Prevailing Against Affliction
Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; yet they have not prevailed against me.
Those who follow God will suffer affliction and persecution (2 Timothy 3:12). Enduring trials and afflictions is part of our journey toward the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22).
One of Satan’s tactics is to wear people down. He hopes that by constantly afflicting and persecuting someone he or she will finally break. This was his approach with Job (Job 1:11).
Of course, Satan usually carries out his tactics through humans who are receptive to his destructive wavelength (Ephesians 2:2). But the righteous will prevail if they remain faithful through these afflictions (Psalm 34:19).
Yet we must remember that God doesn’t necessarily deliver us immediately from afflictions and persecutions. Some afflictions can last a long time (Hebrews 10:32). But in the end, when the battle is over and the dust has settled, those who follow God will prevail!
To learn more about the challenges that all Christians face, read “Narrow Is the Gate: What Did Jesus Mean?”
Tomorrow on the Daily Bible Verse Blog: “The Importance of Mercy.”
