security & remind you we have no security except in the Lord & we cannot trust Man whose breath is in his nostrils!—Isa.2:22. We are in a dangerous business! We are probably hated almost worse than any religious group on the face of the Earth!

8. Beloved, you've really got to conform to the way they do things & the way they want you to live or else! When they don't like you, don't want you‚ they will pick any kind of little speck of anything as an excuse to get rid of you! It often takes but only ONE person who is mad enough & ornery enough to do it!—One person who goes & complains to the authorities, & they have to act on the complaint. A lot of times the authorities will overlook situations, if nobody complains, but it only takes ONE complaint, then they have to do their job & carry it out & enforce the law.

9. So to stay free, as I've always said, requires ETERNAL VIGILANCE—the price of freedom! Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom! Thank the Lord we HAVE eternal security‚ spiritually, but on this Earth, physically, we have eternal INsecurity, & you'd better remember it!—And not get TOO settled down & let the roots grow down too deep where you can't tear them out in a hurry if you have to, or cut them off & leave them behind!

10. I've left houses & lands & goods behind many times to save my LIFE! ... I have myself packed up & my papers where I could throw things in my suitcase, in my briefcase in a few minutes, & be gone! I can do it real fast—could you?

15. Our authorities in our Family ought to be concerned about every area & every country & ought to be reading everything they can get on the local situation.

16. I comb the newspapers nearly every day. You can catch a lot of new things, you can catch ideas about which way the wind's blowing‚ how the government's going & what they are doing about this or that & the other & what the attitude is, & atmosphere in that country, its attitude toward strangers, & a lot of times you will find things in there about what they are going to do. We got a lot of tips & hints out of how the courts were dealing with cases & visas & all kinds of things.

17. Small towns in the country are the worst places in the World to try to [be unnoticed]!—Because out in the country in small towns, they know everything that is going on. The best place in the World to get lost is a big, big, city, where nobody knows anybody & couldn't care less, that's the place to get lost!

18. We were real cautious about how we [left] places. The whole mob of us didn't disappear over night. We went out in easy stages. We just [left] one by one‚ two by two, until finally there were only two people left!

19. Beloved, you had better be prepared … to answer all possible questions. How ready are you, how packed up, & how sorted out have you got your goods & papers so that if you men had to pick up & leave in a hurry—you can just pick up & vamoose!

25. "They confessed that they were PILGRIMS & STRANGERS on the Earth. For they sought a city whose builder & maker is God. Therefore, God was not ashamed to be called their God."—Heb.11:13‚10,16.

26. That's almost the only time in the whole Bible where it almost as good as says God is PROUD of you! Because you are willing, in other words, to be PILGRIMS & STRANGERS & KEEP MOVING for His Work's sake & His Message, move whenever He says move, stop when He says stop, & go when He says go. We're mobile messengers!—And we wouldn't have reached the World with the Message if we hadn't been. Take this warning seriously & heed it, to prepare & be always prepared, to move at a moment's notice.

27. We are vagabonds & pilgrims & strangers & Gypsies, but those people have lasted the longest when many other securer nations & empires have been completely wiped out!

28. Help them, Lord, to be faithful today, not to worry but trust You! You don't have to WORRY about tomorrow, but He didn't say not to make PLANS for tomorrow.—Amen? So make the plans! Plan NOW!—TODAY!—TOMORROW will be TOO LATE!

With Persecutions

ML #1967:1-22, 32-34, 55-64, DB 8

1. WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW RELIGIOUS OUTFITS IN THE WHOLE WORLD THAT IS REALLY ON THE ATTACK FOR JESUS! We are invading the Devil's territory! We are attacking the gates of Hell & we are winning! (Mat.16:18)—Winning souls & winning citizens from his kingdom! And Satan hates us for it, therefore he attacks us on every hand, every way he possibly can, to try to stop us!—But he can't stop us! Hallelujah!

2. PEOPLE ASK ME‚ "WHY DO YOU MAKE SO MANY ENEMIES?—Why do they hate you so?" I usually answer, "For the same reason they hated Jesus & finally killed Him!"—We preach the Truth, we tell it like it is! In fact, we have told it by the millions to the billions!

3. JESUS SAID, "IF I HAD NOT COME & SPOKEN UNTO THEM, THEY HAD NOT HAD SIN. BUT NOW THEY HAVE NO CLOAK FOR THEIR SIN!" (Jn.15:22) And that's why the very ones who should have been His friends‚ who were supposed to be of His same religion, the Scribes, Pharisees & Chief Priests, were the ones who killed Him!—Because He exposed their self-righteous hypocrisy!

4. THE COMMON PEOPLE LIKED JESUS. When He went out & mingled with & preached to the drunks & the harlots, the publicans & the sinners‚ it says "the common people heard Him gladly!" (Mk.12:37) But when He went into the churches of His day, they mobbed Him & threw Him out & finally crucified Him! The jealous‚ envious, covetous religious leaders saw themselves losing flocks & lambs & converts, & as a result, money, wealth & power, which is what the religious leaders usually love most! (See John 11:47,48.)

5. THERE'S NO WAY THE ANTI-CHRIST, ANTI-TRUTH FORCES OF THIS WORLD CAN FIGHT THE TRUTH EXCEPT BY TRYING TO STOP THE TRUTH-GIVER! This is what they did to Jesus & His disciples & every Prophet of God or man of God that's ever risen to speak the Truth! If people don't yield to the Lord & they harden their hearts against your message from the Lord, naturally they're going to harden their hearts against you too!—If they harden their hearts against Him, they will harden their hearts against those who are preaching His Words!

6. THEY SAY TRUE LOVE NEVER RUNS SMOOTH, & THE SAME IS TRUE OF THE TRUE KINGDOM OF GOD & THE PREACHING OF ITS TRUTH! Living for the Lord & the Truth is never going to be all roses & no thorns! We are bound to suffer some persecution! Jesus virtually promised it to everyone who forsakes all to follow Him!—"Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or brothers, or sisters‚ or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My sake, & the Gospel's, but he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, with persecutions; and in the World to come Eternal Life!" (Mark 10:29,30)

7. IF YOU NEVER SUFFER ANY PERSECUTION OR HAVE ANY TROUBLE, YOU MUST NOT BE DOING ANYTHING! Because the Bible says that "all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution!" (2Tim.3:12)—Jesus even said, "Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you, for so did their fathers to the false prophets!" (Lk.6:26) If everything is always so smooth & you never have any problems or persecution & all men think well of you, you're not living Godly in Christ Jesus!

