I once read about a Christian who was being treated very unfairly. People misunderstood him and attacked his character, but he couldn’t do much to defend himself. One day, a friend came up, held his hand, and said he was sorry for what he was going through. Then the friend looked him in the eye and said, “Remember, they haven’t spit in your face yet.”
He was reminding him of what Jesus went through. People spat in Jesus’ face, beat him, pulled out his beard, and whipped him. They also told lies about him. So when Christians suffer unfairly, they should remember that Jesus suffered even more. He understands what they’re going through Jesus Knows About the Lies Told Against the Christians.
Jesus Warns About Suffering
Jesus also says, “Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you.”
This is the first time the devil is mentioned in the book of Revelation. Jesus, who is the First and the Last, allows this to happen. Some believers would be thrown into prison, and back then, Roman prisons were horrible. People faced the fear of death every day Walking Tours Ephesus.
But Jesus gives three encouraging truths to help us face hard times.
The Test Is for You
Jesus says, “You are going to be put into prison to test you.”
The key word is you. This test is not for God to learn something—He already knows everything, including what’s in your heart and how much you can handle. The test is for you, so you can see how strong your faith has become. It shows you how much you’ve grown spiritually.
