What is the real basis of the persecution against what God is doing in the earth today? Why does the religious world frequently classify us as a cult? Why do they accuse us of believing only in direct revelation and not in the Scriptures, when nothing could be further from the truth? Why is our faith in the Scriptures always being challenged by those who stop believing where we begin? If we examine some of the history of the restoration and what it means to us today, the basis of persecution becomes clear.
First of all, we must understand that Roman Catholics claim to be the ones who gave the authority to the Scriptures, because they held the council which determined what would be included in the sacred canon. They maintain that the real authority is the Church. Protestants, however, say, “We stand on the Scriptures. If it is not in the Scriptures, then it is not right.” Yet in the very heart of the area where Protestantism was born, “higher criticism” developed within a matter of a few generations. Men began to reason about which manuscript, which reading, which interpretation was correct; and this fathered a great deal of Modernism. From the beginning of the restoration, the intense struggle of God’s people has always been to determine exactly what God said, and to return to the Scriptures. I know of no movement in existence today which is more oriented to the Scriptures than we are. Do you realize also how many years we have been involved with the research into the mathematical structure of the Scriptures, and how carefully we have tried to determine accurately what the Word says? We are ready to give a reason to any man for the faith that is within us (I Peter 3:15).
It is quite common for a Fundamentalist to say, “I believe the whole Bible; I believe it all.” Suppose we were to ask him, “Do you believe that in Bible times there were prophets who had a Word from God?” No doubt he would say, “Yes, I believe that!”
“Do you believe that Ananias received a Word from God to go to Saul and restore his sight?” (Acts 9:10–12.) “Yes.”
“Do you believe that in the early Church there were gifts and ministries of the Spirit in operation?” (I Corinthians 12:4–11, 27–31; Ephesians 4:11–12.)
“Yes, I believe that.”
He could probably believe that Jonah swallowed a whale if his translation were misworded in that way. Then we could ask him, “Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever?” (Hebrews 13:8.)
“Of course I do,” he will say.
“Then what prevents you from believing that God can do all of this again? Why don’t you search the Scriptures and seek God concerning the things He wants to do today?”
“Well, I have this little supplement to my Bible which says that the day of miracles is past.”
These are the ones who accuse us of being a cult! The truth of the matter is that we are contending earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3); and we will continue to do so, even if we are on the front line of persecution over the fact that we believe that God can do what He said in His Word. We will be very humble in our evaluation of what we have already received; but at the same time, we will be very earnest in believing that His provision for us is perfect and that His promises are still valid.
Whenever the Lord is establishing a truth or laying a foundation from the Scriptures, there is always a great deal of resistance to it. Do you know that there were times when men were killed because they believed the doctrine of the new birth? When divine healing was being restored, one man in Chicago was taken to jail every night for one solid year by the Chicago police, allegedly at the instigation of the Catholic church, because he was praying for the sick. The charge was that he was practicing medicine without a license. He was a part of the group that moved to another part of the state, thus founding Zion, Illinois. They desired a place to live where they would be able to pray for the sick to be healed. They did not even go so far as to lay hands on anyone; they simply prayed the prayer of faith over those who were sick.
Of course, now there is a much greater acceptance of divine healing and other truths that God has restored. Once there was quite a bit of persecution against those who were receiving the Holy Spirit, but now it is rather fashionable to be in the Charismatic movement. At the time I received the Holy Spirit, we were not called Charismatics though; we were called “Holy Rollers.” We did not do much rolling, and we were not all that holy, but we were given that derogatory name.
Where will you find the adventuresome saints who are being resisted today? There certainly is no persecution against those who are content with the spiritual level they are on, and are not contending for anything more. But if you do contend for something greater in God, count on receiving some opposition.
During the early days of the restoration, a man could be burned at the stake for possessing a Bible. That is history. I was raised on books like Foxe’s Book of Martyrs and Pilgrim’s Progress, which John Bunyan wrote while he was imprisoned because of his faith. I learned what men in the past suffered for their faith. Today believers suffer a little differently. No one will burn you at the stake for owning a Bible. However, they will invent a translation that cuts the very heart out of the Bible. In my way of thinking, this is only an indication that Satan has changed some of his tactics; yet they are still very deadly. We ought to persevere to have a pure translation of the Scriptures, rather than trying to make a loose paraphrase which, at best, is only an extremely poor commentary on what God said.
