Scripture to Read: 1 Peter 4:14
As we take one verse at a time this week, we see so much richness through God’s Holy Word. In 1 Peter 4:14, God gives us some great news about being insulted because we belong to our Lord Jesus Christ. For most of us, when we first began our relationship with our Lord, we probably never considered that being insulted would be a blessing due to being a Christian. But that is precisely what God says in 1 Peter 4:14. We are blessed when this lost world insults us for having a vibrant, living relationship with our Lord. God also mentions that one of the great blessings for being in Christ is that His Holy Spirit lives in us. We were sealed (Ephesians 1:13, Ephesians 4:30) by the Holy Spirit as God’s guarantee that we belong to Him. Because we can’t feel the Spirit, see the Spirit, or hear the Spirit with our ears, it is sometimes hard for us to understand the incredible blessing we have through God’s Holy Spirit. We must remember that before our Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven after His death, burial, and resurrection, the Holy Spirit only came upon people, but He did not live in them. But after Christ ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit was sent by Christ (John 15:26) to live in every one of Christ’s followers. We have God’s blessing because His Holy Spirit does live in us. Knowing He lives in us makes it easier to walk through hard times when others attack us for the name of Christ.
Challenge & Application
· Before today, how did you view verbal attacks on you because of your relationship with Christ?
· How can you help other Christians see that they are being blessed when others attack them for walking with our Lord?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!