It’s very difficult to realize we’re living two separate lives in the same body, during our pilgrimage on earth, but we actually are, if we’ve been reborn.

Because when we’re not saved, living carnally, or worldly as some say, we’re not trying to go against the current, so we’re carried down river, floating with the rest of the trash.

But, for those of us who’ve been saved, trying to swim upstream (or I should say, live and walk in the spirit, not as the rest of the world) it’s really like living two lives. Our old self knows and understands the worldly way of doing things, but our new selves, being directed and guided by God’s Holy Spirit, are struggling to react according to the way Jesus taught us, treating others with love when they hurt us, and praying for our enemies, instead of cursing them.

Jesus gave us examples over and over, and we see them when He speaks of himself as “the Son of man.”

“And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.” Matthew 20: 17-19 KJV

He had to go through things, in human form, to fulfill prophecy and die for our sins, suffering at the hands of men for things he did not do, and as the Son of God, He could have called down legions of angels to save Him, but He did not.

We can react according to what we’ve been taught, hurt for hurt, pain for pain, or we can react according to what Jesus taught, prayers for hurt, so we’ll receive a reward for persecution as it is written in Matthew 5 “11Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12

Anything on this earth is subject to change; nothing, lasts forever; except for God’s Word. And through prayer, the Lord can change things for us, can even change us, when we ask Him!

“He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.” Isaiah 53:3-4 NIV

People thought Jesus had been punished by God because He had unjustly suffered at the hands of merciless people, was crucified and died; yet it was by his death that God showed us His power and might by resurrecting Christ and fulfilling prophecy.

So, as the Son of man was rejected, the Son of God is received by us in faith, that we, too, may be resurrected. But first, we must suffer at the hands of merciless people, because of our faith in Jesus, so we, too, may suffer with Christ, in Christ, and for Christ. For we who are servants, are no greater than our Master, Christ Jesus, and since He suffered, we must also.

A lady asked me why someone is persecuting her, and she’s done her no wrong. I told her it was because of her faith in Christ, which she courageously professes.

Jesus said so in “22And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” Matthew 10:22

He told us it would happen in John, chapter 15.

“17These things I command you, that ye love one another.

18If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.

19If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

20Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

21But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.” John 15:17-21

What greater comfort can there be, than what was given us, by Christ? Our hope to be resurrected, to be with Him in that mansion he’s created for us? What more is there to live for?

He said “1Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1-3