8. JESUS SAID, "THE DISCIPLE IS NOT ABOVE HIS MASTER, & IF THEY HAVE PERSECUTED ME, THEY WILL ALSO PERSECUTE YOU!" (Mt.10:24; Jn.15:20) Jesus Himself, the perfect, sinless Son of God, was accused by the religionists of His day of being a demon-possessed false prophet, a mad man & a deceiver, a seditionist & a law-breaker, a glutton, drunk & friend of sinners & harlots & a destroyer of the true faith! (Mk.3:21,22; Lk.7:34; 23:2; Jn.7:12,20; 8:48,52; 10:20; 11:47,48) He was terribly persecuted & finally crucified for telling the Truth & giving the World God's Love!

9. IN FACT, NEARLY EVERY GREAT RELIGIOUS LEADER, REFORMER & REVOLUTIONIST HAS BEEN VILIFIED & SUFFERED PERSECUTION, IMPRISONMENT & DEATH, usually at the hands of the opposing religions! But that's Christianity—to tell the Truth even when it hurts! 'Cause when you tell some people the Truth‚ it hurts, & if they don't receive it they'll turn around & hurt you!

10. JUST TAKE A LOOK AT HISTORY!—Read the Bible!—Most of the Prophets seemed to wind up virtually alone & figured nobody was left but them! Elijah thought he was the last one. (1Kings.19:10,14) When they tossed Jeremiah in the pit‚ he thought he was the last one. (Jer.38:4-6) Most of the Prophets were lonely men, they didn't have too many friends. The one thing they always had plenty of was enemies!

11. IF THE GOVERNMENT WASN'T AFTER THEM, THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM WAS! All the way from the Prophets of old up to the more recent men of God like Martin Luther, Savonarola‚ John Knox, Tyndale & some of the rest of those fellows, they had to give up their lives so others could have the Truth! Every last one of them fought the System of their day, the false religious system!—And nearly every last one of them got it in the neck for it! But as a result, you're here today hearing the Truth of God!

12. SO WE'RE IN A DANGEROUS BUSINESS! But being a Christian is always dangerous if you're a real Christian! The Devil is not asleep, he hasn't quit, he hasn't given up! He & his people are still after God's people, & they still hate us & still want to stop us, because we're exposing them to the whole World! And they are furious with us just like they were with all the Prophets, Apostles & Reformers of the past!

13. SO IF YOU REALLY WANT TO LIVE FOR JESUS & STAND UP FOR THE TRUTH, THEY YOU'D BETTER "COUNT THE COST"! (Lk.14:28)—"For we are not warring against flesh & blood, but against principalities‚ against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this World, against spiritual wickedness in high places!" (Eph.6:12) In the Spirit World there is a constant great battle being waged between God's forces & the Devil's evil angels.

14. AND YOU CAN'T GO INVADING THE DEVIL'S TERRITORY, FREEING CAPTIVES & LIBERATING SOULS FROM HIS CLUTCHES WITHOUT MAKING HIM MAD! When you attack the Enemy to start taking over his territory, he doesn't just take it, he tries to hit back & fight back by stirring up his anti-God forces!

15. "OH, BUT ISN'T THIS THE 20TH CENTURY, A CIVILIZED AGE, AREN'T THINGS DIFFERENT NOW?"—No, they're not! The Devil is just as evil as ever & his people are just as vicious as ever, & they're just as bitter enemies of God as ever & they're after God's children as much as the inquisition was, or the Roman persecutors were, or the Pharisees were etc.!—All the way down through history it hasn't changed a bit!

16. AND JUST AS IT WAS WITH JESUS‚ OUR BITTEREST ENEMIES TODAY ARE THOSE THAT OUGHT TO BE OUR FRIENDS!—The religious people who are supposed to know the Gospel & are supposed to love the lost, they're the ones who attack us the worst! Think of it!

17. WHEN WE STARTED OFF, OUR VERY LIVES EXPOSED THE CHURCHES & THEIR HYPOCRISY & their failure to witness, & they hated us from the start, from the very beginning!—Because we were doing what they said couldn't be done & what they refused to do!—And we told the truth about them & exposed them!—And they were furious & tried to crush us! We ripped away their disguises, their sheep's clothing, & revealed the wolves that they really were beneath!

18. I'VE HAD THEM ACTUALLY PICK ME UP BODILY & THROW ME OUT the door of their church buildings just because I quoted'm Scripture!—Scriptures which contradicted the lies that they were teaching the people! They didn't want to hear the Truth‚ they shut their ears, & like they did to Stephen, they ran upon me! (See Acts 7:51-60.)

MATTHEW 10:36ers & THE MODERN INQUISITION!

19. ANOTHER SOURCE OF PERSECUTION THAT OFTEN COMES UP IS FROM THE FAMILIES & RELATIVES OF THOSE WHO WANT TO BE HIS DISCIPLES. God allows such divisions in families as one of the first & greatest tests for those who choose to follow Him!—To see if they really are serious & dedicated to Him above all else! Jesus said, "A man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: & he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me." (Mt.10:35-37)

20. SOME POOR MISGUIDED PARENTS EVEN THINK THAT WE ARE THE WORST THINGS ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH & accuse us of robbing them of their children‚ robbing their children of their old faith, brainwashing their minds & transforming their personalities! Well, we've done no such thing!—Jesus does it! Praise God! He's the one who washes their formerly filthy minds & cleans them up inside & out!—And changes their personalities into sweet‚ loving, kind‚ obedient servants of God trying to help others! God's changed them!

21. BUT SOME PARENTS WOULD RATHER HAVE THEM BACK THE WAY THEY USED TO BE.—Even if it's taking drugs, involved in vice & crime etc.! Some very misled parents have become so infuriated & embarrassed & ashamed before others that their child has not done what they wanted them to do, that they've gone to the extreme of actually forcibly kidnapping their own child in an attempt to force them to renounce their new faith & go back to their old ways!

22. SOME HAVE EVEN GONE SO FAR AS TO FORM ORGANIZATIONS TO FIGHT AGAINST US! The funny thing about it is that many of the kids had left home long before they came to us & were wandering around the World footloose & fancy free, into drugs, crime & absolutely worthless living!—And it was perfectly all right with their parents for them to live for the Devil, but for them to join a religious "sect" or "cult," whatever it is they call us, that's another story!

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW PERSECUTION?

