ENDURING PERSECUTION FOR CHRIST

A few nights ago, I had a dream. I was driving my car in India and a man on a bicycle who was riding in the opposite direction saw me and came over to the car and started spitting on my window. Honestly, I had no idea a person could spit that much. My car was covered in spit. This went on for several minutes.

My windshield had so much spit that I turned on the windshield wash to clean it. When I did the wash went into the man’s eye and he stopped spitting. He started to try to get the wash out of his eye and somebody came to him to assist him.

I knew in my heart that this was a warning from God that I was going to be attacked by spirit out of India. I had no idea how that would happen, but spit represents words that come against you. A car represents a ministry. The enemy was spitting on my ministry.

Just this morning I was invited into a zoom meeting with my friend, Pastor Balbir Masih from Northern India. He created the meeting and sent me the link and then sent the link out publicly by mistake. Suddenly many non-Christian people joined in the meeting and were cursing me and cursing Jesus. They were saying all kinds of nasty things, including cursing the name of Jesus.

A great wave of peace rose over me. I was excited because I knew this was what the Lord had shown me in my dream. I preached to interruptions and then began to pray for the people. I must have prayed for 12 to 15 people during the 40-minute meeting. All the time these people were curing me. The peace of God guarded my heart. I began to pray and prophesy over the people that were cursing me. I declared that with the same lips that cursed there would come forth praise.

I blessed them and didn’t curse them. A greater joy and even laughter rose out of me as I began to sing “God is so good.” I love this life of faith. These kinds of situations do not concern me, but they actually strengthen me.

The in James 1:2-4, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, scripture says whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Persecution and mocking should be expected. Jesus said in John 15:18-21, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.”

It is a blessing to share in the suffering of Christ. It is how you know that you are doing things that are right. In my heart as these people were doing what they were doing I was picturing them as Christians. Many of them had names of Christians. One had James as a name so I prophesied He would be a pastor of the people. Another had Messiah for a last name so I declared that He would have a Damascus road experience. I enjoyed praying for these people who otherwise may never be prayed for.

I am blessed to be a preacher. I love getting myself into places where you need Jesus to come and protect you. As I was preaching online, I was wishing I was there. I am looking forward to the days that we can travel again. I will go to those nations and I will see a great harvest of souls.

When I was there the last time to India, I had an encounter with a huge powerful angel. I heard in my spirit, “Preach without fear, for this angel is with you and you will be protected.” We saw hundreds of miracles on that journey. We will see hundreds more yet.

I declare over you today that you also will experience the power of God through preaching the word and that when persecution and mockery does come you will be strong. A great peace and joy will come upon you as you sing the praises of the Lord.