"The Helper" Amidst Persecution

 "His sovereignty is seen, not only in His compelling power, but in His continued fellowship with these men.  Persecution never for a moment weakened their consciousness of Christ, or their loyalty to Him.  That is always so with martyrs, with witnesses, with those in whom He dwells.

Here is a man, loud-voiced in his profession of loyalty to Christ, and when persecution begins, his testimony ceases.  THAT man never really knew Christ in his inner life.  Christ was external to his life.  The one thing persecution can do for a true witness, is to blur the vision of Christ, or change the loyalty of the witness to Him.  

One little word occurs here, which alone has no significance, but in its connection is full of most exquisite beauty.  'They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the Word.'  'Therefore'?  Because they were persecuted and driven out.  How revealing is that!  Persecuted and driven, He yet held His throne in them; and secured their loyalty, for He never parted company with them in spiritual experience."

--The Acts of The Apostles, G.C. Morgan 1924

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[Note--I am well aware of all the political/social/geo-political intrigues currently underway.  Why am I led to recalling the role of various martyrs and persecutions that have commenced through the ages?  Well, there is so much distraction and cooked-up scenarios going--which is being amply covered in all sorts of forums and by the many nowadays who have caught on to the perfidy and diabolical machinations of the devilish world ruler(s) . . . I am prompted to speak to those who might listen, to remind them of where things are really at in SPIRITUAL terms.  We musn't be too distracted, following and being led by the various concocted narratives being spun.  AND . . . truly, all-in-all of it . . . is simply (as has been since the first rebellion) a SPIRITUAL WAR between those who believe in and serve GOD in faith, submitted to the rule of Jesus Christ, the messiah, being assaulted on all fronts--where the devil and his demonic hordes (in body and in the spirit) seek ultimate destruction of such.

That's all ANY of this is.  THAT is all that matters.  And, so, persecutions of believers is ongoing, expanding and inevitable.  How did the wonderful, amazing martyrs through time manage to persist and not buckle to the beast, under the worst of torments and torture and threat?  This is where The Paraclete (Holy Spirit) reigns as Supreme Helper within and about those so persecuted for their faith.

We are in deluded times where it is, and will get even more, difficult to discern the truth in social/political/current-event situations.  The Spirit Of Truth--viciously under attack and blasphemy--is our undisputed, irreplaceable REAL LIVING Spiritual Helper through the torrents ongoing and upcoming.

I myself recently (believe) am receiving very gentle, but increasingly clear guidance, instruction, directed contact in my dreams, for instance.  I, of course, don't believe in "spirit guides" and am always very skeptical and discerning as can be regarding spiritual experiences.  And have never thought much of dreams or looked to them, other than to notice perhaps some sub-conscious things being worked out while the body is at rest. . . . However, this new development, is different and increasingly becoming more honed.  I suspect it is to be of HELP--receiving information, direction . . . from The Spirit . . . in a  time of mass hysteria, lies, confusion, obfuscation, mis-direction etc.--when deception will be near ubiquitous!

Anyhow, that's just a personal sidenote I thought I would share, and will explore and relate further. 

 Above all, of course, is simply praying and studying and craving to be in the center of His will, holding and revering THE TRUTH while "Rome is burning" all around in sunders. . . . ]

(Paraclete: The Holy Spirit—because He is, after all, Christ's Spirit—is also a paraclete, a helper. Literally, the Greek word paraklētos means “someone who is called to come alongside someone else.”)