32. THIS PRINCIPLE IS TRUE OF ALL PERSECUTION: Opposition has to arise to separate the sheep from the goats, to separate the wheat from the tares, & to put the pressure on so that the weak ones will go back & only the good fruit will remain! (Mat.13:24-30) This is one of the main reasons God allows it—it's persecution with a purpose! It's good for you because it "purges, purifies & makes white." (Dan.11:35; 12:10)

33. IF THERE WAS NEVER AN OPPONENT, AN OPPOSING SIDE‚ God's people would never be tried & tested & given any opposition to have any kind of a battle in which they have to call on God to help them!—And it's in this that God gets the glory! (Psa.107:28) He allows Satan to lead the opposition‚ to try & test & persecute His people. But then when they call on God, the Lord always gets the victory & always defeats the Devil! "All things work together for good to them that love the Lord," & He even "causes the wrath of man to praise Him!" Hallelujah! (Rom.8:28; Psa.76:10)

34. OF COURSE, THIS DOESN'T MEAN YOU SHOULD GO OUT SEEKING PERSECUTION! For God's sake, use your heads & don't ever go out of your way to be obnoxious & objectionable & unbearable to where the authorities have got to do something to get rid of you! Jesus & Paul taught that you are to obey the government, "obey the powers that be" (Rom.13), obey the officers of the law, & "agree with your adversary quickly while your are in the way with him; lest the adversary deliver thee to the judge, & the Judge deliver thee to the officer, & thou be cast into prison!" (Mt.5:25)

"VENGEANCE IS MINE!"

55. AND THOUGH GOD ALLOWS PERSECUTION TO GET HIS CHILDREN SCATTERED OUT TO OTHER FIELDS WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED, boy, does He sock it to their enemies for doing it! Just read down through history & the Bible! He often has to let His people suffer a little while, but it does them good & it does His work good.—But then He rolls right over their enemies & grinds them to powder every time! (Mt.21:44)

56. GOD MOVES KIND OF SLOWLY, BUT HE MOVES VERY THOROUGHLY, & when He's finished accomplishing His purpose through His enemies, His judgments will fall! He let Jesus' enemies continue for another 37 years after they crucified Him, to fill up their cup of iniquity! They had cried, "Let His blood be upon us & upon our children" (Mt.27:25)—& that's exactly what happened 37 years after they crucified their Messiah! The Romans crucified over one million Jews throughout all Israel! They had one-hundred-&-some–thousand Jews hanging on crosses around the city of Jerusalem & 2000 were cremated in their Temple!

57. JESUS SAID, "WHOSOEVER SHALL NOT RECEIVE YOU NOR HEAR YOUR WORDS, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Verily I say unto you‚ it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom & Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city!" (Mt.10:14,15) At least with Sodom & Gomorrah it was over real quick, but the Jews have been tortured, hounded & persecuted for 2000 years, because they rejected their Messiah, Jesus Christ!

58. "STAND BACK & SEE ME FIGHT, SAITH THE LORD; for this is not thy battle‚ but Mine! Vengeance is Mine, I will repay!" (Ex.14:13,14; Rom.12:19) Just put your enemies into the hands of God & see what happens! He says, "Touch not My anointed, & do My prophets no harm; for he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of Mine eye!" (Ps.105:15; Deut.32:10) They're sticking their finger in God's eye, so they'd better look out!

59. SO DON'T EVER WORRY OR DESPAIR ABOUT OUR ENEMIES & THEIR PERSECUTIONS! (Mt.10:28) God will take care of them!—And they'll never be able to stop us! In spite of all they have tried to do against us, we're still here & still going strong, stronger than ever‚ in more countries with more Homes than ever‚ & continuing to progress & accomplish more & win more millions of souls every year! Thank You Jesus!

60. GOD ONCE TOLD US, "THEY CAN'T STOP OUR RAIN!" (ML#128) We're like the rain coming down from Heaven, & our enemies are so foolish! They're running around frantically trying to hold up the rain to keep it from raining!—That's how silly it is to try to stop us! Because it's the Truth, it's God's Work, it's God's Word, it's God's Love, it's Jesus!—And Jesus is the Great Conqueror! Nothing can stop Him!

61. THEY'LL NEVER BE ABLE TO STOP US! We'll keep on going & we'll keep on winning & prospering & propagating & multiplying until Jesus comes, because that's His purpose! They could kill any one of us, or even a lot of us, & God's Work would still go on, because He's our Leader, & they can't beat Him no matter how hard they try!

62. BESIDES, THEY CAN NEVER DESTROY ALL OF US, any more than the mighty Roman Empire with all its valiant legions could destroy the hunted little Christians of the Early Church! They were like the many-headed monster of mythology, of which it was fabled that every time you cut off one of its heads, two more grew up in its place! The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the true Church, & the more they kill, the more will take their place!

63. SO EVEN IF THEY DO SUCCEED IN DESTROYING A FEW OF US to immortalize us & inspire us, God will raise up many, many more to take each of our places! They're fighting a losing battle!—In fact, they will not only lose‚ but if they bother us too much, God will turn on them & destroy them!

64. "IF THIS WORK WERE OF MAN, IT WOULD COME TO NOUGHT!—But if it be of God, no man is able to stand against it!—Lest they be found to fight against God!" (Acts 5:38,39) Whatever is of God, no power on Earth can stop! As Martin Luther said, "We will not fear, for God hath willed, His Truth to triumph through us!" We cannot lose! It is impossible to defeat us!—Our enemies are already doomed & damned to defeat & Hell! Hallelujah! "They can't stop our rain!"—It's God's "going into all the World," preaching the Good News of His Love to every creature!—For He is with you! God bless you!

Fear Thou Not, For I Am With Thee

ML #2591:31-54, DB 10

31. The 'ol Boogie Man is after you, & you need to watch out & watch your step. But you don't need to be afraid. Don't get paranoid, don't worry. You can plan & prepare & face the facts & just be sensible & try to avoid his snares & traps, but keep your eyes on the Lord, don't get too concerned or worried about things. Amen?

32. The Lord protects us pretty well, thank the Lord. But we need to do our part & use a little common sense. Do what you can to get the situation under control, & whatever you can't get under control, the Lord has to get under control. That's where you have to trust the Lord, that He'll take care of His Own. But He expects you to do what you can towards trying to take care of yourself. He doesn't always do everything for us.

33. You have to give Him your cooperation & do what you can. For example‚ you can "walk in wisdom toward them that are without."—Col.4:5. He'll do what He can to protect & keep you, but you can tighten up your own family's security‚ tighten up your personal family, your legal relationship‚ & make sure you have your legal paperwork in order for yourself & your children, etc.

