In a fellowship over dinner just few day ago I came to realise subjectively what it means to be reproached and persecuted by religionists. Never did I realise that the Lord's recovery is spoken against by religionists in my hometown, even dubbing me of spearheading the "movement." In fact, I never remembered an occasion fighting with the religionists. Every time I went to my hometown, I would only minister the word of God wherever and whenever I was requested to. In fact, to all whom I have ministered, all of them have received with much joy. And I had not faced one person questioning me on the authenticity of the revelation of the truth. Besides, wherever the Lord led me to minister, the issuing result is the people turning to God in a much more serious and deeper way, some even experiencing life transformation. Even the opening of the divine truth has led some seekers of the Lord Jesus Christ to take a stand for the testimony of Jesus in their localities as the local churches. No wonder, when light shines, darkness has to flee; when truth is revealed, falsehood has to recede; when the genuine testimony of the Lord are raised up, degraded religionists for sure would oppose and fight back. The pure work of God will stand the test of Satan's attack from all angles, but the gates of hades will never prevail against the builded church.
11 Blessed are you when they 1reproach and persecute you, and while speaking lies, say every evil thing against you because of Me.
111 When we live a life for the kingdom of the heavens, in the spiritual nature of the kingdom and according to the heavenly principles of the kingdom, we are reproached, persecuted, and evilly spoken of, mostly by the religious people, who hold to their traditional religious concepts. The Jewish religionists did all these things to the apostles in the early days of the kingdom of the heavens (Acts 5:41; 13:45, 50; 2 Cor. 6:8; Rom. 3:8). Recovery Version
To such, my reaction is that I turned to the Lord and thanked Him for this opportunity to experience what He had said when He was on the earth. Indeed, it was a privilege to be able to experience such an undeserving honor. I rather felt humbled in that I was honored with such an experience of reproach. For the Lord will vindicate Himself in due time. Truth always triumphs!
So "rejoice and exult!" is the word of the Lord. To be able to receive this ninth blessing is a real blessing indeed! To be ill spoken of, defamed, falsely accused, lied upon... all these are nothing new to me, as the Lord grace me to face these a decade ago when I came out of degraded Christianity to experience and enjoy Christ in a normal Christian life. And it wouldn't be any wonder if I continue to experience the same; it is the grace of God.
Praise the Lord for all "ill speakings" because of Jesus Christ! Therefore, rejoice and exult!
12 aRejoice and exult, for your 1breward is great in the heavens; for so they cpersecuted the 2prophets who were before you.
121 This reward of the ninth blessing indicates that the results of the foregoing eight blessings also are rewards. This reward is great and is in the heavens; it is a heavenly reward, not an earthly one. Recovery Version
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