The following is an excerpt from our daily devotional Fellowship With the Father, written by IFA contributing writer Remco Brommet.

James, the brother of Jesus and the Overseer of the first church in Jerusalem, wrote to the believers that had been dispersed throughout Asia Minor due to persecution: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” (James 1:2)

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Pray for your fellow intercessor.

He wrote about suffering, which was part and parcel of being a Christian in the early days of the church. It wasn’t unexpected. Jesus had warned the Twelve about it before His crucifixion in Matthew 24: 9 – “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for My Name’s sake.”

Throughout church history, missionary endeavor, church growth, and even revivals have been accompanied by persecution and suffering.

And it continues today. China has unleashed persecution on Christians like never before, even on the government sanctioned Three Self churches. Buildings are being razed and pastors are being sent to labor camps. In most Islamic countries it is a crime to convert to Christianity or to persuade someone to do so. It can cost you your head, and frequently does. And in post Christian Western Europe Christians often face ridicule and ostracism for their faith because Christianity is considered a thing of the past.

But that would never happen in the U.S., right? Think again.

During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic seven pastors and a number of their congregants in five states faced fines and jail times for “violating coronavirus policies” and meeting in person. The governor of California and several others encouraged protests but forbade churches to meet and even went so far as to outlaw home groups.

These charges are a warning signal of what may come at a grander scale at some point: state, federal or local governments suspending constitutional rights for the sake of national safety, and declaring churches to be hazardous to that safety and therefore in need of shutting down. That is exactly what is happening in totalitarian countries.

But do not let this dismay you. Since persecution and suffering is part and parcel of being a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ, embrace it. After all, James, clearly states in his letter to the persecuted church that it has a purpose: steadfastness by testing of our faith.

In the U.S. we don’t have much experience with persecution, and so we don’t have a solid theology of suffering. It hasn’t been taught much in churches that I’m aware of. But persecution is almost inevitable because it is rooted in the world’s hatred for Jesus Christ. However, it is also God’s chosen instrument for deepening our faith and devotion to Him, and ultimately strengthening our character (see James 1:2-4)

Other nations where persecution is rampant provide an encouraging example for us: In China, the number of Christians grew from 750,000 in 1948, when the communists took over and kicked out all missionaries, to an estimated 67 million today! In Iran, pastors are imprisoned regularly, and converting to Christianity is a crime. Yet according to Voice of the Martyrs it has the fastest growing church in the world! Apparently, Christianity thrives while under pressure because it turns believers into “all or nothing,” unstoppable followers of Jesus. No room for comfort zones, only bold faith!

As Christians in a nation that has allowed us to worship in freedom and comfort, we should pray that God prepares us for the tide to turn. It already is. With more and more people turning away from the gospel of Christ, we may well find ourselves ridiculed and marginalized in favor of tolerance, gay rights, and progressive thinking that has no use for morality and godly standards. And we may very well be at the receiving end of government restrictions that sees Christians as out of compliance with anti-discrimination laws and national safety policies, and thus a threat.

How do you pray to be prepared?

I think the best thing to do is invest deeply in your personal relationship with the Father. The deeper your awareness of His Presence is in your day-to-day life, the more resilient you become against fear or threat.

Chinese house church leaders who spend years in labor camps often testified that the moment-by-moment reality of God’s presence is what got them through. That is why I think it is crucially important to have intimacy with God. Then, when persecution does come, we are ready, knowing that He will carry us through. If we don’t have that awareness of His Presence, it is much more difficult to conjure it up when faced with sudden tribulation.

Today’s Prayer Assignment

Make it a priority – while coping with everyday life, and with doing battle and striving in prayer for all that is going on today – to spend time with the Father as your Friend and deepen your relationship with Him through worship, listening, and allowing Him to reveal His friendship to you.

Take some time today to reflect on Psalm 25:14 and what it means for you personally that God wants His friendship to be yours. Ask Him to show you how to have the right heart to receive His friendship? Is He at the center of your life? Do you revere Him, love Him?

Receiving the Father’s love is not selfish, and it is definitely not a waste of time!

Download this entire series in a PDF format.

How are you preparing for what lies ahead? Share your own prayer strategies in the comments.

Author Remco Brommet is a pastor, spiritual growth teacher, and prayer leader with over 40 years’ experience in Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, and the US. Born and raised in the Netherlands and pastoring his first church in Amsterdam, he moved to the US in 1986. He and his wife Jennifer currently live north of Atlanta, GA When not writing books, he blogs and assists his wife as content developer and prayer coordinator for True Identity Ministries. Jennifer and Remco are passionate about bringing people into a deeper relationship with Christ. Photo Credit: zbindere/Getty Images Signature via Canva Pro.