When we think of the promises of God, our minds often turn to visions of blessings, protection, and divine favor. We eagerly embrace the promise of abundant life, peace, and the fulfillment of our deepest desires.
But what about the promises that are less comfortable: the ones that speak of trials, persecution, and hardship? These are the promises that few want to claim, yet they are as much a part of God’s Word as the promises of blessing.
In this article, we will explore these often-overlooked promises, examining what they mean for our faith and how they shape our journey as followers of Christ.
Great and precious promises
In his second book, Peter declares his message to the church: those who have obtained like precious faith in our God and Savior Jesus Christ. He writes:
“Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:2-4 NKJV)
These promises of grace and peace, divine power in life and godliness, not to mention all the promises that we were blessed upon us. These not only included the Jews and Gentiles he personally wrote to, but us also living in this present time. Spurgeon wrote about this power and amazing promises of truth.
“These things come to us through His divine power. “Divine power! What stupendous issues are grasped in that term, divine power! It was this which digged (sic) the deep foundations of the earth and sea! Divine power, it is this which guides the marches of the stars of heaven! Divine power! it is this which holds up the pillars of the universe, and which one day shall shake them, and hurry all things back to their native nothingness.” (Spurgeon)
Not all of God’s promises are desirable or pleasant to hear they are nonetheless true and necessary for our growth and relationship with Him. Even though these are difficult to bear in the moment, they equate to blessings in the end when we actually follow what Scripture tells us to do. We will examine these blessings that follow when we act on His promises.
Discipline
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. (Hebrews 12:5-8; Proverbs 3:11-12 NKJV)
Many times, in trials or discipline, we wonder if God is in control or even loves us. It seems that His discipline is harsh at times, but it is needful. It is not that the chastening or correction from the Lord is what we desire, but since we do have that, it means that we are His child. He doesn’t discipline those who are not His. His discipline is meant to grow us, not kill us; to bend us, not break us.
Chastening should not be regarded as the only reason God allows difficult times, but it is an important one. God allows difficult times so that we can, at a later time, comfort someone else with the same comfort God shows towards us in our crisis. This discipline is meant to help us be more like Christ, godlier, more in tune with Him. It is for our good, the same discipline that we would receive from a parent, we receive from the Lord.
Persecution
As many as desire to make a good showing in the flesh, these would compel you to be circumcised, only that they may not suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. (Galatians 6:12 NKJV)
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2 Timothy 3:12 NKJV)
When we carefully follow Christian doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, and persevere in the faith, persecutions are promised to follow. If we even desire to live a godly life, we will receive persecution for it.
We suffer persecution for the same reason Jesus did: “And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19) This persecution comes from those throughout the first 9 verses of 2 Timothy 3, who are:
- those who love themselves and money
- those who are boasters and proud
- those who are blasphemers and disobedient to parents
- those who are unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, have no self-control, brutal, and despisers of good.
- those who are traitors, self-seeking, headstrong, haughty, and love pleasure rather than God.
Shine the light of Christ into the wicked’s eyes and watch what happens. Those of this sort will see you and be utterly offended. Even your presence will be a stench in their nostrils.
Suffering
Many people say they believe in Jesus, but they never come in contact with suffering. Those who come to Christ for a better life get a rude awakening when they experience trials and persecution, not realizing that’s what they signed up for. Ray Comfort of Living Waters describes this in his sermon, True and False Conversion, in which he describes how backsliding Christians are created when they come to Jesus on their terms, and never put their faith to the test through suffering.
“For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.” (Philippians 1:29-30 NKJV)
This thought is also solidified in Romans 8:
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:16-18 NKJV)
One of the most widespread lies in Christendom is that Christians won’t suffer anything. The truth is if you believe in Jesus, truly believe, and do the things He commands us to do, like share the gospel, then suffering will happen. Blessings follow, but may not happen until the next life. Paul declared that it was a privilege to count all the suffering he endured for Jesus’ name — as joy. All that he endured and gave up to know Jesus Christ more intimately (Philippians 3:8).
Peter makes this abundantly clear:
“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part, He is blasphemed, but on your part, He is glorified. …if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this manner.” (1 Peter 4:12-14, 16)
There is a promise that we will endure suffering as a Christian. Suffering for the name of Christ is a blessing because it shows that we are really following Jesus, and we suffer because we are identified with Him. But even better, that we will experience the Spirit of glory and of God resting upon us. That, in our suffering, not for our suffering, we glorify the Lord. Our suffering is temporary; His glory is eternal. It’s as if we are known by our suffering for Him.
