“If my blood were an ocean sea, and every drop thereof were a life to me, I would give them all up, with the help of the Lord, and maintain my confession.” – John Penry, early separatist

I’m currently helping a group of other teenagers put on a play based on the account of the separatists and pilgrims leading up to their voyage to America in 1620. Now, I thought I had a pretty good education, especially concerning the Pilgrims, but I’ve learnt more in the past week about them than I knew in the nineteen years before. 

Did you know that John Penry and his friends, Henry Barrow and John Greenwood, were among the first official separatist martyrs in England? That was way back in 1593, almost 30 years before the Mayflower would sail for American shores.

They never had the chance to live freely in their belief that God should be worshipped in spirit and in truth.

They died with faith in the One who rose again. 

Few people know their names, but because of their godly conversation, many contemporaries came to believe in Christ, the Pilgrims’ journey became fact, and they established a country with freedom of religion.

And we always have enjoyed a relative freedom of religion here in America.

But if we read our Bibles diligently, we know that we cannot expect that to continue forever. Paul tells Timothy, “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” Jesus Himself states clearly, “In the world ye shall have tribulation.” 

How do we ready ourselves for this? Sure, we hope we’ll be found faithful, we hope we’ll stand on our beliefs, but when we look deeply at ourselves and our natural tendencies, is it really something we can say with certainty, that we would truly do so?

Let’s revisit Jesus’s words. 

“These things have I spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” -John 16:33

Jesus told this to His disciples before the soldiers ever came to take Him away, and before anyone tried to even touch them. But He took the time to give them these words, so that they would be ready for the hours, and years, to come. 

“In Me ye might have peace.” 

When we receive Christ as salvation, He sends His Spirit into us. Another name for Him is “The Comforter.” Jesus is “The Prince of Peace.” God the Father is called “The God of Peace.”

Our peace isn’t just a gift from God. He gifted Himself to us, and He is our peace!

With Christ in us, we can be still within ourselves in a world that churns with chaos and wars. And if our God be sure within us (and He is!), then our peace is secure as well. And when you feel none, turn to Him, and rest in and acknowledge Him. He is there whether you comprehend Him or not.

“In the world ye shall have tribulation.”

Although it is frightening at times that this is a given statement, it must also be an admonishment to us. If there is no one against you in this world, how can it be that you are living fully for Christ? This world hates when Christians stand up for Christ, but they’re totally fine with Christians who go with the flow. Be bold in your peace to stay yourself against the flow of ungodliness and stand firm for what– and Who– is right.

“Be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.”

We have an anchor that keeps our souls steadfast and sure while the billows roll! There’s no one in the world and nothing circumstantially that can harm you on this count. The One who lives within you has already won this war, and while in the physical realm it does not seem so, it yet remains true. 

Live in the faith and knowledge that you’re on the winning team and that your Captain is with you till the end.