No Fear: Acquiring The Mindset of Todays Martyrs

Three years ago I came across something in the Bible I had not noticed in 30 years of intensive study. I am a little uncomfortable in saying it was a €œrevelation€. But in light of the definition of the Bible of itself, €œGod revealing Himself,€ that is what it was for me. When I applied what I had learned to my life the differences were very impressive. In my case, accounting for my abilities, mostly the lack of, and foibles, it is astounding.
When I think about what has happened to me and postulating what it would mean to The Church in the USA today, the ramifications could be just as astounding. Thinking back to the run up to the election of Ronald Reagan and the effect Jerry Fallwell€s €œsilent majority€ had on that election and the mood of those days, I wonder, €œwhat if every Believer€s efforts were increased to the extent mine are?€
The non-italicized portion of €œThe Premise€ is from the original penned several years ago. Yesterday the Supreme Court handed down it€s ruling on same sex marriage. Already the LBGT community is embarking on its campaign of hate and revenge with the protection of the State. The strategy is to identify the LBGT campaign with the Civil Rights fights of the 1950€s.
The problem with that is that the South was Biblically wrong then. The SCOTUS ruling is Biblically wrong now! But Believers are going to have to exist under heightened hateful conditions as the LBGT community exacts its revenge.
Believers are going to be under more intense pressure to voice their Biblical beliefs as The Enemy fashions his ambushes. The sufferings our Savior said we would experience are going to get more severe. What God has done for us, as described in this work, should be in the forefront of our consciousness. Our faith in our Savior is going to be tested for all to see. The World will be watching gleefully. Just as the martyr in Africa witnesses to the one who is about to murder him or her, we are going to witness to The Elect here at home.
Now back to the original.
I am semi retired. To put it mildly, I am interpersonally challenged. I purposefully took a job that involved meeting many people. I wanted to put myself in a position God could use me if He willed. If anything happened it would Him acting through me.
Afterwards amazing things happened. Expecting the response I usually get, disappointing, instead I got gratitude. Instead of €œin your face€ antagonism I got enthusiastic gratitude. I had prepared myself for the worst but it did not come. In three years I have gotten three objections. Two €œwhatever€, on the phone, and one €œI am Jewish€ to which I had a ready response €œit is the same God.€ Phone conversations are really fun.
I was blown away by the genuine gratitude I received! It is as if Believers are looking for other Believers and are happy to see one wear Christ on his sleeve. I was expecting to get a lot of push back from Satan€s own. Instead I get gratitude and even a few hugs.
The difference? Understanding everything God did for me. REALLY UNDERSTANDING! That changed my perspective. From fear of doing more harm than good, and being embarrassed when I did, to I don€t care what reaction I get I am going to glorify God every chance I get no matter the response.
What He had done for me is the same thing He did for the Apostles on The Day of Pentecost.
Each of chapters 5-17 cover one step of the process and what it accomplishes, actually, and the change of attitude it can induce. The total of all the steps and the changes they make the same things that have happened to Believers in the Middle East and Africa as they are displaced, beheaded/killed and starved to death. All the while refusing to recant their beliefs in the work of Jesus Christ.
We in the USA can have that same confidence. ANY fear even to the point of Death no longer needs to be a factor.