Once we decide we will take a devil-sent
opportunity for offense and turn it into a
harvest of blessing, the first thing we need
to know is what God wants us to do in that
situation. If we’re not supposed to strike
back, or get our feelings hurt and go off in
a huff, what are we supposed to do?
First Peter 4 answers that question:
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the
fiery trial which is to try you, as though some
strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice,
inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings;
that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye
may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be
reproached for the name of Christ, happy are
ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth
upon you…” (verses 12-14).
God doesn’t want us to cry and complain
when someone does us wrong. He doesn’t want
us to sue them. He wants us to REJOICE!
I can just hear your old flesh groan:
“Man, you have to be kidding! I’m supposed
to rejoice when someone does me wrong?
What do I have to rejoice about?”
Plenty!
According to Jesus, persecution sets you
up for blessing. It opens you up for great
rewards! Jesus made that very clear in
Luke 6. He said, “Blessed are ye, when men
shall hate you, and when they shall separate
you from their company, and shall reproach
you, and cast out your name as evil, for the
Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and
leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great
in heaven” (verses 22-23).
To get the full meaning of what Jesus
was saying there, you have to realize what
the word blessed means. It’s not just a weak,
religious sentiment. To be God-blessed means
you’re empowered by Almighty God Himself
to prosper and succeed. It means you’re
empowered by the Holy Spirit to be exceedingly
happy with life and joy in spite of any
outside circumstances.
Think about that for a moment. When
people mistreat you, they’re actually giving you
the opportunity to receive greater measures of
power and success from the Spirit of God.
They are opening the door for you to step up
to a higher plane of heavenly reward!
Religion has taught us we couldn’t enjoy
such heavenly rewards until after we die.
But nothing could be further from the truth.
God intends for us to make use of our
heavenly rewards here on this earth where
we need them!
You see, as believers, we each have a
heavenly account that functions much like a
natural bank account. The Apostle Paul refers
to that account in his letter to his Philippians
partners. He commended his partners for
giving to him, not because he wanted gifts
from them, but because he desired fruit that
would abound to their account.
Paul’s partners had made deposits into
that heavenly account through their giving,
so he was able to boldly say, “My God shall
supply all your need according to his riches in
glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).
Jesus also spoke of that heavenly account
when He said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures
upon earth, where moth and rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves break through and
steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in
heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves do not break through
nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will
your heart be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).
If you’ve studied the Word under this
ministry any length of time, I’m sure you
already know how to lay up treasure in your
heavenly account by giving financially into the
work of God. You know about the spiritual
law of seedtime and harvest. You know that
when you give to God of your material
resources, He multiplies it and gives it back
to you a hundredfold (Mark 10:30).
But let me ask you this: Did you know
you can do the same thing with persecution?
Did you know that you can plant it as a seed
by obeying God, by leaping and rejoicing in
it instead of taking offense?
Sure you can! And when you do, it will
bring forth a harvest of blessing!
What’s more, because persecution attacks
your soul and the very Anointing of God on
your life—which is far more precious than
anything money could buy—the value of the
harvest it brings is absolutely priceless. The
seed of persecution when planted according to
the Word will be worth far more to you than
any financial seed you could ever plant!
Now, I’ll be honest. It’s a tough seed to
sow. You have to sow it out of commitment.
It doesn’t feel good to do it. But the harvest
is worth the pain.
I know that not only from my own experience,
but from watching the experience of others.
For instance, one friend of mine
has refused to take offense at the bigotry
directed against him because of the color of
his skin. He has so succeeded in blessing and
loving the white people who have persecuted
him that now some black people are mad at
him. “He doesn’t even know he’s black
anymore!” they’ll say.
But my friend doesn’t take offense at
them either. He just prays for them and goes
right on gathering up his harvest. It’s quite
a harvest, too! That man has favor everywhere
he goes. He’s invited to places few
people get to go. He’s blessed financially
beyond most people’s wildest dreams.
The man is getting rich off racism!
Kenneth Copeland Ministries
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