34. There are a lot of little catches & snags & thorns & hooks on which you might get hung if you don't watch your step with the System & make sure you've done what you can to see that your personal situation is as secure as possible. You should at least make sure that your children are safe & your family set-up is as legal & safe & protected from harm & from the dangers of the Enemy's attacks as you can get it.

"WATCH & PRAY!"—Mat.26:41

35. One of the best ways to avoid or prevent any kind of serious problems & troubles is to pray without ceasing. Keep close to the Lord & constantly claiming the protection of the Lord, always asking the Lord to keep you, & bless & protect you, because lots of things can happen that are totally beyond your control‚ but not the Lord's!

36. So the main thing to do is live close to the Lord and trust Him and avoid the conditions under which such things can happen as much as you possibly can. Avoid taking any unnecessary chances and avoid dangerous conditions and encounters whenever possible. The Devil will take advantage of any situation that he can, especially if you're not real prayerful, watchful and cautious, so don't let him have the chance! Stay close to the Lord and in His Will and obey His Word.—And use your head and a little common sense!

37. "Men ought always to pray & not to faint" (Luk.18:1), God's Word says. And He says, "Pray without ceasing!"—1Th.5:17. Jesus said "Watch & pray!" (Mat.26:41), He didn't say that for no reason. He not only knew you would need it, but it's one way the Lord has of trying to keep you close to Him, in His presence continually, & constantly dependent upon Him & His protection & provision.

38. We need to "Be sober, be vigilant, because our adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about‚ seeking whom he may devour."—1Pet.5:8. You've really gotta watch out for the Devil and his outfit! They've got all kinds of ideas, and as I used to say, as many different tactics as a dog has fleas! But what can we do to try to prevent them? We can't always prevent their attacks, but in order to try to prevent their accusations and charges from sticking or our getting caught in their clutches or our children getting taken away from us, we should certainly do all that we can to avoid their snares and traps.

39. Of course, your best protection is to stay strong in the Lord & the Word & in prayer & the Spirit & don't allow the Enemy any openings or opportunities to annoy you or cause you trouble. Jesus Himself said‚ "A strong man armed keepeth his goods in peace!"—Luk.11:21. What did Jesus mean by that? To be strong is to be watchful & to be wise.—Not just strong physically & able to beat him up or shoot him‚ but to be strong in spirit‚ strong in prayer, strong in security, strong in watchfulness!

40. The Lord is merciful, & you usually get a little warning of some kind, the Lord gives you a check of His Spirit to warn you that something is happening or about to happen or may happen. The Lord always gives a warning‚ always! (Amos 3:7) So make sure you're watching & praying & staying in tune with the Lord so you'll be able to receive & heed His checks!

41. "Watch & pray!"—Those are two cardinal rules of taking care of children & shepherding the Lord's sheep! You've got to really watch'm & watch out for everything, & really pray! PTL? God bless & keep you & help you to watch & pray!

42. (Prays:) Lord, help us to always be wise & watchful & prayerful, that we may never be caught napping or sleeping. You've said time & again that we should watch & pray that these things don't come upon us, Lord, unawares without notice or without any preparation. (See Mat.26:41; Mk.13:33; 14:38; Luk.21:36; Eph.6:18; Col.4:2; 1Pet.4:7!)

43. Many times in Your Word, Lord, You said‚ "Watch & pray, watch & pray." We're not only to pray for security, for Thy protection, for safety, Lord, but we are to watch out ourselves. We're to be cautious & watchful & beware or You wouldn't have said, "Watch"! You said for us to be as wise as serpents & as harmless as doves, & to watch out because You were sending us out like sheep in the midst of wolves. (Mat.10:16) So You expect us to use a great deal of wisdom & to be very watchful regarding our own personal security & the security of Thy Work & Thy children. So we ask Thee to help us to be more conscious of it. TYJ!

44. So help us now, Lord, to be constantly on our guard for the Enemy & his wiles & darts & dirty tricks. Guide us by Thy Spirit, warn us, strengthen us, & help us to be aware of his devices. Help us not to allow ourselves to get unnecessarily caught in his traps.

45. We know the Enemy is always ready to take advantage of every unguarded moment when we're not watching or looking or praying or being as cautious & careful & prayerful as we should be, Lord. So help us not to have any unguarded moments, Lord‚ but to guard every moment in prayer & watching‚ being cautious & avoiding any conditions that the Enemy could take advantage of‚ in Jesus' name.

CONDITIONS FOR GOD'S PROTECTION!

46. The Lord spoke to us once & said the reason that certain people were having so much sickness & trouble was because they were running around outside the tower of the Lord's protection & that they were not hiding in the secret place or staying under the Lord's wings. If you really want God's blessing & protection, you've got to stay close to the Lord, like a little chick under the wings of the mother hen; in tune with God & in touch with Him in prayer—really touching God!

47. God cannot protect you, prosper or bless you when you are out of His Will and running around outside of the secret place and from under His shadow, His wings, and the Fortress of perfect fellowship with Him! When you do this, you can no longer claim the protection and defenses of Psalm 91, and He may even let you fall prey to the Enemy, because you're playing around with fire and living so close to Enemy territory!

48. As long as you keep trying to please the Lord & obey & stay in His Will & are doing your best to serve Him‚ He'll do His best to take care of you. But if you go running off your own way, doing your own thing, He's no longer responsible. It's only when you abide within the tower of His Will under His wings, that you can expect His protection.

49. We are engaged in a spiritual warfare with Satan himself, & if you want to win the battles & stay free to serve the Lord, you'd better keep in tune & in touch with the Holy Spirit & on God's territory all the time & close to His Word & in the right spirit & constantly in prayer, seeking the Lord & praying for His protection & His help & thanking Him constantly for His blessings, & staying mighty close to the Lord!—Or you're going to be singed by that old fire–breathing Dragon! If you go running around outside of the tower of God's protection & the holy place of His Will, that old Devil's going to be on your trail & try to give you all kinds of trouble!

50. If you get rebellious & disobedient & out of touch with the Lord, watch out, because that's when the Devil gets in touch with you or some member of your family! That's his privilege if you run outside the Lord's protection.

51. (Prays:) Thank You for Thy protection, Lord!—Protecting us in spite of all the Enemy may try to do. "Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."—Psa.127:1. We know You'll continue to keep us if we continue to do what's right & we obey.

52. Thank You that You're always watching us‚ You never take Your eye off of us lest we get in trouble! TYJ! You keep us out of all kinds of trouble. TYL! The only trouble You ever let us get into, Lord, is usually what we deserve. If after several warnings we insist on going our own way & not obeying, being careless or prayerless, You let something happen just to teach us a lesson. But Lord, help this not to happen too often.

