“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.” (Rom. 12:14 ESV)

Persecution Has Always Existed

The Bible records persecution of God’s people from the very beginning. It started in Genesis 4:3–7, when Cain murdered his brother Abel—an act of the unrighteous persecuting the righteous. Throughout both the Old and New Testaments, believers have faced opposition for doing what is right in God’s eyes.

Christians are persecuted because their faith in Jesus Christ does not conform to the godlessness of a sinful world. Yet the Bible calls us not to retaliate, but to bless those who persecute us and to pray for them.

Love Your Enemies

“Love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also.” (Luke 6:27–29 NLT)

This teaching of Jesus is radical—and impossible to live out in our own strength. But through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can show supernatural love and patience, even when wronged.

Let God Fight Your Battles

“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exo. 14:14 ESV)

“When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.” (Prov. 16:7 ESV)

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me.” (Psalm 138:7 ESV)

God sees every injustice and promises to protect and deliver His people. Our job is to trust Him and respond with grace, not vengeance.

Therefore

Are you facing criticism, rejection, or mockery for your faith? Don’t respond with anger. Instead, bless, pray, and trust God to fight for you. Your quiet endurance speaks louder than words and draws people to Jesus. Remember: your reward is eternal.

Persecution for doing what is right is not a curse—it is a blessing. Jesus Himself promised great reward in heaven for those who suffer because they follow Him.

“God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven.” (Matt. 5:10–12 NLT)

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Prov. 15:1 NIV)

From Harshness to Gentleness

Charles Colson, former White House counsel and President Nixon’s infamous “hatchet man,” served time in a federal prison because of his role in the Watergate scandal. But while in prison, Colson encountered Christ—and his life was completely transformed. In his best-selling memoir Born Again, he wrote:

“I found myself increasingly drawn to the idea that God had put me in prison for a purpose and that I should do something for those I had left behind.”

He went on to found Prison Fellowship, a ministry that continues to serve incarcerated men and women to this day. The contrast between the “before” and “after” versions of Chuck Colson is striking. Before Christ: cold, mean-spirited, argumentative, and ruthless. After Christ: loving, kind, and gentle. He became a living testimony of how God can transform a life.

We see this same radical change in the Bible through the life of Saul, a violent persecutor of Christians who became the Apostle Paul, a passionate defender of the faith (see Acts 9:1–19; Acts 22:6–21; Acts 26:12–18).

Instruct with Gentleness

We live in a world filled with opposition to truth—in religion, politics, social media, and entertainment. When confronted with error or hostility, our instinct may be to argue or retaliate. But that approach rarely leads to lasting change and is not what Scripture teaches. Instead, we are called to respond with gentleness, truth, and prayer:

“Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.” (2 Tim. 2:25–26 NLT)

Ask for God's Wisdom Before Responding

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17 NASB)

Walk in Humility and Gentleness

“…with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love. Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.” (Eph. 4:1–2 NASB)

Therefore

Let your gentleness be visible to everyone. The Lord is near—and when we reflect His character, even in the face of opposition, hearts can be softened and lives can be changed.

When you’re tempted to respond in frustration or defensiveness, pause and pray. Ask God for the wisdom and gentleness that come from above. Your calm and Christlike response might be the very thing God uses to break down spiritual strongholds in someone’s heart.

“Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.” (Phil. 4:5 NASB)

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints. (Eph. 1:18)

Things You Cannot See

Some people say they don’t believe in God because they cannot see Him. Yet they rely on many unseen forces every day—radio signals, magnetic waves, microwaves, gravity, electricity, and oxygen, just to name a few. Clearly, invisibility does not equal nonexistence.

The Spiritual World

There is also a spiritual world that is invisible to the natural eye. The Bible teaches us that the things we see are temporary, but the things we cannot see are eternal.

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Cor. 4:18)

Elisha Prayed for His Servant to See the Invisible

“Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17)

You Must Be Born Again to Understand Spiritual Things

“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’” (John 3:3)

“To open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:18)

Spiritual Blindness Is Removed

“But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.” (2 Cor. 3:16)

Those Who Are Spiritual Receive Understanding

“But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.” (1 Cor. 2:14 (NLT)

Faith Gives Assurance About What You Cannot See

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” (Heb. 11:1 (NLT)

Therefore

Even though we live in a visible, physical world, our true battle is spiritual. God gives spiritual sight to those who turn to Him, and equips believers with powerful weapons to overcome deception, doubt, and darkness.

“For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Cor. 10:3–5)

Ask the Lord to open the eyes of your heart so that you may see the unseen, walk by faith, and live in the light of eternity.

“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (1 John 4:16 ESV)

The World’s Definition of Love

It has been said that you can learn what a culture believes about almost anything by listening to the songs it sings. Consider the following titles from American love songs over the years. You’ve probably heard some of them—and when you read the titles, you might even remember some of the lyrics:

• Everybody Loves My Baby (1924)

• Love Me Tender (1956)

• To Know Him Is to Love Him (1958)

• Baby Love (1964)

• You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling (1965)

• I Think I Love You (1970)

• Love Hangover (1976)

• What’s Love Got to Do with It? (1984)

• Justify My Love (1991)

• Crazy in Love (2003)

• We Found Love (2011)

• Love Lies (2017)

• The End of Love (2018)

With so many mixed messages about love, it’s no wonder there’s confusion about what love truly is. The truth is, human definitions of love often fall short. But the Bible gives us the true and timeless definition.

