The Price of Faith: A Call to Every Generation

Persecution against faithful Christians has more than doubled around the world. It is set to increase even more in the coming years. The future of the Church in Africa and beyond largely depends on today's young Christians. But a crucial question weighs on the minds of spiritual leaders: will today's youths, who benefit from the hard work of past generations, prepare themselves for the challenges ahead?

"So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son." (1 Samuel 13:22).

What a tragic situation. On the day of battle, when it mattered most, none of God’s people had a sword. The elders had swords, but the younger generation did not. The Sword represents the Word of God. A sharp sword means having the clear, true, and uncompromising message of God's Word. But how will our children and their children face the moral decay, spiritual carelessness, and confusion of today without a Sword?

"But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock." (1 Samuel 13:20).

This passage is a serious warning for the next generation of the Church. The Philistines should have come to the Israelites for guidance, as the Church is meant to be the light and guide for culture. Instead, God’s people went to their enemies for help. Instead of Scripture shaping culture, many in our churches see culture shaping Scripture. Young and teenage believers today risk not following the Lord fully in their own time.

Many are not prepared to carry swords. Many do not know what a sword truly is. The Sword is the true, pure Word of the Lord, the heart of the gospel. If today’s Christian leaders do not urgently gather to train and equip the youths in the true Word of God, those youths will turn to the Philistines for help, and many are already mixing with the Philistines.

Many are singing the Lord’s song in a strange land without realizing the spiritual danger they face. Our children need saving. If they are not rescued, they will be overwhelmed by the world and spiritual darkness that is growing in these times. They will be weak, lacking passion and purpose. It is time for the Church to rise up, to fight for faith, and to save its own and the souls of the next generation.

What does the next generation understand about intercession? What do they know about sanctification? What do they know about discipleship? What do they know about true repentance, not just acting it out, but living it? What do they know about real love and compassion for the needy? What do they know about faithfulness and self-control? What do they know about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Holy Spirit, and how they differ?

What do they know about eternity and eternal rewards? What do they know about purpose and God’s vision? What do they know about evangelism? The walls of Christ's gospel are breaking down, and the next generation is close to falling away unless they are called back to God with urgent love.

"And there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord." (Judges 2:10).

The current generation of mature believers and leaders must intentionally build bridges and tear down barriers between God and the next generation. We must return to the pure truth of God's Word, free from greed, self-centeredness, modern ideas, and new age beliefs. We must unite to fulfill the vision given to David: "One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts." (Psalms 145:4).

By doing this, we can put sharp swords into the hands of the next generation. When we are gone, they will stand strong and brave enough to face their own challenges. They will grow deep in God and will pass those swords to their children. This gospel of the Kingdom will reach all nations, and then the end will come.

Sometimes, we need to reflect on what Christians in other nations and times have faced for their faith, not just to admire them, but to let their stories inspire our own commitment.

Charles Colson, in his book The God of Stones and Spiders, tells the story of Armando Valladares, a Cuban poet arrested by Fidel Castro in 1960. Castro imprisoned Armando for twenty-two years. Colson writes: "During one three-month period, Armando Valladares and some condemned Christian prisoners were given showers of human urine and excrement by sadistic prison guards. In the middle of the night, Armando heard the footsteps of condemned Christian men being marched outside. Then he heard their voices rise in a final shout of ‘Viva Cristo Rey’, Long live Christ the King, just before the rifles ended their voices."

At that time, Armando Valladares was not a committed believer. But after witnessing the unwavering faith of those Christian men, he left Castro’s prison transformed, committed to follow Christ passionately for the rest of his life.

The prices paid by generations of Christians for their faith are costs many of us have not even considered. Christianity has never been and was never meant to be a life without cost or comfort. Jesus said clearly: "If anyone will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24). You cannot be a true follower of Christ and live with careless self-indulgence.

That is why it is vital to stop seeing church membership as the main measure of Christian life. We need to focus on promoting, modeling, and living out the demanding but rewarding virtues of discipleship. This means building spiritual strength and deep knowledge of Scripture for the hard days ahead. It means prioritizing closeness with God, deep relationships with the Holy Spirit, and true spirituality over worldly pleasures. This will provide our children and young believers with a strong foundation when storms hit.

Above all, those who have been dishonest, whether with God’s resources, people’s trust, or their own integrity, must stop. Hypocrisy in leadership must end. The younger generation faces crucial decisions. Dr. Billy Graham has passed on. Kenneth E. Hagin has gone ahead. The next generation is heading into battle without swords. Some are already going to the Philistines to sharpen what they have.

They will fail if we do not act. If we don’t live our truth but only talk about it, if we do not practice what we preach, they will not catch the fire, let alone ignite a strong love for Jesus in their own time. Churches must repent and return to God with true, not just showy, repentance.

Pastors and leaders must wake up to their duty of helping our children know, love, and serve the true living God.

We live in a time obsessed with signs and wonders and flashy displays, yet Jesus warned: "A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign." (Matthew 16:4). The real move of the Holy Spirit aligns with the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, humility, and self-control.

God does not change His nature to fit our desire for excitement. It is better to fail quietly with the fruits of the Spirit than to succeed wildly through selfish actions. Gifts may attract crowds for a time, but only true, costly godliness sustains a ministry, a family, a church, and a generation.

Let us urgently return to the core of Christianity and ministry. Let us focus on what matters most: becoming true disciples of Jesus Christ. In doing this, we will raise the next generation of disciples who will carry the fire further than we ever could. The scars on Pastor Joseph’s back demand nothing less.