53. Help each one of us to stay close to You, Jesus, in the center of Thy Will. Then we know we're in the center of Thy protection & provision & blessing & usefulness, & we have no problems, nothing to worry about. We can trust You utterly by faith because we know we're being obedient & doing Thy Will. And that's all we can do, Lord, the rest is up to You.

54. We have to trust You a great deal to do what we can't do. We can't do everything, but You can. But we can do our part, Lord, & our best, & cooperate with Thee & not be careless or unmindful, unwatchful, unprayerful. So help us, Lord, to do what we can, in Jesus' name.

Persecution—As God Sees It

ML #2828, DB 11

1. (Dad: ) I have such detailed dreams sometimes, it's amazing! For some reason we were in the downtown area of some city and we'd been invited to look at some things in a jewelry and watch shop. We were looking at watches, but then the jeweler brought out this special art piece that was really amazing! It was like an old antique, all solid gold, and you could hold it in your hand. I'd say it was about a foot high and maybe four inches wide. It had a background of pillars, and on the front of it were these figurines‚ figures of people, that seemed to be carved or cast in gold.

2. The figure at the top was a man, rather large and tall, and he was holding a strap in his hand above his head‚ like a weapon! The middle figure was a beautiful, rather fragile-looking woman dressed in one of those Grecian gowns, and she had her arms around the man at the top‚ clinging to him, as though seeking his protection. And this big man was glaring at a third figure down below, which was another man who seemed to be pursuing the woman. It seemed like the first big tall fellow in the background was protecting the woman from this other man. My impression was that the man pursuing her was her enemy and the large man at the top—who symbolized God—was defending her from her ex–husband or whoever he was. The other guy down at the bottom looked almost like a little devil or some demon trying to grab her.

3. This was all worked into the fine art of a gold carving! I can remember particularly the eyes of the big man that were glaring down at the other man. He had a big strap in his hand, like he was going to beat the other man if he didn't get away from the woman! And the gold framework was beautiful, like pillars in a Greek garden. It was a marvelous work of art; I've never seen anything like it, it was just beautiful!—Made of gold and yet some of it was jeweled insets, like the different colored flower blossoms, and God's eyes were two bright blazing jewels! He was big and powerful and looked like one of Michelangelo's statues, a very strong, muscular man! His hair was up in a big sort of bunch, flying, and He was looking down with His great face in great wrath!

4. The woman was clinging to Him, very much afraid of the other man who was trying to grab her, but I had the impression that God was going to protect her and not let the other man get her. The man below was grabbing for her and trying to pull her away from God—and the impression was that God was her new Husband.

5. It could be a picture of our persecutions, the woman being like the Church—us! (Maria: And God was angry.) Very angry! His eyes were bulging and glaring with anger as He looked at this other man in real wrath! And He had this big strap raised in His hand like He was about to strike him if he didn't let go.

6. The jeweler had handed this piece to us and said we might be interested. It was very old and a real classic work of art. That could be symbolic that there's nothing new about persecution. The Devil's always been chasing the Church and the Lord's always been protecting her. It was like God and the woman were in the garden, and this other bad man was trying to take her away. And God had His arm raised, ready to strike this bad guy‚ this fiend, with a big heavy razor strap or belt. I had the distinct impression she had belonged to the other guy, but now she belonged to this Godlike image.

7. It's almost like we should look at persecution like a beautiful golden work of art‚ very valuable, very much to be cherished, something very precious. I guess that's the way the Lord looks on our persecution.

8. The jeweler was telling us, "This is a very valuable piece and something very precious!" He said that we would like it. (Maria: And you did!) I was just fascinated by it! It was so real and so beautiful! I'd never seen such a beautiful work of art!

9. That must be how God looks at persecution! To Him it's a beautiful antique work of art—solid gold, precious, very valuable‚ studded with precious stones! He does speak of us coming through our trials as gold. "When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold!" (Job 23:10). And "the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold" (1Pet.1:7). It was like an illustration of His protection and His wrath against our Enemy, the man at the bottom of the picture being symbolic of the Devil and his followers who are fighting God's work! It was obvious that the woman was going to be perfectly safe in God's arms. Her arms were around His waist, and His right arm was raised in wrath with this strap. Of all things, I never thought of God using a strap! It was like He wasn't going to necessarily kill our enemies, but He was really going to chastise them. And His left arm was around her.

10. It was a beautiful piece and I was admiring it and just marveling at its beauty, like, "Oh, we couldn't afford a thing like this! This is too priceless and precious. It must be very expensive." We don't think we can afford the persecution, but God's put it right in our hand, just like a valuable possession, something to be really treasured! It's like the way God looks at persecution, and we have nothing to fear; He's going to protect us and He's going to use that strap on the bad guys!

11. It was solid gold‚ very heavy‚ colored with brilliant colored jewels! It was a precious piece to be treasured and admired, extremely precious, just like it was priceless! In a sense, the application is that we are to treasure these experiences, these persecutions. To God they're priceless, precious golden treasures—more precious than gold, He says. How can it be more precious than gold? Well, it had jewels in it. Persecutions were to literally be treasured as priceless, precious works of art!

12. Think of that! That's how God looks at these persecutions: That persecutions are not to be feared or regretted, but to be admired and treasured! They're priceless treasures to Him, because they're bringing out your pure gold value, as works of art.

13. It was … as though we shouldn't look on [the jeweler and his people] entirely as enemies. They were showing us this gorgeous work of art. They were instrumental in bringing it to us and putting it in my hand.—Like the Lord sent it, even if the Devil did bring it! It was almost like we should be thankful that he was putting this gorgeous thing in my hand, like it was almost his most priceless treasure that he could show us or give us.

14. The [jeweler] looked a little like those modern conceptions of the Devil‚ but he seemed to be pleased to show this to me. I'm sure they're pleased to have caused it! It was like he was showing me one of his most priceless treasures. It certainly is expensive, that's for sure; it must be costing them millions!

15. Isn't that beautiful? We're not to fear it, but we're to treasure these experiences! They're works of art by God Himself, even if the Devil does bring it! It was the Devil handing me the work of art; he brought it, but God sent it! Some [ACs], like devils‚ are bringing the persecution against us, but God's allowing it, because to Him it's a work of art! It's a piece of beauty, a priceless treasure to be thankful for and admired!

16. It was awesome! I think it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in a work of art! Apparently that's how God looks at the persecution of His people, and it was anything but a defeat!

