Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:11-12
We are blessed when revilers persecute us with words of condemnation, mockery, cursing and false accusations. When evil comes against you and you are falsely accused, Jesus says that is the time to rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for your reward in heaven is great, so let joy overtake the pain and disappointment you feel. They mean it for evil, but God uses their actions on earth for your good in heaven.
In order to receive the reward and maintain a posture that allows you to rejoice when mean spirited individuals with bad intentions speak evil of you, for the sake of the gospel, and your decision to follow Jesus. We must walk in the truth that is written in Colossians 3:2-4; Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. It is certain that if we focus on our accusers, we will offer up an earthly response. But if our mind is set on things above, we are far more likely to offer up a heavenly response.
We have a great role model who has gone before us, Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2 instructs us well as we examine this particular beatitude — Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Jesus endured the pain and suffering of the cross, by keeping His eye on the joy that was set before Him. He also does something that we can glean insight from — He sat down. When our flesh tempts us to stand up for ourselves, when we are reviled, persecuted, and all manner of evil is spoken against us, we too should sit down. Learn to sit down and contemplate your reward in heaven, when you feel the urge to stand up and speak against your accusers. Are you under fire right now because accusers have risen up against you? Hear this word from heaven and be encouraged: Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! [Revelations 12:10-12]
Lean into your testimony, which always reminds us of the goodness of God. Our testimony allows us to overcome, so that we are not overcome by evil, but rather we can overcome evil with good by the word of our testimony and the blood of the Lamb. Know that you are blessed when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you for the Lord’s sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.
Maranatha
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