PERSECUTION JEWELS!--No.2!       DO 2855  Comp.1/93

Prayer to Be Faithful Witnesses!

         1. The Lord's obviously using this wave of persecution to turn the hearts of the people toward His children and to be a witness! It's Your job to take care of it, Lord; just help us to be faithful witnesses! It's just amazing how our enemies try to get us in court, thinking they're going to smear us, but instead it turns out to be good for us and a testimony against them! That's what the Lord said it would be (Mat.10:18).

The System Is Jealous of Our Wonderful Children!

         2. It's another case of what the lawyer in "Easy Rider" said to the hippies: "You don't dare demonstrate that there is such a thing as freedom! They've got to kill you to prove that nobody's free!" The same thing is true of the System regarding our children. They can't raise their own, they can't control their own, and when we come along and show how wonderful children can be, they've got to prove it's not possible. Because they can't do it, they don't want to have to admit that we can do it.

Fighting Back!

         3. We'd love to have peace. We wish they'd quit fighting us, but when they fight us we have to take legal action and fight back in the media, and when necessary, even in the courts!--And as a result, the Lord gives us a great ministry in witnessing to governors and kings and magistrates, whom He said in the Bible He'd make us a witness against! (Mat.10:18). What are we going to do?--Lie down and make peace with our enemies?--No! They don't want peace and they'll never make peace, so we have to contend for the faith, expose their lies, and stand up for our convictions and the truth! (See Psa.120:7.)

Why the World Hates Us!

         4. Why does the world media hate us so and carry on such a vicious propaganda campaign against us? Why do they smear us and give us such bad publicity? Why is it that the world hates us so?--Because we're not of the world! "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you!" (John 15:19). Jesus Himself said it!

Stand Up for the Truth!

         5. Any time we have an opportunity, we should stick up for our side! Even though we're greatly outnumbered and know we're going to get attacked, if we have an opportunity to give the truth and the true side of the story, we should do it! (Maria: And even if we fumble it and don't think we do a very good job, at least we're giving some truth.) The Lord will always come through.
         6. He says not even to worry about what we will say, but if we just open our mouths, He'll fill them! (Mat.10:18-20). Of course, you still need to study the Word beforehand so that you'll "be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you," and you'll be able to be a good workman who won't be ashamed and will be able to "rightly divide the Word of truth" (1Pet.3:15; 2Tim.2:15). When He's saying "take no thought about what you're going to say" and that you can just open your mouth and He'll give you the words, He's talking about in that moment when you're brought before kings and magistrates; in other words, the System.

Our Children--Valiant Soldiers of the Cross!

         7. Thank You Lord for the children You've given--all our children worldwide! (Maria: You'd be so proud of Lamb's children, Virginia and Asher, who did so well on the witness stand in Australia!) What a laugh on the Devil! He's fallen into his own trap, caught in his own net! It didn't turn out the way they'd planned.
         8. Those community services agencies seem to be absolutely possessed of the Devil, doing exactly the opposite of what they're supposed to be doing. The Devil is just using community services for an excuse. (Maria: They're picking on other good Christian children too, not just those in the Family.) How deceitful the System is! (Maria: Yes, they say they're so concerned about the children, and then they put Lamb's 12-year-old on the witness stand for 18 hours.) Cruel! (Maria: Yes, and just mercilessly lit into her, twisted her words and everything, made her cry. But she did better every day, the last day especially!) She's got some fight, thank the Lord! We've got some real fighters!
         9. Thank You Jesus for our children, our young fighters, valiant soldiers of the cross! Thank You Jesus! Thank You for bringing great victory out of seeming defeat and blessing Thy children. Thank You for inspiring them and making them triumphant! You do all of it, Lord. Encourage Thy children and their mothers and fathers. Put the Devil to flight, Lord! You said, "Resist the Enemy and he shall flee from thee!" (Jam.4:7). Curse our enemies! Show what liars they are, in Jesus' name!
         10. (Maria: The Lord said this is a new day, the time to stand up publicly and proclaim the truth! Before this we were usually fleeing from our enemies, but now they're fleeing from us! Thank You Lord! They're going to be sorry they ever brought those cases up, they're going to be so defeated.) Amen! God bless our kids, they've certainly come through shining!

Prayer for the Family!

         11. Lord, do bless our Family and those who are suffering trials and tribulations, and give them great victories, in Jesus' name! Thank You for how You've spared us so much and kept us going so we could feed Thy sheep. Thank You Jesus! Praise the Lord! Amen.

Persecution of Christians by Other Christians!