17. This … jeweler handed it to me like it was one of his most expensive treasures that I'd have to pay a lot for! I'm sure they're trying to make us pay all they can, and they're sure paying a lot for it too. But they're hoping we'll pay for it. And I had the feeling like, "This is too expensive; we could never afford it!" Isn't that how we feel sometimes about these persecutions? Don't we feel like they're too expensive and we can't afford them? But not to the Lord! He looks on them as a beautiful‚ golden, precious treasure‚ a priceless work of art, a masterpiece!

18. Who'd have ever thought of picturing persecution as a work of art but the Lord? So apparently He wants us to look on it that way—as pure gold‚ refined in the fire of persecution, with precious gems that are like the lessons we learn.

19. The Lord looks at things so differently! Remember how the Lord looked at death as a spiritual orgasm?—One of the most exciting feelings of this life, one of the biggest thrills in the world for us? It's not to be feared, but to be looked forward to as a thrilling experience! (See "Death—The Ultimate Orgasm!" ML #2761.) And here He pictures persecution not as something to be feared, but as something beautiful, priceless, treasured, a beautiful work of art, pure gold‚ gem–studded, as though He treasures each of these experiences of our persecution and our clinging to Him all the tighter as beautiful experiences!—Real beautiful works of art, masterpieces! It's very precious to the Lord and we should look on it as He does—not fear it or dread it or complain about the suffering. The gold has to go through the fire in order to come out into a beautiful statue or gorgeous work of art!

20. It's not like He was going to kill the Devil, but he was going to really give him a thrashing, really hurt him and bash him if he didn't let go of the woman! Apparently He lets the Devil pursue us till we're driven to the Lord's side and driven to cling to the Lord for protection, thus far and no further. It was almost like, "Just one more inch, buddy, and you're going to get it, whammy! No further!"

21. Thank You Jesus! Hallelujah! Encourage the hearts of Thy people with this, Lord! Help them to look at it like You see it‚ and not as the Devil sometimes tempts us to look at persecution, as something bad and evil and defeating, but like a beautiful, priceless, golden, gem-studded treasure! It's not something to be feared, but to be treasured! It's like a treasured experience, full of gems of lessons that drive us closer to Him and show His mighty power to deliver! TYJ! PYL!

22. "The trying of your faith is more precious than gold, yea, than much fine gold!" (1Pet.1:7). I never thought of that gold as being a statue or a picture, but that's what comes out of the fire! A golden picture of persecution! It was so beautiful! We're to treasure it, value it, admire it and be thankful for it! We're to "take pleasure in persecutions!" (2Cor.12:10). It's beautiful! That's how the Lord looks at it. Isn't that something? Thank You Jesus! Praise You Lord!

—How do you look at it?

Pray, Obey and Prepare

ML #3420:25-37‚ 58-79, 90-95, GN 1007

25. (Mama:) Persecution will come. It's inevitable. That should come as no surprise to you, for "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2Tim.3:12). This is nothing to be afraid of, if you are prepared.

26. This GN might sound vaguely familiar to you. The reason is that part of it is composed of excerpts from the fourth video in the series we made for you.

27. When filming the videos we needed to be as concise as possible, as we had quite a number of topics to cover in a short amount of time. But now that we have the opportunity to address in print this issue of our detractors' activities and our preparation for persecution, the Lord has led us to make the counsel as complete as possible.

We Can Minimize Persecution Through Prayer and Obedience

28. We have talked about the possibility … well, not just the possibility, but the definite fact that eventually we will have persecution. And that's just a fact of life.

29. Some people say, "Oh, I think maybe I'm going to have to leave the Family because I don't want to subject my children to persecution ever again; that would be too frightening." Dear Family, you don't have to be fearful. The Lord has given wonderful promises that you can stand on! You can leave the Family if you want, but if you still want to serve Jesus‚ you're going to suffer persecution eventually, whether in or out of the Family.

30. The Family seems to be the forerunner in suffering persecution, because we're out front and we're really getting the job done and the Enemy is angry with us. There are, however, other Christians who are also suffering persecution in many countries today. I suppose you've probably heard in recent months of some very serious persecution of missionaries who have even had to give their lives for the cause of Jesus. We and these other active Christian missionaries are some of the ones that are popping up all over the place, so the Devil can more easily target us‚ whereas other Christians aren't doing nearly as much right now. But as the End draws closer, Christians all over the world are going to be suffering persecution.

31. So you can leave the Family if you want and if you fear persecution, but if you still want to serve Jesus, eventually you're going to be persecuted for righteousness' sake, just like every Christian is going to be. Jesus said‚ "All who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." So don't link persecution just with the Family, because it's linked to everyone who wants to live for Jesus and is dedicated to doing His work.

32. And it's not a bad thing! Everybody gets a little freaked out when we start talking about persecution, but there are so many promises connected with it. And the Lord doesn't do anything just to make you fear or to make you go through bad things just to see if you're strong. That's not the purpose. He doesn't allow anything to happen to His children unless it's going to bring forth good, not only for the work, but also for you personally.

33. We're going to read you some of our dear Husband's promises that are very positive and that should dispel any fear that you might have. As you claim the Lord's promises, He can calm your fears and your troubled spirit, if you are tempted to feel that way, and He can give you peace in knowing that any kind of coming persecution is going to be good for us. It always has been, and it always will be.

34. The Lord also said, however, that how much we're affected by persecution depends on how much we pray, and if you want to limit and minimize the persecution that will come in the future, your biggest defense against it is your prayer life—your prayers that the Lord will do whatever it takes to stop those who are fighting against us, and prayers for the Family and yourselves that you'll really be on board, doing what the Lord has asked you to do, that you'll be yielded and obedient.

35. So remember that prayer is a major factor in limiting and minimizing persecution. Also, of course, your obedience is another key factor—how much you're doing the job to get out the witness, including standing up for the meat of the Word.

36. So these are some things that if we'll obey, if we'll do what the Lord has asked, if we'll pray, if we'll be faithful witnesses, if we'll not compromise‚ if we'll build a strong missionary work, then we can really minimize persecution, and the Lord will not let it be one little bit, not one ounce more than it needs to be to accomplish His purpose.

37. So please pray against our enemies‚ pray for the Family, pray for yourselves, strengthen your follow-up programs, keep getting out Activated, get out the meat of the Word, build your work as the Lord has said, show the Family as a positive force in your community, feed your contacts and let them know who you are and what you stand for, and have conviction! Then you don't have to worry about persecution.

Expand Your Witness, Fortify Your Work!