There is a real danger in preaching experiences to people to such an extent that their view of the Scriptures becomes lopsided. By emphasizing one experience, as the Pentecostal movement has done, people are brought forth who do not really grow in the grace of God (II Peter 3:18). Because they are experience-oriented, they do not understand many scriptural truths. We should have an entirely different focus. We must find the overall picture and the proper balance which the Holy Spirit brings. Then when we receive that, let the anointing of the Lord so rest in our hearts that we become followers of the saints who walked in the days of the Scriptures (Hebrews 11).
Hebrews 10:22–23 declares: Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. The writer, of course, is referring back to the Old Testament sacrifices. He is building up to something tremendous in this chapter. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering (keep that phrase “without wavering” in mind), for He who promised is faithful. This is the right focus. If you do not focus on the Lord, you will waver.
No doubt you are familiar with the account of Peter’s effort to walk on water. When he set his eyes on the waves and on the winds which were blowing so furiously, his faith wavered and he began to sink (Matthew 14:25–31). Let us not hold that against him. At least he did a good job of trying. Too many would have stayed in the boat and never even tried, but he made an attempt to move upon a Word of faith. Nevertheless, he did waver. The focus of your heart is very important. You must keep looking to Jesus at all times.
This is emphasized also in the twelfth chapter of Hebrews. Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us (referring to all of the wonderful heroes of faith mentioned in the eleventh chapter), let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1. The King James translation of the Bible uses the word “patience,” but in the New American Standard Bible it is translated “endurance.” There is a difference between endurance and patience. Patience can be very passive. Because you feel that there is nothing you can do about a situation, you simply patiently abide. However, this Scripture speaks about endurance—running with endurance the race that is set before us.
If so much of what God teaches us pertains to the necessity of His grace, why do we then also receive so many admonitions to be faithful (I Corinthians 15:58; Galatians 6:9), to endure the race (Hebrews 12:1), to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life? (I Timothy 6:12.) We seem to be constantly stirred and exhorted by the Scriptures; yet we know what frailty exists in all of us. We know that we simply cannot endure in our flesh, no matter how determined we are. What is it then that gives us faithfulness? The answer is found in Hebrews 12:2: “Fix your eyes on Jesus.” Because He is faithful, you can be one who does not waver (Hebrews 10:23). While you are running the race, keep your eyes set upon the Lord. That is so important. The quickest way to lose a race is to look around at what everyone else is doing. If you want to win, do not look around. Let us keep our focus on the goal, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2.
Nothing that we go through in the work of the cross or the difficulties we face is pleasant. The chastening of the Lord is grievous, but afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11). We endure the cross, in a sense, as Christ did. Vicariously, we go through a similar experience.
For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:3. There can be a failing of spirit—a fainting in your own spirit. Two things are contrasted in Hebrews 12—the endurance with which we must persevere, and the dangers of fainting in our spirit. We need to be careful. We must continually consider the Lord, lest we become weary, and we faint in our minds. If we remain focused on Him, the whole great picture of what God is doing will loom up so clear and vivid to us that we will take heart in it.
Do you believe that your focus can determine a great deal of what happens to you? People can venture out with the best of intentions, only to return and say, “What do you think we found? We saw giants. When they looked down at us, we felt like grasshoppers. Even they thought we were like grasshoppers! That is how we were” (Numbers 13:27–33). That kind of reaction will not take Canaan over. Instead, it is a sure guarantee of having a burial plot someplace in the wilderness (Numbers 14:29–33). And that is exactly what our unbelief produces.
You must keep your focus absolutely on the Lord. Focusing on the passing scene will rarely bring any encouragement to you. That is why reading the newspaper is never encouraging. I would rather read the Scriptures. If I do read the newspaper, I certainly want to read the Scriptures first. The content of newspapers is usually determined by what will sell the most papers to the public. The newspaper business is very much a part of commercial Babylon. Notice how newspapers give scanty attention to encouraging events, but offer vast coverage to stories about Americans who are being imprisoned in another country, or some other horrible catastrophe. Readers in turn gasp and respond, “My, my, what is the world coming to?” But we know what the world is coming to—the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ! Did Jesus say, “When you see all of these things begin to come to pass, study them very carefully”? No! He said, “Look up! Your redemption draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28).
