So I’m taking a risk at vulnerability and I’m going to answer these questions with truth and sincerity. My responses will be uncensored and I’m going to write the first thing that comes to my mind, so don’t label me a phony or something. (p.s. it might help to read her post, first).
What if you had been born into a country where it was illegal to believe [in God, Christianity, etc.]?
I guess I wouldn’t really know the difference growing up, right? I mean, I suppose that the whole idea of God and Jesus – if ever shared with me at all – would be more like a myth or a legend than anything else. And even if I did know the gospel I’m not even sure I’d have the guts to believe it out of fear of persecution. I guess it just depends where I would be in life. If I was in that place where I was restless and searching for a deeper Truth, I’d probably do anything… including getting myself persecuted.
What if you were found out?
Well… if I knew the Scriptures well enough, I would know that it’s a good thing. The persecuted Church grows rapidly, which we’ve not only seen within the book of Acts, but also throughout China and the other parts of the world. I’m not sure what I would do if I was ‘found out’ though. The flesh-side of me knows that I would run and fear that they would take my life, but my Spirit-side knows that God would fill me with unwavering boldness and I would end up standing my ground… and sharing my faith with my captors.
Would you shrink back or rise up?
Um… yes.
Would you deny your Jesus?
If I had was sold out like I am now – HELL NO!
What if they tortured you? Threatened to kill you? Threw you in prison? Killed your family?
I would cry. Inevitably, the fact that I’m a sissy when it comes to physical pain would definitely surface. I probably wouldn’t deny it from up front in the first place. However, if they tortured me – I would endure. If they threatened to kill me – I would fear Him who can kill my body AND my soul. If they threw me in prison – I would be thankful I was still alive. If they killed my family – it would only fuel my rebellion against darkness and cement my feet to the Rock.
How far are we willing to go for God?
I can only speak for myself, but it’s like I’ve prayed many times: I would truly go to the death… because I know it’s a catalyst to Jesus anyway! I think of the time that we were in Johannesburg and we were held at gunpoint. I was willing to go then. I was willing to stand in place of anyone in that room, especially my brothers and sisters. Yet I suppose this question can be taken many ways.
How far are we willing to go for God? Not just as individual believers, but as the Church body? Are we willing to rise up in the face of resistance, in the heat of battle, and stand in the gap for one another? Are we willing to fight the enemy to take back our inheritance?
Ali said, “sacrifice the temporal to gain the eternal.”
