Today I believe strongly the Lord will have me to talk on the NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANS EXAMPLES who stood head high for the truth. Let us begin with John the Baptist who was valiant for the truth. In Matt. 14:1-10. You would discover that John signed his death warrant for telling the truth. By telling Herod that it was wrong for him to take his brother’s wife, to live in adultery, he signed his death warrant. Some are being persecuted today because they tell people to call sin “SIN”; to call sin by its proper name.
It hits nobody particularly when preachers say “do not commit sin in this church, if you do not commit sin, God will bless you, and everybody says Amen’. But not so with a preacher of John’s caliber. No! He told Herod, “The woman with you is not your wife”. That was it – hitting the nail on the head. Speak the truth and let the devil be ashamed. Stand up for the truth in your own home, in your family, with your relations, friends and colleagues. John told it and he was imprisoned; he first signed his detention warrant, they imprisoned him; and later beheaded him. A little girl expressing her mother’s fury asked for the head of John. Her mother wanting to get rid of John and the truth in order to continue to live in adultery, advised her to tell Herod that all she needed was the head of John the Baptist – that bold and fearless preacher. John gave them his head. Is he now in heaven without head? No! The Bible says if they destroy this earthly house, this temple, you have another house, another temple that is far better than this one in heaven. But I must confess that it is not going to be easy.
Remember John sent people to Jesus while in prison to ask whether he was he that was being expected to come or they should look for another. Why did he do that? Why? Well! He felt that Jesus did not do anything to affect his release from prison. Did Jesus actually do anything to affect his release from prison. Did Jesus actually do anything about it? Yes! He doubled his miracles for the people that came to ask Jesus saw and went back to encourage John that he was the one.
They were sent back to tell John what they saw. John was to go home the same way the Lord went after – that is, through death. Jesus knowing that, allowed him to go. So he went valiantly. He decreased for Jesus to increase. He demised for Jesus to emerge. We must die to self as we declare the truth and stand by it.
It is time to stand up for the truth. You are inexcusable, O man. You could give a thousand and one reasons why you would not do what God is asking you to do.
The account of Naboth came to mind I believe we all know the story.
” And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money. And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee. And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread 1 Kings 21:1-4”.
Naboth was valiant for the truth not minding the king’s wrath, he signed his death warrant and died for what he believed was his inheritance. He refused to sell his inheritance, the same thing Esau couldn’t see anything wrong. The question is how many of us have sold our God given inheritance because of materialism and fear of men? Remember Naboth was a Christian like you and i, but he stood and died for the truth.
Lord may you not just speak to us, but may you change our hearts and cause us to stand up for the truth in any place we find ourselves in Jesus name Amen.
