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Greetings in the Mighty Name of Jesus,

In the book of Acts(Acts 6:8-7:60) we find the story of a man named Stephen. He was a good man that the Bible describes as being full of faith and power and that he did many wonders and miracles. This was a man annointed by the Spirit of the almighty God.

If you read through the story you find that he was faslely accused of blasphemy and brought before the High Priest. I really suggest that you read his sermon in chapter seven because it is perhaps one of the most powerful and inspired messages in the Bible. But what I want to focus on is the following scripture:

Act 7:54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

You see, Stephen was was hitting the nail right on the head. This powerful man of God was preaching to right where these people were living. Stephen preached the unrefutable Word of God and these people fell under conviction.

People must fall under conviction before they can come to God. They have to feel guilty about where thier living before they can realize that they need a savior to take away their sins. On the day of Penticost the people were pricked in their hearts when they heard Peter's sermon and thousands were added to the church.

But some people, like these reprobate Jews in this account, will not react obediently to the conviction of God. In some people who's hearts and desires cleave to sin as well of hatred will swell up and they will show themselves as enemies of Jesus.

Paul speaks of these people in his second epistle to Timothy where talks about people who oppose themselves. That is to say they are ones who have given themselves to the lusts and sin of this present world and who, barring repentance, will reap the wages of sin which is death. These are the type of people who killed the prophets, as Steven pointed out, who came to warn them that they might have persuaded them to leave their sinful path and thereby avert the destruction that came to Judah and Israel of old. But they would not.

I'm not saying that we should give up preaching righteousness to them. Paul said to instruct them in meekness preadventure God would give them repentance. But my warning and my caution to you is that if you preach the convicting Word of God to some people, be prepared to face some strong adversity and maybe even persecution.

God bless and be of good courage, for we are more than conquerers in Christ.