Learning to be blessed/persecuted

Matthew 5:10-11 (New Living Translation) "God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers."

In the process of covenant making, there is an exchange of enemies. Among nations and tribes, clans, families and friends, the presence of an enemy was a common reason for the covenant making--you needed the protective covering that covenant would provide.

Sin entered God's Space long before man was created. Lucifer introduced the rebellion of sin through pride and greed. Ezekiel 28 describes his downfall but in Isaiah 14 we see his rebellion spelled out for us. Isaiah 14:12-15 (New American Standard Bible) 12"How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn, you have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened the nations! 13"But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. 14'I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.' 15 Nevertheless you will be thrust down to Sheol, to the recesses of the pit.

Sin entered man and this realm through the lack of covenant response and the desire for the control for gaining knowledge and position. When we turn the control back to God and live by covenant response to God, we actually leave our citizenship of this realm and, through the Blood of Jesus Christ and the voicing of our confession of trust in His finished work, become citizens of God's realm. Ephesians 2:19-22 (New American Standard Bible) 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, 20having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, 21in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, 22in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
And again in Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT)13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.

Living in His Kingdom under the covering of His Covenant with us, we become aliens and foreigners to this realm. Jesus said we were to be in this world but not of it. This makes us children of Light and the children of darkness who choose to live in darkness cannot tolerate the Light. Jesus said if they rejected Him and persecuted Him, they would also reject and persecute us, His followers. We know how the people persecuted the early Church and all through the years since, people have been persecuted for their faith in Jesus. It is the covenant exchange. We become a part of His Kingdom and those who hate the King will hate you. What is the blessing? The Kingdom of Heaven is yours now and forever.

What is our covenant response? Matthew 5:12 (New Living Translation)
12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.

This is not the normal way we humans look on persecution. But as you die to self and follow in the Lord's footsteps, taking on His nature and purpose, you change from human "normal" to God's "normal". You don't stop and think "I have to do this because this is more like Jesus!" Praise and worship become a part of your soul and spirit. You find yourself reacting to Him and not to the circumstance. You are living in another kingdom!