“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).
We live in a fallen world, and so you are never going to have true joy, peace, and all of the fruit of the spirit if you are carnal and you look at things just in the physical. You can be persecuted when you are doing everything God’s way. So, you could have some problems and some troubles and persecution. You can’t control people so you will be persecuted. The scripture says, all who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Tim. 3:12). So, you can have some problems but they will be from outside.
We must have joy even in the midst of terrible situations. If you see everything crumbling around you, how can you be joyful? But God is saying you have joy in you already as one of the fruits of the spirit. If you concentrate on what’s happening around you, then you won’t be joyful. Instead, focus on the word of God which is spirit and life. So Jesus answered and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time – houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions – and in the age to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:29-30).
- Thank you for reading our devotional on “Anyone Who Follows Christ Will Face Troubles”.