Those who believe in Jesus believe in God's word. Those who persecute others do so because spirits of persecution have entered them. Those who speak the word of God do so because the spirit of the word—the spirit of God—has entered them (Jn 3:31-34, Jn 14:23-24; 1 Jn 4:1-6).
 
According to the Bible, it was the pastors and elders who held to their traditions who persecuted the messengers God sent generation after generation (Mt 5:10-12, Mt 23:33-34, Mt 27:1-2; Acts 7:51-54). They did this all while claiming to believe deeply in God and to be orthodox. Those who were persecuted, on the other hand, were actually the messengers sent by God in each generation. Who belongs to God: those who persecute or those who are persecuted? Who goes to heaven and who goes to hell? Just like the times of Noah and Lot, we must be careful to choose the path to salvation instead of persecuting others and being destroyed.
 
Persecutors always begin to persecute when they realize that someone knows something they do not know. When the persecutors see others who can do things they cannot do, their pride is injured and they grow envious. This is how persecution begins.
 
You, who persecute will starve, while we, who are persecuted, eat and drink our fill. You people are like the darkest night, while we shine as bright as day. You will be cursed and we will be blessed (Mt 25). The devil and his persecutors will soon be thrown into the abyss and punished for eternity (Rv 20:2-3). Today, we who have received persecution together with Jesus because of the word of God will receive the glory of eternal life and inherit the paradise of the kingdom of heaven (Rv 22:1-5).