Your focus on the Lord Jesus Christ is extremely important. You can be distracted by many things. Your own circumstances, as well as those round about, can distract you. Relationships can distract you. Has anyone ever disappointed you so badly that you found it quite difficult to get your eyes back on the Lord? Did the experience cause you to despair almost to the point of giving up entirely? There is a famous saying (similar in meaning to Job 14:19): “Much dripping of water wears away the stone,” illustrating the idea that the persistence of a thing will eventually affect you. You can torture someone simply by forcing him to hear the same sounds over and over again. Eventually he will lose his mind.
Today, sophisticated methods of torture are commonly practiced and taught. It is difficult to imagine some of the atrocities that are taking place in the world. What should we do about them? We should pray, because there is a higher source available to us. We can resort to a higher confirmation, a higher verdict on the situations surrounding us: what God says about them.
This holds true even with relationships in the Body of Christ. We have been taught to be submissive to elders, deacons, and other ministries of authority. That is divine order. However, we also see in the Scriptures that a breakdown in authority can occur, and we should always have an opportunity to appeal to a higher confirmation. Virtually everyone knows this is true. Little children know it. A mother may say to her child, “You cannot do that.” So the child asks his father, “Daddy, can I do it?” The father then has to decide whether mother’s choice was right or wrong.
There must be an unbroken chain in divine order. That chain is automatically broken whenever someone along the line says, “I am the authority. I am the one who makes the judgments. There is nothing higher than myself.” This breaks divine order because there is always and there must always be one higher. Let every man walk humbly before God in that realization.
Within the articles of incorporation of a New Testament church should be the means of arbitration which are outlined in the Scriptures. In that way, disputes within the church can be settled without going to a court of law. I have studied the Scriptures carefully about this matter, and one particular instance has impressed me deeply. When the council at Jerusalem was held (Acts 15), why were elders allowed to attend as well as apostles? Why did the apostolic company not make all the decisions? Or, on the other hand, why did they not follow a democratic process, and let the elders and members on the local level make the decisions? The plan outlined in the Scriptures is perfect. God does not want a hierarchy created, nor does He want a democracy. What does He want? It is evident from the account in Acts 15 that the brethren simply came together and sought God on an issue that was ready to rip the churches wide open (Acts 15:1–2). Subsequently, the Spirit spoke with confirmation (Acts 15:7–29). There was no hierarchy having the final input; nor did the elders have the final input. But here were the shepherds, and the shepherds’ shepherds gathering together to wait until the Chief Shepherd would speak and give the Word.
If you keep your eyes fixed upon the Lord in every situation, eventually you will find the mind of Christ about it. That is better than coming to the apostolic company or the pastors, demanding, “I must have counseling! I need counseling so desperately!” I think that a training period is necessary for the members of every local church. They should be trained to seek the face of the Lord themselves. But don’t we believe in revelation ministry and counsel? Don’t we believe that we can submit our need to an apostle or prophet to pray about it, and God will give him an answer? Yes, we do believe that; but too much counseling has been given in this way. Now whenever anyone lays his problem before me and wants an answer, I ask him, “What did the Lord tell you?” If he says, “Oh, I have not actually asked Him yet,” I tell him that it is his responsibility to seek the Lord first.
If ministries are of substantial spiritual stature, they will not prolong or protract your infancy by giving you all the answers. The foundational ministries are given so that you might grow into Him, and be no longer like babes tossed to and fro by every wind and doctrine (Ephesians 4:11–15). The whole purpose of their ministry is your spiritual growth so that you walk with God yourself. Ministries of authority should never be a spiritual crutch; they should be shepherds who lead you into learning the leading and the guidance of the Holy Spirit for yourself. That is why you must keep your eyes focused on Him. Even if you know that you can get your answers from a certain elder, you still have the responsibility of first seeking the Lord yourself.