         12. Ever since I can remember, the major persecution of Christians was by other Christians. Some of the big Protestant denominations used to get out little pamphlets showing all the things wrong with the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Mormons, the Catholics, the Seventh-day Adventists, etc. (Maria: But now they're broadening it out to other small groups, independent groups, and the new religious movements, of course.) That really added fuel to the fire! They really had something to criticize once some of these groups and their crazy shenanigans came along. They can hardly do the subject justice, they've got so much to criticize now! Well, their judgment is sure. What they sow they're going to reap. They sow persecution of us and they're going to reap persecution--and they already are. Nearly all the television evangelists have been attacked.
         13. Well, if I'm a stumblingblock I'll gladly resign. (Maria: No, Honey, it's because you're here and you've done what you've done that we're a Family and that we're such a great worldwide witness, so you've got to stick with us!) I'm sure I've made some mistakes. Well, You know me, Lord. You know my weaknesses and You chose me anyhow, and You even tolerated some of my weaknesses. Maybe they really weren't weaknesses, Lord; maybe they were strengths, just the opposite of what they're accusing me of.
         14. I never wanted to be somebody anyhow. The Lord did it, it's His fault! He made me what I am, "just as I am without one plea." I think the Family should be congratulated on how well they've turned out in spite of me. (Maria: Honey, we've turned out well because of you!) Well, it's been in spite of my faults, which may not really be faults after all. The Lord doesn't seem to think they're wrong--it's just the world's Satanic judgment and their self-righteous hypocrisy! They're the ones who have made sex wrong and a sin, and they've even turned what used to be regarded as natural affection into grounds for child abuse.
         15. I'm sure it's a worldwide attack undoubtedly being organized, energized and supported by the anti-Christ forces, and undoubtedly directed by some anti-Christ leaders, our bitterest enemies, because we've exposed them. Of course, the churches don't like us too well either. We started off by exposing them. It's funny how people don't like to be exposed!
         16. Well, they can have their fling now, but the Lord Who sitteth in the Heavens shall laugh! (Psa.2:4). Their time will come, and they will either be sorry and repent and be saved by the skin of their teeth, or being the Devil's own children, just be furious and never repent and go to Hell! Thank God we'll be rid of them when the Lord comes! We'll be rid of them when the Lord comes, and the whole world will be rid of them after that at the Battle of Armageddon when we purge the world of all the Lord's enemies. It'll be such a slaughter that the Lord even invites the vultures from all over the world to come and feast on their corpses! (Eze.39:17-22).

God's Weapon--the Sword of the Word!

         17. God's going to turn cursing into blessing! It's a fight between God's Word and the Devil's word, between the Bible and the word of our enemies. (Maria: If people have never read their Bibles before, they're going to be hearing it now at least.) Thank You Lord! That's what the Lord wants to do; He wants to get out His Word. It's going to convict a lot of Christians. The Lord said they'd come to us and that we would instruct many (Dan.11:33). We've instructed a lot already, but apparently we're going to instruct more!
         18. The Word of God is powerful, more powerful than a two-edged sword that cuts into the heart (Heb.4:12). The Word is so powerful, it can stand on its own! God's Spirit convicts them and they know it's the truth! So between the Word and the Spirit, our foes haven't got a chance!

It's Time to Discredit Our Enemies!

         19. Now that our enemies have come up slinging mud, we need to come back fighting too and expose the awful truth about them. Now's the time to dig up the dirt, to come out and smear them with the same mud they're trying to smear us with!--Except we'll be telling the truth!
         20. I think it's time to start throwing the mud back at them and lay out the facts and the truth about their dirty deeds and dirty work and dirty tricks! That's one of the best ways to discredit people who are slinging the mud of false accusations and evil lies, to dig up dirt against them, and we've got plenty of real dirt against them, I'm sure! I think we should publish it especially for our own people, to encourage their faith about how bad our enemies are and how they've been out of it for a long time. We owe them the truth!
         21. It's time to fire back! The Lord didn't mind exposing the Devil and his dirty tricks! Boy oh boy, Matthew 23 is one of His worst tirades against His enemies, in which He called the Scribes and Pharisees "hypocrites, whited sepulchres filled with dead men's bones, serpents, and a generation of vipers"! He really dug up the dirt and blasted them, and I think it's time for us to do a little more of that.
         22. There are a lot of unbiased people in the world who just wonder and want to know the truth, and information like that would help to discredit our enemies with them. And of course it would certainly help to discredit them to our own people. It's time for us to start exposing them and not just leave the field to them. Let's fire back! (Maria: Yes, because they even use their lies in court and submit them as evidence, and we need to counter them.)
         23. Lord, it's all in Your hands, You're the best One to do the fighting. You said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," "Stand back and see Me fight," "This is My battle!" (Rom.12:19; 2Chr. 20:15-17). I know it's our battle too, Lord, but You're the only One Who can really do the job to discredit and destroy our enemies.
         24. Give our people wisdom. Help us to know what's best. Help us to come out with exposure of them as You did to the Scribes and the Pharisees in Your last days before they crucified You. You struck back! Help our people to remember to give our side of the story. Encourage them. Help them to rise up and be strong and fight, and not be deluded by the lies of the Enemy, nor be discouraged or in any way weakened, but strengthened!--In Jesus' name, amen.
         25. I just have to cast all my burdens on the Lord and let Him take care of it. I know there's nothing I can do about our enemies. Those evil little devils are nothing to the Lord. "Cast thy burden upon the Lord and He shall sustain thee" (Psa.55:22). Also "Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal.6:2). Don't try to bear it all by yourself.

Prayer for the Family Going Through Persecution!

         26. Thank You, Lord, for Your protection and safety. Thank You for how You're still able to do a great work through us in spite of all our enemies. You've been using our enemies, Lord, to give us greater victories and to broadcast the message to the world. Given enough rope, our enemies are hanging themselves! Praise the Lord! Thank You Jesus! Hallelujah! Amen.
         27. Thank You for this wonderful Family You've given us, Lord, and Thy wonderful care in spite of all the Enemy can do. His attacks only strengthen us, make us stronger and better witnesses and a greater witness for You. Thank You Jesus! Praise You Lord! Hallelujah! Thank You for how You've kept us, carried us through all of these storms and helped us to grow stronger, more diligent, wiser, and more secure. Continue to cast a hedge about us, Lord. Protect us from our enemies and give us victories over them. Thank You for all Your bountiful provisionment and protection and making us useful to others and to Thee. Praise You Lord! Hallelujah! Thank You Lord!
         28. You promised, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be" (Deut.33:25), and so we thank Thee for strength for this day, Lord, to do whatever needs to be done. We know You'll be with us all the way. You never leave or forsake us, but You care for us constantly and forever. You care for Your own as we endeavor to care for ours. Praise the Lord! Thank You Jesus!


Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family