Matthew 5:10
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
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Can you actually be persecuted and be blessed at the same time? An instance comes immediately to my mind recorded in the book of Acts. {Acts 5:17-28} The apostles had been arrested by the high priest and the Sadducees then set free by an angel of the Lord who told them to 'stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.' And so they did!

The temple guard brought them back to the Council where the high priest questioned them. He said that he had given them orders not to speak about Jesus, but now "you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us." He was right, and he was so wrong! We do indeed, even today, share the love and the word of the cross, hoping to bring the cleansing blood of Jesus everywhere we go!

The Council, after arguing amongst themselves, ordered the apostles to speak no more about Jesus, then had them whipped and then set them free. So they went on their way rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. {Act.5:28}

The persecution that Jesus speaks of here in today's verse is the devil’s attempt to remove, by action or by threat of action, the influence of Christians in the world. Our influence is the presence of Jesus Christ. “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.” {2Cor.2:14}

The enemy, Satan, attempts to stop us from living a Christ-imitating, Spirit led, life. He does this by persecution or by threats of persecution:
    1. Getting us to surrender our commitment to the Lord, drawing us back into the world
    2. Discrediting us so we are perceived as not living that life
    3. Or just stop us from living

Many of the places that the Word of God has reached were not in spite of persecution, but were actually reached because of persecution! In 197AD the early Christian writer and apologist Tertullian wrote that, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” We need to remember that the prophets of old were persecuted in the same way and for the same reason. They brought God’s word, the sword that Satan fears. {Eph.6:17} So don’t take it personally, and don’t be concerned when you are persecuted—be concerned when you are not! Maybe the enemy does not think you are a threat.

Persecution will, when all is said and done, take you away! Just as the Lord said in today's verse, 'for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' Yes, the ride can be bumpy, but oh, what a great destination!

“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.”
    And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.” Revelation 12:10-11)

THERE SURELY IS VICTORY IN JESUS