The focal point is always the steadfastness with which you keep your eye upon the Lord. You can be so overwhelmed that you say, “I am neglected. I am not getting any answers.” Even that may be of the Lord. Some of the best things that ever happened to me came during divinely calculated periods of neglect, when the Lord made me simply walk by faith. Look to God. Feed on the Word. Walk by faith. Thank God for the periods of wilderness; thank God for the periods of blessing, for the rains and the showers of blessing. Thank God when He speaks. Hide His Word in your heart (Psalm 119:11). And thank God for the way He always requires that you keep your eyes set upon Him, whether you are on the mountaintop or in the valley.
There may be times when you could faint, when everything seems to stand against you. David experienced this and he said, I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13. David also said, “My heart is fixed, O God; my heart is fixed on Thee” (Psalm 57:7). The fixed focus made him a man after God’s own heart (I Samuel 13:14). This does not mean that he never went to Nathan the prophet or to the high priest to seek the Word of the Lord. Nevertheless, he was a prophet himself, and his focus was upon the Lord. Yet he was not an independent prophet.
Some may be inclined to say, “I understand this Word. From now on, I will not go to anyone else for counsel. I will keep my eyes on the Lord and walk with God, and He will give me the answers. Everyone else—stand aside! I do not need you.” This is not the right attitude either. Let the prophets speak two or three (I Corinthians 14:29). The law of witness, found in the Scriptures, states that “at the mouth of two or three witnesses, every Word will be established” (Deuteronomy 19:15).
If there was any apostle who could have been independent, it was Paul. He came out of the deserts of Arabia (Galatians 1:15–17), speaking a Word from God. What did he do with his revelation? He went to Jerusalem and submitted it to those who were apostles before him, lest by any means he might be running, or had run, in vain (Galatians 2:1–2). Why did he do that? He said, “I did not get this Word from man. God gave it to me!” (Galatians 1:11–12.) Still, he submitted it for confirmation. That same humility is required of us. That is what God wants. It also takes away the arrogance we have in thinking that we know all the answers. If someone says that he has a Word from the Lord, let it be confirmed.
I once heard a story about a bachelor preacher, doing a fine job of pastoring a church, who delighted the eye of a beautiful young girl in the congregation. He was a handsome man and truly spiritual, and she thought he was simply wonderful. One morning she made a little prayer over her coffee, and then went to visit the pastor. When she arrived she said, “The Lord just spoke to me and told me that we are supposed to be married.” He looked at her and said, “Well, Miss, let’s wait until He tells me too.” A little more is required than merely saying, “I have a Word from the Lord.” You must also have confirmation. Do you see the beauty in this principle of confirmation? Even when you could affirm on a stack of Bibles that your revelation is true and absolutely right, it is quite possible that you will encounter opposition. Yet you cannot be so obstinate about it that you refuse to submit it for confirmation.
Does this mean that our faith is not sure? There is One whom the Scriptures continually speak about as being faithful, and that is the Lord. He is faithful who promised (Hebrews 10:23). He is faithful. Our faithfulness is all derived from God by His grace; therefore, the more we look to Him, the less we will be wearied or faint in our minds (Hebrews 12:3). If we continually look to Him, we will not be distracted by circumstances. We will not be disillusioned by relationships which seem to deteriorate. Disappointments will not give an input into the computer of our spirit until, suddenly, we do not even know who we are or where we are. Instead, we know we are His, and our eyes are upon Him, and we keep going.
Have you been looking at the wrong things? Have you been worrying about your problems? The best idea is to turn your back on them. We have to recognize the enemy and his tactics, but never focus on the enemy. Several decades ago, when crusades and tent meetings were being held all over Brazil, causing perhaps the greatest revival in the spiritual life of that country, evangelists encountered a great deal of witchcraft and demonic possession. Some who were demon-possessed would even try to bring physical harm to those who were preaching. One pastor used an interesting strategy when this occurred. Whenever he was viciously attacked in this way, he would turn his back on his assailant and refuse to even look at him. He would say, “I take dominion over that demon. I cast it out in the name of the Lord Jesus.” The demon came out every time because the minister scorned it; he spurned it; he treated it like a defeated foe.