58. (Peter: ) We don't exactly know when the persecution will come and exactly what it will be, but the Lord, Dad‚ and those in the heavenly realm have more insight, so we'll just read what they have to say for all of our benefit.

59. (Dad:) The Enemy is constantly looking for ways to foil, hinder, and stop the progress the Lord is making through the Family. The Family has gone over the top with the "Conviction versus Compromise" series and is making advances again, reclaiming territory that had slipped away. They're back into more of an attack mode again, progressing more in spirit and closing up the gaps in the spiritual walls of defense. This means greater effectiveness and greater fruitfulness; it means winning more souls and becoming a stronger witness; it means claiming the land, and the Enemy doesn't like it. He doesn't like the prospect of a more effective, efficient, and engaging fighting force that he will not be able to prevail against.

60. The Family is restructuring governmentally with the boards, strengthening the unity and flow of ideas and information, building greater fellowship and interaction‚ creating more involvement, greater cohesiveness, and more interconnectivity. This means the Family is noticeably stronger and more unified, and thus much more formidable.

61. With the Family rallying and regrouping and making these critically important advances, the Enemy is frantically trying ways to stop or to thwart these initiatives before the Family gains enough momentum to become a virtually unstoppable juggernaut of influence and spiritual power.

62. The Evil One is trying to bring together those who have left the Family. He's trying to unite them and use their lies and misconceptions; he's trying to get them to fight together. He knows that alone, each individual lacks the strength and ability to have an effect or to make an inroad into the Family. He knows he also has to bring about some sort of cohesion in the Family's detractors to make the lie look big enough to cause concerns among the authorities. This is not easy to do, and their alliance is weak. But he will be marginally successful, for there are enough with enough bitterness in their hearts to believe in the "righteousness" of their lie, and be drawn by the possibilities of recognition and support.

63. But what they're not fully counting on is the Family's ability to rally to the need and to amass a force of prayer‚ calling on the power of some very potent and commanding keys. The Enemy does know how the Family united and rallied and won great victories during the past persecutions, and he fears that power and unity. But he's hoping that a preemptive attack, launched before the progress the Family is making gels, will not only stop the progress, but also that the Family won't be united enough to rally against him. He desperately wants to deal a very critical and potentially debilitating blow before it's too late.

64. Right now it's still a battle of strategy and planning, like a game of chess, maneuvering and positioning, advancing, fortifying and placement. But if your moves, both in anticipation and in response, don't thwart his attempts and block his advances, while showing your force and determination, simultaneous to advancing on him and dealing him blows, he will make his move more quickly. This will set you back in all areas by putting you on the defensive, and we can't let that happen.

65. The Lord is giving you advance warning and intelligence to foresee the Enemy's plans. You've been faithful to ask and listen, so He's faithful to give you direction and foresight. So now the question is how to best use this advance information and turn it to your good and not to your disappointment.

66. Like I've always said, the best defense is a good offense. The Lord is leading you, dear Family, to further strengthen and expand your witness, encouraging you to build the reputation of your local works, showing that the Family is a positive force for good in your local community.

67. Your enemies are still attacking with the old, old lies‚ but the old is long gone and will never be again. Build around the new restructured Family; build on how the Family helps and encourages the lives of others; build, so that your good will not be evil spoken of. Face outward to the fields and the harvest. Get out witnessing and winning, being a testimony for good. Get out building your contacts, encouraging your friends, and giving to others. Strengthen your follow-up programs. Build the influence of your work. Set the foundation of your local work on a rock, testifying of the Family.

68. Remember‚ the darkness flees of itself in the face of the light‚ but as well, greater darkness requires greater brilliance and a more resolved determination. The best defense is a good offense, and their machinations will come to nothing in the face of the power of your testimony. The two-edged sword of the keys will both work for you and defend you.

69. Use this warning of impending persecution as a rallying cry to expand your witness‚ to fortify your work, to reach out further and more effectively. Use it to come together in your boards, to pray together about how you can strengthen and build your local work, to pray together about how to thwart the Enemy's plans and minimize their effect by building the good name of the Family. Don't just defend, proclaim! Proclaim the Lord's Words and call on the keys. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

70. This is something you must begin right away. Your enemies are looking for ways and means to attack in the hope of setting the Family in disarray, so now is the time to go on the attack before the Enemy gets his initiative.

71. Persecution will come, it's inevitable, and so you must attack now by proactively building, expanding, and fortifying. If you do this, and if in your desperation you pull together and strengthen any breaches, if you counter the plans of your enemies with a witnessing and follow-up offensive, this pending attack will at most be minimal‚ and at best fizzle completely.

72. The most important thing right now is not to let the threat of persecution cause you to batten down the hatches and to go into a waiting, defensive, hiding out, hunkered-down mode. It's time to unify, to look outward, and to go on the attack!

73. The threat of persecution should bring an attitude of soberness and desperation, of calling on the keys for strength‚ answers, and help. It's not something to take lightly. What are you going to do with the information the Lord has given you? Remember‚ persecution can either greatly hurt and hinder you, or you can use it to fine-tune‚ strengthen, and tighten your work, thereby making the Enemy's attacks of little or no effect. If you work in love, humility, faith, and in the power of the keys‚ nothing will be able to stop you. (End of message.)

74. (Peter:) Dad gave some excellent instruction that you should definitely endeavor to follow. He said you should: "Build, so that your good will not be evil spoken of. Face outward to the fields and the harvest. Get out witnessing and winning, being a testimony for good. Get out building your contacts, encouraging your friends, and giving to others. Strengthen your follow-up programs. Build the influence of your work. Set the foundation of your local work on a rock, testifying of the Family.

75. "Use this warning of impending persecution as a rallying cry to expand your witness, to fortify your work, to reach out further and more effectively. Use it to come together in your boards, to pray together about how you can strengthen and build your local work, to pray together about how to thwart the Enemy's plans and minimize their effect by building the good name of the Family. Don't just defend, proclaim! Proclaim the Lord's Words and call on the keys. To be forewarned is to be forearmed."

76. The Lord is giving you time to build your solid, well-balanced missionary work in the name of the Family. Please use this time wisely and be well prepared for whatever comes your way! If you have a flock of believers who know who you are and what you do, if you're feeding them the Words of David regularly, if you're grounding them in the faith, then they'll be on fire for the Family because you've gotten them on fire with the Word, and they'll stand up for you, the Word, the Family, and the work that you do for the Lord and your community! Remember the Lord's promise: "If you counter the plans of your enemies with a witnessing and follow-up offensive, this pending attack will at most be minimal, and at best fizzle completely."

