I speak unto you this day and I tell you the truth that there are many of My united believers throughout the centuries who have been imprisoned for preaching the truth and giving forth the call to repentance. It is not an unusual thing for those who are My messengers to be vehemently opposed and persecuted for the cause of Christ.
As true messengers, you are not intended to love your own lives more than you love Me. When you are loving Me with all of your hearts, you will see that My Spirit guides you in the steps of My Son Jesus, and He did indeed suffer for the proclamation of the truth. Many of the apostles and disciples were imprisoned and even put to death for the preaching of the gospel to those who were in darkness and headed to damnation.
Consider that you have a great inheritance in and through Jesus, and as you follow Him with all that you have, you will be enriched with godly wisdom. The more you love Him, the more that you want to give your all for Him because He gave His all for you. He did not turn away from the suffering that He endured at the hands of the religions leaders who claimed to love Me yet they hated My ambassador, Jesus. This is because they hated Me and the righteousness that I desired of them, that they refused to walk in. When Jesus exposed them in their hypocrisy and pretension, they desired to see Him dead, and plotted against Him continually.
As the pattern Son, Jesus endured all that He had to undergo to complete His mission on this earth. One of those who hated the Christian believers, a religious Jew who persecuted the new believers severely and with great cruelty by the name of Saul, was converted after being stricken by My hand. He turned to Jesus and served Him zealously and sincerely for the rest of his life. He, who was renamed Paul, was imprisoned for the gospel and wrote many of the teachings now cherished by true believers while he was a prisoner for My purpose and plan.
Paul, aware of the severity of his sins against the believers, did everything he could to serve Jesus and walk in His steps. He did not resent the sufferings that he endured for the cause of Christ, and he stayed faithful to the Lord until he finished his course and was beheaded.
Likewise, the Book of Revelation was given to the apostle John on the isle of Patmos, where he had been exiled and was confined, imprisoned for the work he did for My kingdom and the declaration of the gospel. Many of the early disciples and apostles knew what it was to be imprisoned for My plan and purpose for the gospel to be declared to all people in the world at that time. The great commission that Jesus gave in those days has not gone away and remains ever present to all true believers who will answer the call of Christ and move forward in obedience.
Sad to say, many believers are not intense on following or obeying. They are merely wanting to skim the surface and not give their all to the cause of calling all people everywhere to repent. Because they are in such a slothful state of mind, they are not counted worthy of My Son, nor are they to be in the great cloud of witnesses who suffered great and exceeding tortures for the privilege to be My witnesses and messengers.
I desire true ones, who will follow wherever they are led by My Spirit and not be ashamed to proclaim the gospel to the souls who are perishing. Although it is hard to suffer for identity with Christ, did not He take upon Himself your sins and suffer the penalty of the same that you could know His salvation?
Do not be as those who turn back when persecuted for their identity with Jesus and His united believers. Rather, continue steadfast, knowing that through Him you are uplifted and given a part in the heavenly kingdom wherein I abide.
This earth is literally the proving ground, and those who are willing to suffer because of their identity with Jesus will also be counted worthy to rule with Him. Prison is just that: an intense confining, suffering for the cause, and many true believers have endured the same for Him.
Do not look at anything as too much to bear, because through Him you can do all things. Be looking to Me as the One who loves you and gave My precious only begotten Son for you. Keep in mind that you are not ever alone, for My Holy Spirit is ever present with you and will guide you forth in the midst of a terribly wicked and perverse generation. If there ever was a time when the truth needed to be proclaimed, it is now.
While the devil and his demons are doing everything to mock, defame, imprison and torture Christians, know that I am superior and that I will bring forth the harvest of souls as My messengers stay true to My purpose and plan. Do not hesitate to declare, if you are imprisoned, the message you are called to proclaim. In reality, prisons are a fruitful harvest field in many areas of the world, because people are desperate and have the time to listen and meditate on what they hear, and obey the call to repent.
Reality is that to be in prison for My purpose and plan is the perfect time to call sinners to repent and to declare to them their need for Jesus. Even as you maintain My standard and live the life that I intend, others will see by your example that you have found the higher way, and they will inquire as to what and who you serve. Don’t fear being a prisoner for Christ!