The history of demons in that country shows that they were cast out because men refused to focus on them. The devil comes as a roaring lion, and those roars can intimidate your spirit (I Peter 5:8). Simply turn your back on him and say, “Forget that! I am too busy looking to the Lord.” There is a danger in getting your focus off the Lord. Remember Lot’s wife. She became a pillar of salt in the middle of the desert when she looked back (Genesis 19:26; Luke 17:32). Keep your eyes on the Lord. Simply set your heart upon Him.
Let us consider another passage from the book of Hebrews which speaks about our faithfulness and endurance. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance … Hebrews 10:35–36. Again the King James Version uses the word “patience.” What is the difference between patience and endurance? If you have ever been in a boxing ring, you know the difference. If a fighter says, “I think I will be patient this round,” he may soon find himself lying on the canvas. It is much better to say, “I will endure this round.”
For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. Hebrews 10:36. Does this mean that you have to do the will of God before you receive the promise from Him? No, but there is something that God requires—actions based upon faith. This does not mean that we should go back to doing enance in order to gain favor with God. However, because we do have favor with God, and we show faith, God often requires actions that correspond to our faith (James 2:14, Weymouth’s translation). That is why this Word says that faith without works is dead (James 2:17).
Imagine having been blind from birth, and having a mudpack put on your eyes, and being told to go wash in the city reservoir. Consequently, you have to grope your way through the city. But you will come back seeing! (John 9:1, 6–7.) When a person came to Jesus for healing, the Lord often required an action that seemed foolish. He spoke to a man with a withered hand, “Stretch forth your hand” (Matthew 12:10–13). He was continually telling others to do what they apparently could not do, telling them to act upon their faith. Hebrews 10:35–36 tells us the same: “Believe the Lord; do not cast away your confidence. You have need of endurance. And when you take that action of faith toward God and you pursue after Him, you will receive what was promised.” It will be yours.
We do not know why God works in that way, but there are many aspects about Him which we do not understand. We certainly could have chosen a much easier way for a man to grow in grace than the means He has chosen. Do you feel there surely must be an easier way to walk with God than the way He has chosen for you?
The Lord had goals in His mind for you before you were ever born. This is evident from the life of Paul. The Spirit gave Ananias the very address—a street called Straight, at the house of Judas—where a man by the name of Saul of Tarsus was praying. Ananias was directed by the Lord to go to that man and heal him. But Ananias said, “Lord, I have heard many bad reports about this man, about how he persecutes us.” The Lord answered, “That is all right, he is a chosen vessel. I will show him what great things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:10–16).
What a wonderful goal that was! Still, Paul was content to do just that. He prayed three times about one particular harassment that came against him—namely, a thorn in the flesh, a messenger from Satan sent to buffet him. Finally the answer came, “My grace is sufficient for you” (II Corinthians 12:7–9). That was all it took. He dropped the whole matter right there.
Paul had to face the fact that he was a vessel chosen for a certain purpose. And so are you. God knows the way to fulfill that purpose in you. He knows how to expose you to the trials which bring you to the limit of human endurance, so that you appropriate His. This is the spiritual input. He makes the way of escape, and the way of escape is appropriation. He puts you in a corner, and when you cry, “I do not see any way out of this!” He gives you the victory. The Egyptians are coming and the Red Sea is ahead of you. What will you do now? Stand still and trust God (Exodus 14:9–13). Any problem you face is not for your destruction; it is to show the grace of God. Out of it should come a faith.
Would you like to become so mature spiritually that you would never have to experience another testing? When you study the life of Daniel, you see that trials of faith can continue to come even to the most mature saint. Daniel was probably in his late nineties when he was thrown into the lions’ den. He had lived through the rise and fall of one great kingdom after another (Daniel 2:46–48; 5:29–31; 6:16, 28). Still, God allowed his faith to be tested in order that He could bring glory to His own name through one of His chosen vessels. If the devil is neglecting you, you may be due for a special time similar to the one Job experienced. God said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job lately? (Job 1:8.) Give him some more thought, because I want to give him a double portion” (Job 42:10).
Hopefully, you will be saying in your heart after you read this message, “Good, this helps my focus.” God has a principle: Keep your eyes on Him. Do not look at your troubles, and they will probably go away. But even if they do not, He is faithful.