December 19
Martyrdom?
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10
When we hear the word “martyr” we typically think of one of two things:
- A negative connotation of someone who is melodramatic and draws attention to themselves in difficult (or even not-so-difficult) times; or
- A positive connotation of a person who unselfishly sacrifices their life for their faith or belief system.
When people ask me what is the best spiritual gifts test (or inventory) for measuring their specific gift set, I typically point them toward the Wagner-Modified Houts Questionnaire. I like it because it includes all the supernatural (or sign) gifts, including prophecy, healing, and tongues. Prayer pioneer and author Dr. C. Peter Wagner included the gift of Martyrdom on the inventory, and used to quip: “It’s the only spiritual gift you can only use once.”
We think of the apostles, who save for John the Evangelist, all died as martyrs, or St. Ignatius, who defied Trajan and was fed to the lions, or all the Christians throughout the centuries who have died for their faith. (If you are interested in hearing their stories, check out Foxes Book of Martyrs or the book Jesus Freaks).
Most of us will never be asked to give up our lives for Jesus, though there are many believers around the world who continue to do just that. This includes Christ-followers in places like ISIS-controlled Iraq and Syria, Taliban-run Afghanistan, and other areas around the world that are hostile toward Christianity. In fact, according to World Watch Monitor, about 80,000-90,000 Christians are martyred every year for their faith. And since the resurrection of Jesus, it’s estimated that about 70 million Christians have died for their faith. It’s a very sobering thought.
You may think to yourself, “I would be willing to die for Jesus.” That’s awesome. But here’s another question: Are you willing to fully live for Him—completely surrendered, putting His agenda above yours? That’s the question every God’s man needs to ask himself. Living a life of faith over seven or eight decades, after all, is no easy task. As we all know, getting up in the morning and simply choosing faith over anxiety, distraction, or fear can be an epic battle in its own right.
Man of God, we are all called to be “spiritual martyrs”––those who are willing to completely die to Christ so that He might fully live through and in us.
Are you willing to pay that price?
Lord, help me live my life as a fully committed spiritual martyr—giving each day to Jesus.
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https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/2013/11/number-of-christian-martyrs-continues-to-cause-debate/
https://www.gordonconwell.edu/blog/christian-martyrdom-who-why-how/