The Bible’s Definition of Love

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Cor. 13:4–8 NIV)

God Alone Is the Source of Love

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7–8 NIV)

God Is Love

God does not merely have love—He is love. Everything He does flows from His love.

“Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8 ESV)

God’s Kind of Love

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” (1 John 3:1 ESV)

He Shows His Love for Us

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom. 5:8 ESV)

Therefore

God’s love is not a fleeting emotion or a passing feeling—it is eternal, unchanging, and freely given through Jesus Christ. In a world full of confusion about love, you can rest in the truth that nothing will ever separate you from the love of God.

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 8:37–39 ESV)

“For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.” (Psalm 5:12 ESV)

Because of Jesus

We Have God’s Favor. When Christ was born, the angelic host announced to the shepherds that God was sending “peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:14 NIV)

Another word for favor is grace, which is often defined as “unmerited favor.”

“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John 1:16 ESV)

His Favor Wins Battles

“For by their own sword they did not possess the land, and their own arm did not save them, but Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, for You favored them.” (Psalm 44:3 NKJV)

He Bestows Favor and Honor

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84:11 ESV)

His Favor Establishes the Work of Your Hands
“Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” (Psalm 90:17 ESV)

His Favor Is for a Lifetime

“For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” (Psalm 30:5 ESV)

Because of His Favor, You Have a Hope and a Future

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” (Jer. 29:11 NIV)

Therefore

Because God's favor surrounds you, strengthens you, and goes before you, live with confidence—seeking Him first, trusting His provision, and walking boldly in the plans He has prepared for you.

“Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:31–33 ESV)

“And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John 1:16 ESV)

More of God?

Sometimes people say they want “more of God,” but in reality, they may be asking for what has already been given to them in Jesus. Scripture says, “For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” (Col. 2:9 ESV)

If you have received Jesus

Then you have received His fullness! Instead of asking for “more of God,” perhaps the better question is: how much more of yourself are you willing to surrender to Him?

As you yield more of your heart, time, and attention, and as you grow in your understanding of the Word, you'll begin to walk more fully in the reality of what He has already given you.

Know What You Have

“Having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.” (Eph. 1:18 ESV)

Mature Through the Knowledge of Him
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph. 4:11–13 ESV)

Therefore

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:14–19 NASB)

“For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.” (1 Cor. 3:9 ESV)

If you had the opportunity to work closely with anyone in the world, who would you choose? A famous movie star? A world-class athlete? The president of the United States? Or perhaps the king or queen of a sovereign nation?

Now consider this

What if you had the privilege of working with God Himself? The truth is—you already do. You are God’s fellow worker! Look what the Bible says:

We Are His Workmanship

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10 ESV)

An Approved and Unashamed Worker

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15 ESV)

Always Abound in God's Work

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Cor. 15:58 ESV)

Therefore

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Col. 3:23–24 NLT)

“The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”
(Psalm 27:1 NIV)

FEAR: the feeling or condition of being afraid; the loss of courage in the presence or anticipation of danger; dread, fright, alarm, panic, terror, or trepidation.

Fear is a powerful weapon used by the enemy. But God calls us to stand firm, strong, and courageous in the face of fear—reminding us that He is always present to strengthen and uphold us. In fact, the command “Do not fear” appears 365 times in the Bible—one for each day of the year!

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10 ESV)

God has given us authority and power over fear:

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim. 1:7 ESV)

We are not meant to carry fear on our own—God invites us to give it to Him:

“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 ESV)

Therefore

When fear arises, respond with faith and trust:

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me? (Psalm 56:3–4 ESV)

Let the truth of God’s presence and promises be greater than your fear. He is with you—every day, in every situation.

“Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.” (Eph. 5:19 ESV)

Songs Stuck in Your Head

Have you ever had a song stuck in your head, with the same lines repeating over and over? I have—many times. Some researchers refer to this as a "brain itch," comparing it to a mosquito bite: the more you scratch it, the more it itches. When you hear a song, it stimulates a part of the brain known as the auditory cortex. According to research from Dartmouth University, when participants were played a portion of a familiar song, their auditory cortex filled in the rest—essentially, their brains continued “singing” long after the music stopped.

I personally believe God has given us this mental capacity for a greater purpose: so we can make melody in our hearts to the Lord, offering Him worship and praise (Eph. 5:19). We are the ones who choose which songs get stuck in our minds by what we allow ourselves to listen to. In many ways, our brains operate like computers—they are programmed by what we feed them. Whatever we take in through our ears becomes what our minds and hearts play back to us.

Sing with Your Mind

“What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” (1 Cor. 14:15 ESV)

Singing Praises with Your Soul

“My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.” (Psalm 71:23 ESV)

God is Seeking Such People to Worship Him

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” (John 4:23 ESV)

Therefore

Let us be intentional about what we allow into our hearts and minds. By filling our lives with songs that glorify God, we allow worship to overflow in our thoughts, words, and actions—even when the music stops.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col. 3:16 ESV)