The Most Stressful Time in History

What do you think would have been the most stressful time in history to live?

Is it now with the political dramas and threats of war, the frantic pace so many people live at, and the technology that we are constantly tied to?

Would it have been during one of the World Wars when it looked like the whole world was going to kill itself? Or perhaps in the Dark Ages when there seemed like no hope and plagues ran through the town?

Have you ever considered what the stress must have been like at the time that Jesus entered the world as a baby?

Well, Jesus came to earth in a time that looked very much like our time looks...but it was actually much worse. Before Jesus came and brought salvation and the Holy Spirit, only kings and prophets had the Holy Spirit. It was a time of such darkness that we can’t understand it today. Satan was definitely the god of this world. The occultic paganism of the hour was running rampant.  Spiritual oppression was so thick you could cut it with a knife.  Without the Holy Spirit, everyone was living for themselves, for the pleasure of the moment and were living in bondage to Satan.

This was the scene when Jesus was born. This is why he was casting demons out of people in practically every other story we read.  No wonder people were so attracted to Him and His teaching.  No wonder the message of being able to come to Him if you were tired and weary and He would give you rest was so appealing.  

This is the scene that the early church was born in. The persecution they endured was horrific. Talk about stress!

If you are stressed out about our political environment and the blatant disregard for God’s ways that we see among many people today...consider that the early church was burned to death at the Circus Maximus in Rome, they were eaten alive by wild beasts in the Coliseum; and they were publicly mutilated to death by gladiators in the amphitheaters. These gruesome, terrible deaths were a popular form of entertainment at the time in Rome.

When I hear stories of what they endured because of their belief and yet persevered so that you and I could know the truth of the gospel, I’m in awe. I’m so grateful. They must have understood spiritual warfare to bust through the stress, worry, and fear of their day.

The early church faced idolatry, paganism, cults, immoral behavior, and sexual lewdness on every corner! It was a part of the government. It was a part of society’s every day and spiritual life. The stress must have been tremendous.

But the early church was not destroyed by all the attacks of the demonic forces that were trying to keep it from taking off. No, they arose in the power of the Spirit and met every challenge. And we are equipped to do the same today...to meet any challenge the enemy would attempt to put in front of us.

The whole armor of God that these early church members used so effectively is available for us too. Our weapons have not lost their power over all these years. 2 Corinthians 10:4, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” With these weapons, we are more than able to defeat any demonic stronghold that would challenge our peace.

The kingdom of God is “righteousness, peace, and joy.” The enemy is fighting against the kingdom of God being established in our lives. He doesn't want you to know you are righteous.  He doesn't want you to experience peace (nothing missing, nothing broken). He doesn't want you to have joy.  He's fighting you bringing heaven to earth.

Our world today looks a lot like the early Church days. They had to contend with many demonic attacks and we will too. But we can live victoriously for Jesus in these days. “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4)

What we are going through in life today cannot possibly be worse than what the early church went through. Have any of your Christian friends been chased through tunnels by wild animals while spectators watched? It kind of puts some of our reasons for stress into perspective, doesn’t it?

There is nothing new under the sun here. Satan is still trying to destroy the Church. He’s trying to give you so much stress, worry, and fear that you are useless in the army of God. But always remember his attacks on the early Church failed miserably. In fact, the more he hit the early church, the more it grew! So, when he hits you with troubles and problems, strike back with an even stronger walk with God, with more of God's word flowing out of your mouth, with more sharing of your testimony of God's goodness to others!  Don't shrink back.  Start pushing back.  Satan will want to leave you alone just to try to get you to shut up! :)

“This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out. And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.” (Matthew 16:18-19 MSG)  Go back and read that again.  There’s no need to be scared of demonic forces. We have the keys to bring heaven to earth. We have complete and free access to God’s Kingdom...His resources, His way of doing things, His wisdom and His backing or power.

The spiritual warfare we engage in as a part of stress-busting is a fight for the kingdom. Not only will your own life and those now around you benefit from the victories you have, but I hope future generations, if Jesus doesn’t come soon, will look back at our generation and say, “I’m so grateful that they stood in the face of great opposition and didn’t back down. They didn’t fall to societal pressure. They weren’t so wrapped up in their stress, worry, and fear that they became useless. I’m so glad they stood up and fought the good fight of faith and lived the abundant life Jesus died to give us!  Now I have that to be inspired by and now I have the chance to hear of the fame of God’s goodness in my generation!”

How can you get stronger so you can stand up to the attacks of the enemy?  It will be by spending time in God's presence.  Have you checked out How to Experience God's Presence?  Get your FREE copy here.