The Point Of Empowerment
Sentiment may tell us that being persecuted is the same as being a victim or even a martyr, but according to this beatitude in Matt.5:10, persecution for righteousness’ sake actually marks the point of empowerment, 
where the blessings of the Kingdom (that is, the power of His order and unlimited resources) open to us. This scripture tells us we have the option to see persecution defensively or offensively, as victimization or empowerment. Spending our life pressing toward the mark and taking a righteous ground, will involve persecution in the process, but persecution is not a goal, and God certainly never intended us to develop a victim’s expectation that draws it.
(This is an excerpt from an article by Kathy Gabler entitled “Offense: The Kingdom In Action” in which she talks about the advantage of moving from merely a defensive strategy to an offensive strategy.)
Click here for “Our Father” worship music: http://martygabler.podomatic.com/entry/2013-03-21T10_26_44-07_00
Click here for spontaneous worship music: http://martygabler.podomatic.com/entry/2013-03-21T10_33_09-07_00
For Righteousness Sake
Let’s see how the “persecuted for righteousness sake” (Matt.5:10) scripture unfolds. The root of this blessing is righteousness. Righteousness is an offensive move toward a God-goal, and the persecution is generated because of it. This verse does not say, blessed are the persecuted for theirs is the kingdom. Many have made persecution the focus and left people with a tendency to glorify persecution, even if the conflict is not about righteousness. For example, it’s not about righteousness when a zealous person wants to witness to get another notch in their pistol and they take every opportunity to throw pearls before swine (Matt 7:6). That’s persecution for obnoxiousness’ sake. In the office, when a Pharisaical legalist points out every sin and calls down hellfire, he’s persecuted for condemnation’s sake. The zealot and legalist are not being persecuted for righteousness’ sake. However, from the ripple effect, even though these people have misrepresented God and generated their own persecution and bruises, they become the defensive victim, and being a defensive victim is a common view of Christianity, but not sonship.
(This is an excerpt from an article by Kathy Gabler entitled “Offense: The Kingdom In Action” in which she talks about the advantage of moving from merely a defensive strategy to an offensive strategy.)
Blessed Are Those Who Are Persecuted
Let’s take another turn from defensive to offensive in the constitution of the Kingdom, in Matt 5. As surely as meekness generates the blessing of earthly inheritance in v. 5, and being pure in heart generates the blessing of seeing God show up in v. 8, just so v. 10 tells us what generates 
Kingdom power in our lives: Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake! For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
Happy and to be envied are those pursued with harassment or oppressive treatment because they have aligned with righteousness. What is the blessing? God’s governmental power IS (present tense) theirs. His authority and authorization and strategic wisdom and supernatural resources are, present tense, theirs. (As well as now-power, v. 12 extends the blessing to future reward in heaven also.)
(This is an excerpt from an article by Kathy Gabler entitled “Offense: The Kingdom In Action” in which she talks about the advantage of moving from merely a defensive strategy to an offensive strategy. *The other excerpts from this article are listed below on this page.*)
You may click on this link to read our ministry magazine: https://martygabler.com/magazine/
We pray that this issue of SEEC Magazine is a blessing to you,
Marty & Kathy Gabler
martygabler 