THEME:
The church needs to stand firm in faith and obedience to Christ.
KEY SCRIPTURE:
Revelation 2:12-17
I want to show you three ways that God uses persecution to refine and grow his church.
Revelation 2:12
And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
Hebrews 4:11-13
Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Revelation 2:13
‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells.
God uses persecution to refine and grow his church by lengthening the leash of Satan.
Revelation 2:14-16
But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.
God uses persecution to refine and grow his church is by revealing his wrath to come on those who do not repent.
Revelation 2:17
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.
God uses persecution refine and grow his church is by promising perfect peace for those who persevere.