“And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.”
Acts 17:6-7
Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica and preached about Jesus in the synagogue for three sabbath days. A great number of the Greeks believed, but those Jews that did not believe, stirred up the city against Paul and Silas. They even assaulted the house where they were staying and when they couldn’t find them, they brought Jason out to be charged instead. They accused them of “turning the world upside down.” The reality was that the world was actually upside-down already, and they were coming to turn it right side up! Yet when people are deceived and living in darkness, their understanding is perverted. They see things through an upside-down mindset. The people were separated from God, following after their own fleshly desires and false gods. They were living in darkness, not knowing why they stumbled.
Many of these same challenges exist today. Often when our nation and world make upside down decisions and Christians come to bring light and revelation to the situation, they are accused of being the ones turning things upside down. In reality, we are attempting to right the situation. We must not be afraid to address the culture we live in and stand for what is right and true, even when it is unpopular. It is easy to stand for Jesus when there is no persecution. However, when the persecution begins, many decide to back off. They don’t want to be accused of going counter to the culture or being troublemakers. When you watch the news, or television, they often make it seem unpopular to stand for biblical principles and what the Lord has to say. Isaiah 5:20 says: “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter…”
Yet this is exactly what we see happening in our current society. This puts us in a position to have to choose whether we will stand for Christ or bend our knee to the pressure and keep silent. In times like these, doing the right thing can get a person in trouble. However, we are not alone. As Elijah told his servant Gehazi, when they were surrounded by enemy soldiers: “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” (See 2 Kings 6:16). Gehazi couldn’t believe his ears. There were only two of them facing an army of multitudes. However, Elijah asked the Lord to open Ghazi’s eyes and suddenly his spiritual eyes were opened. In that moment he saw the mountains filled with horses and chariots of fire. A multitude of angels were encamped throughout the mountains around Elijah. God surely delivered them. The same God that miraculously protected His people throughout the scriptures, is well able to protect us today. Never be afraid to take a stand for what is right. Trust in God to deliver you and He will! However, it is important to make sure you are fully equipped for the battle. In Acts 2, the believers in Christ waited until they received the infilling of the Holy Spirit before they went forward preaching boldly for the Lord. We too need the infilling of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues to face the physical and spiritual challenges of today’s world.
As the world looks like it is in chaos, do not fear. Continue sharing the good news of the gospel of Christ boldly and Turn the World Upside down, or that is…Right Side Up!
Further reading: 2 Kings 6:8-22, Acts 17, Acts 1 & 2, 1 John 4:4, Hebrews 11