77. The Lord has mentioned several times about beginning now. We need to pray now; we need to obey beginning now! The Lord is giving the warning, He's giving us time, but we have to use that time wisely, beginning now!

78. Mama and I ask that you use your next Charter-required Home council meeting, which we pray you will be able to schedule fairly soon, to discuss the instruction from Dad in the above message, as well as ways you can be more effective in your prayer lives. Before having your Home council meeting, please take time to pray about some of these points and hear from the Lord, so your time will be very productive and you can make concrete progress.

79. Talking about it is not enough. You must have an actual plan that you follow. Continue to hear from the Lord in prophecy each step until you have an effective, feasible plan of attack for putting into practice the instruction of this GN regarding your preparation for persecution.

90. (Jesus:) Right now, these detractors' railings cannot really be called persecution. Yes‚ they are against Me and against the Family, and it will test and try the faith of many. But the persecution I was speaking of in the CvsC series is much more concrete‚ tangible, and involves serious action. This is not yet upon you. So there is still time for those who have not yet made the progress necessary to do so, before the actions follow the rantings.

91. The accusations brought against you by these new apostates will stir up action against you. But how much and how widespread, how effective those actions are against you depends on several factors:

* How much you pray.

* How much the Family takes action to obey and follow closely.

* How much you are doing the job to get out the witness and meat of the Word‚ so that I don't have to allow persecution to do it for you.

92. The Family needs to know that persecution is coming. Persecution is inevitable. But woe to those who bring on persecution because of their disobedience, lack of conviction, lack of change, lack of witness, and lack of doing the job and living as My disciples. It will be much harder for them‚ for they will not have My full blessing and anointing.

93. You must know that persecution will come. But how ready you are for it, and the reasons why it hits your particular Home or area of the world will vary. Blessed will be those who are ready in spirit, who have girded up their loins for the battle, and who suffer persecution for righteousness' sake. Their testimony will shine brightly. I will save and deliver them, and great will be their reward in Heaven! They will be strengthened, and will bring many others to Me. It will work together for their good. But woe to those who are not prepared, whom I must purge and chastise through the fires of persecution.

94. Persecution is not yet upon you, but it is knocking at the door. Those who are wise will prepare; they will strengthen their gates, their hearts‚ and their spiritual lines of defense. They will confirm their place in My highest will as one of My disciples. They will go on the attack even more with the witness. And when persecution comes, it will only strengthen them and their work for Me.

95. It's nothing to fear, nothing to be afraid of. It's part of living as one of My disciples. The key is to be ready for it and to be in My highest will, so that you have My full blessing, My full protection, the full power of the keys at your command. (End of message.)

Word Basics: Persecution

1, 3,

1. Persecution promised to all followers of Jesus:

2Tim.3:12Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution

Phi.1:29Given not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer

Mat.10:17Beware of men: they will deliver you up...scourge

Mat.24:9Deliver you up...ye shall be hated of all nations

Mk.10:30Shall receive 100-fold now...with persecutions

Lk.21:12They shall lay their hands on you & persecute you

Jn.15:20If they have persecuted Me, they will persecute you

Jn.16:33In the World ye shall have tribulation

(See also Mat.23:34; 1Jn.3:13.)

3. Attitude to have during persecution:

A. Be fearless & unmovable:

Mat.10:28Fear not them which kill the body

Jer.1:17-19Be not dismayed...they shall fight...but I am with thee

Ezk.3:8,9Fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks

Acts 20:24None of these...move me, neither count I my life dear

1Thes.3:3That no man should be moved by these afflictions...we are appointed thereunto

1Pet.2:20When ye do well, & suffer for it...take it patiently

Rev.12:11bAnd they loved not their lives unto the death

(See also Phi.1:14)

B. Have joy in persecution:

Mat.5:12Rejoice & be exceeding glad...for so persecuted

Lk.6:22,23When men hate you...rejoice...leap for joy

Acts 5:40,41Rejoicing they were counted worthy to suffer shame

Rom.5:3We glory in tribulations also

2Thes.1:4We glory in you for your patience & faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure

1Pet.3:14If ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye

1Pet.4:12-14If ye be reproached for...Christ‚ happy are ye

C. Do not be ashamed:

1Pet.4:16If any suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed

Isa.50:7I set my face like a flint...I shall not be ashamed

D. Suffer willingly for a righteous cause:

Jer.15:15bFor Thy sake I have suffered rebuke

Mat.5:10Blessed are they...persecuted for righteousness' sake

2Cor.12:10I take pleasure in persecutions...for Christ's sake

2Thes.1:5Counted worthy of Kingdom of God, for which ye suffer

1Pet.2:19For conscience toward God...suffering wrongfully

E. Examples of enduring persecution courageously:

Jeremiah (Jer.26:11-15); Paul & his companions (1Cor.4:12b); Paul (2Cor.6:4,5,8-10; 2Cor.11:23-27 ); Timothy (2Tim.1:8 ); Early Christians (Heb.10:32,33); Moses (Heb.11:25); Old & New Testament saints (Heb.11:35-40).

F. Faithfulness to truth, despite persecution:

Psa.119:51Proud have me...in derision, yet have I not declined

Psa.119:86b,87They persecute me wrongfully; they almost consumed me...but I forsook not Thy precepts

Psa.119:157Many are my persecutors...yet I do not decline

Rev.2:13Thou holdest fast...& hast not denied My faith‚ even in those days wherein...My martyr was slain

G. Endure persecution because of love for the lost:

2Tim.2:10I endure all things for the elect's sake, that they may obtain salvation (See also Jn.10:11)

Heb.5:7-9He suffered...became the author of eternal salvation

1Pet.2:21Christ suffered for us ...ye should follow His steps

H. Examples of men of God imprisoned for their faith:

Old Testament saints: (Heb.11:36); Samson: (Judg.16:21); Micaiah: (1Ki.22:26,27); Hanani: (2Chr.16:10); Jeremiah: (Jer.37:11-16); Daniel: (Dan.6:16‚17); John the Baptist: (Mat.14:3,4); Peter & John: (Acts 4:1-3); Apostles: (Acts 5:16-18); Men & women Christians in Jerusalem: (Acts 8:3; 9:1,2,14; 22:4,5;19, 26:10); Peter: (Acts 12:1-4); Paul & Silas: (Acts 16:22-24); Paul's imprisonments: (2Cor.11:23b); Paul's final imprisonment: (Acts 24:27; 26:29; 28:16).

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