The persecution in this hour that’s going to come is going to come, first, from the false prophet, the apostate religious system.  We don’t know what it looks like yet.  But as this great whore that Revelation speaks of, this apostate religious system—it’s going to be made up of virtually all of the religions.  Not just Christians who are moving in false doctrine but all of the religions of the world.  And it’s going to be that power, we’re very clear from the book of Revelation, that launches the man, Antichrist, into this one-world dictatorship.  Culminating in the three-and-a-half-year period of the tribulation where in Jerusalem—let me tell you something, Jerusalem will stand.  Jerusalem will continue in the position that it’s in at this moment until the three-and-a-half-year period of the tribulation.  So, there’s all kinds of threats and wars and different things that are going to go on, but we realize one thing: Antichrist will go into the temple.  It seems as though temple worship will start again among the Jews.  And he will go into the temple and will declare himself very god.  We know he’s going to build this image of himself.  And declare himself god.  Same sequence.  Religious, political.  Religious, political.  The persecution that you and I are going to be seeing, here, in this hour, the spiritual persecution is already happening.  Oh, it’s not real discernable.  It’s not on the news right now.  But within the established religious system of this day, there is a hatred for people that believe in the authority of the Word of God as absolute truth.  Those that say there is no other name under Heaven whereby men can be saved but the name of Jesus, absolutely; amen?  Are already hated.  They see us as divisive.  They see us as the heretics because we’re not demonstrating the “love of God”.  And we’re not being “merciful” to the heretic, to the backslider, to the haters of God.

So, Jesus starts, and He makes this statement in Matthew, Chapter 5.  And I want you to get this down because the message is “Preparing for Persecution.”  Do you know you can get prepared?  Since that day’s not going to take us unawares, do you realize we can get prepared for this thing?  We need to start laying up for ourselves in our consciences, knowing that our weapons are not carnal, but they’re mighty through God.  We’re going to be persecuted.  We’re not going to respond with retaliation.  We’re a people that are called to turn the other cheek; amen?  How many of you are not so good at cheek turning?  Anybody?  I might as well say it, here, since we’re going into this part of the study.  When Jesus taught turning the other cheek, it had to do with persecution for His name’s sake.  It had to do with moral character on part of the individual being abused.  Turning the other cheek doesn’t have to do with some guy trying to mug you on the street.  So, can Christians respond in self-defense in arbitrary attack or assault on our children, on our wives?  And the answer to that is yes.  But there’s a kicker to this.  Nowhere in the Scriptures are we allowed to retaliate when this persecution is for the sake of the gospel and for Christ’s sake.

I know what some of you are thinking.  “Do I get to make the decision?”  Well let’s just take on the heart of Christ; amen?  Let’s take on the mind of Christ.  Let’s let the Holy Spirit lead us in these things.  “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall all say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Matthew 5:11).  Anybody want to really take that home into your hearts?  You are blessed; amen?  This is a blessing of God when men respond to us in this way for His sake.  How many of us, here, this morning, think, “Well, man, okay, I see it.  It’s black and white.  It’s obvious.  I’m going to need a little prayer and fasting.”  Beloved, our weapons are not carnal; amen?  They’re mighty through God.  I want you to understand something: God is our source of protection.  God is our treasure for Whom we are ready to divest everything to obtain that pearl of great price; amen?  “I just want to be like You, Jesus.”  Have you ever heard those words come out of your mouth?  “I just want to be like You, Jesus.”  Or something similar?  Then, “…count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations.  Knowing this,” James says, “that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:2-4).  You want to know what’s going to happen to you as a Christian in these days to come?  You’re going to be treated unfairly.  People are going to revile you.  They’re going to say all manner of evil against you.  They’re going to hate you. Are you preparing?