Humility and Servanthood
But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great one’s exercise authority over them. “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. “And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42-45 NKJV)
Although Jesus was fully God, He chose to humble himself by taking on human form and living a simple life on earth. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus demonstrates humility in various ways. For example, He washed His disciples’ feet, a task typically reserved for slaves (John 13:1-17). He also showed compassion to those considered lowly in society, such as the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42) and the tax collector Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). Additionally, Jesus regularly spent time in prayer, seeking guidance and strength from His Father (Mark 1:35). The ultimate display of humility was when Jesus willingly gave Himself up to be crucified for the sins of humanity (Philippians 2:8). Through His humility, Jesus set an example for His followers to serve others and live humbly (Micah 6:8; Matthew 20:26-28).
True humility is thinking rightly of yourself; that you are nothing to boast of. Yes, we are made in the image and likeness of God, but it is only because of Him that we have even an ounce of good in us. We are not to boast of our own accomplishments, but to boast in the Lord and what He has done for us and through us (1 Corinthians 1:18-31; 2 Corinthians 10:17-18). “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4:7-10 NKJV)
Self-Denial
When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? “Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:34-37 NKJV)
This pattern of self-denial is to put others first and ourselves last. It was taught not only verbally by Jesus but carefully displayed by His life on earth.
Denying yourself is laying your own will down. Taking up the cross meant picking up the instrument of death in your own life; to be a living sacrifice for others. But following Jesus, well, that’s the direction in which you go. It means doing what we were created to do, not what we want to do.
Think of a pen, an instrument for writing. It was designed to write. It was made to put ink on paper. But in order to be used it must be picked up by its master’s hand. It is his message that is transcribed to paper. The pen has no thoughts of its own, it only conveys the message of the one holding it. So are we, when we are in the Master’s hand, we convey His message and are used by Him to do His will, not our own.
Radical Love and Forgiveness
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? “And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? “Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:43-48 NKJV)
I couldn’t imagine what the people thought who were listening to this sermon from Jesus. To be perfect, and to love perfectly, you must love your enemies as well. That, those are rewarded not for loving those who loved them back, but for those who hate them, curse them, and knowingly with malice and forethought, misuse them. These were people like the Tax Collectors and Romans.
In a post by The Gospel Coalition, Matthew Crocker quotes a passage from Corrie Ten Boom’s book, The Hiding Place, where she writes about her encounter years later after a church service with one of the Nazi guards that held her captive and stood by as her father and sister, Betsie, were murdered. He extended his hand to shake hers and, in her human capacities, couldn’t forgive him. But it was only by praying to Jesus at that moment, asking for His forgiveness, she was able once she received it. Praise God that when He gives us command to love our enemies, he gives the power to see it through, no matter how difficult it is in our human frailties. Forgiveness like this is supernatural and genuinely unique to Christianity. What more payment would we ask or require of others than from which Christ gave — the death of God’s one and only Son?
Therefore, to truly live like this, a person would have a righteousness greater than the Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). This Christian love would be perfectly displayed in his life. What a testimony and a blessing he would be to others, and the peace he would have in his own heart?
Blessings follow
Though these are the promises that no one wants, they are promises indeed that bring rich blessings to those who yield to them. When you are reproached for the name of Christ, you are blessed for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you and you glorify God (1 Peter 4:7).
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV)
I would even dare to say, everywhere the Bible talks about the Christian suffering for the name of Christ, that blessings follow. That are some great promises aren’t they?
Jesus came not only to die for our sins that we may live, but also to be an example of love, humility, and of suffering patiently so that we should follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:20-24). Let us follow Him today and do the hard thing; to serve Him, to be a good example of Christ so that we can win those to Him in words and actions. To live godly in this present world will require at some point in our lives to be persecuted. To accept testing in the crucible of persecution at the moment is painful, but will always bring about blessing. Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up (James 4:10). Have joy in that today.
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon “The New Park Street Pulpit” Volumes 1-6 and “The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit” Volumes 7-63 (Pasadena, Texas: Pilgrim Publications, 1990)
Pens & Wrenches 