Sami
Dagher
The Evangelist is Faithful in a Hostile World
Key Reference: Revelation 2:8‑11
I am so happy to be in Amsterdam. I have wonderful memories of this
place. In 1971, I was invited to a conference like this. At that time, I
was working in the hotel business. After one week of hearing Dr. Billy
Graham preaching and presenting the needs of the world ‑ especially in
Europe and the Middle East ‑ I was touched by the Lord, and I
accepted the challenge to serve Him. In 1973 I resigned from the hotel
business and started church planting. We were three people at that time ‑ me, my wife, and one
other person. By the grace of God, we have six churches now in Lebanon: four in the Arabic
language for the Lebanese; one for the Sri Lankan people in my country; and one for the Sudanese
residing there. We also have a Bible school to train people in Lebanon so that we can send them
all over the Arab world with the message of Jesus Christ.
So far we have sent a missionary to Africa's Ivory Coast, as well as short‑term
missionaries to Iraq. Now we have an Iraqi man who is continuing ministry in that
country.
All of that comes as the result of obeying what the Lord had said to me in Amsterdam almost
twenty‑nine years ago. My prayer is that you have been listening carefully to the voice of the Spirit
during your time here, and that you will obey what the Lord has said to you.
The subject I have been assigned to speak on is "The Evangelist is Faithful in a Hostile World."
You have heard many preachers this week, and today you are going to hear another preacher. In
my heart I have but one wish for you this morning: I wish that the Lord Jesus Himself would be
able to stand here today in the flesh and teach us about this subject. Wouldn't that be wonderful?
Wouldn't you like to hear a message from the mouth of the Lord Jesus?
Beloved ones, this wish would be very heard to fulfill, because when the Lord will come again, He
will not come as a preacher or as a teacher, but He will come in great glory to judge the living and
the dead. But let me assure you, even if He were to come as a preacher, He would not change
one Word of what He has said before. For it is written, "I am the LORD, I do not change" (Malachi
3:6). Because He is God and He changes not, His word will never change.
The passage that we have just read is a message from the Lord Jesus after resurrection to the
angel of the church of Smyrna. In His message, He encourages the angel, and He gives him some
directions and orders. He says to him: "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life"
(Rev. 2:10b).
Dear brothers and sisters, we evangelists are stewards of the mysteries of God. And a steward is
entrusted to be faithful in all situations of life, without exceptions. There is no excuse for
unfaithfulness. This morning I have a few thoughts I want you to know:
I. Hostility is expected whenever we take a stand for Jesus.
In John 17:14, Jesus prayed to the Father, saying, "I have given them Your word; and the world
has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world."
Paul says, "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12).
According to the teaching of our Lord and the teaching of the Holy Spirit, there is no escape from
persecution, because we are hated by the world. All of us face different persecution ‑ mental and
physical. And we have to be prepared to face it. Jesus tells us, "A servant is not greater than his
master. If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20).
Many times, we as believers are ashamed to speak out for Christ. We are ashamed to carry our
Bibles because of the pressure and persecution of the world. Why? Because we have not been
prepared for this kind of pressure or this kind of persecution. Our problem is this: when we present
the gospel of Christ to other people, we usually only portray a picture of peace, stability,
happiness, and joy. As a result, new believers are often shocked when they face problems,
suffering, pressure, and persecution.
Of course we do have peace, joy, and happiness in Christ. But we must explain what that means
to the people we are trying to reach. What kind of peace are we talking about, what kind of joy are
we talking about?
We should know and make clear to our listeners that the peace and joy that we have in Christ is
not a guarantee for us against hardships, sufferings, and persecutions. Again Jesus says, "These
things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation;
but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33).
So in Him we have peace. In Him we have victory. But in the world, we shall have tribulations.
Jesus made it very clear that the world would hate us: "I have given them Your Word; and the
world has hated themY" (John 17:14a). We are hated by the world not because we are bad, but
because we have the word of God.
We are not only hated by the world, but we are also strangers of the world. Referring again to that
same verse: "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of
the world, just as I am not of the world" (John 17:14).
If we were from this world, the world would have loved us, because it loves its own. But we are not
of the world: our goals are different and our nature is different. We are partners of the divine nature.
Dear brothers and sisters, we are strangers in this world.
What does a stranger expect in a foreign land? We all know that a stranger in a foreign land
expects to face trials, problems, and suffering. All of the prophets and saints who have gone before
us have all confessed to being strangers and pilgrims on the earth. They had a trial of cruel
mockers, they were stoned, and they were slain by the sword. It is written that the world did not
deserve them; but they stood faithful to the word of God to the end ‑ in spite of suffering and
persecution (Hebrews 11:38).
So, the first thing we should know is that hostility is to be expected whenever we take a stand for
Jesus. This brings me to my second pointY
II. The upright life of the evangelist gives him respect in a hostile world.
Dear brethren, listen carefully. If we want to escape some of the suffering in a hostile world, we
should live an upright life. Living an upright life gives us respect and reverence in a world that is
hostile to the gospel.
Paul says in Romans 13:3, "Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil." He goes on to say
that if you don't want to be afraid of their power, do that which is good, and you will receive their
praise.
We have been serving in an Arab country for nearly ten years. The people of that country believe
that they have suffered a lot at the hand of the Christians. They look to the Western world as a
"Christian" country. They accuse the West of killing their children and destroying their homes and
their future.
In the beginning, we faced a lot of difficulties. They watched our every step. After a long time, they
discovered that our only goal was to show them the love of Christ. We did not have any hidden
agenda, and we were not looking for profit or material gain. They came to trust us, and they gave
us permission to give tens of thousands of New Testaments in the streets of their cities. To our
surprise, by special order from their president, the Jesus film was shown on national TV, and
some 20 million people watched it.
The reason for the difficulties behind proclaiming the gospel in the Middle East is not only the
fanaticism of other religions, but also the life and the behavior of those who profess to be
Christians. Instead of being a blessing and a light to others, they are stumbling stones.
I encourage you to walk worthy of our calling. As God's word says, "As you therefore have
received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him" (Colossians 2:6).
Daniel lived in a country whose system was hostile to his religion and his faith. He was watched
day and night by his enemies, yet they could not find a fault to be used against him. He was
honest, and he was loved by the king despite his different religion and faith. In the end, his
enemies trapped him, and he was put in the lion's den. But he stood faithful to the end. What was
the result? God moved on the scene and saved Daniel. And the king gave a decree saying, "No
other God should be worshipped but the God of Daniel." I challenge you to be as Daniel and to
stand alone.
In front of our eyes, we have a man who has lived for Christ. His upright life has given him respect,
dignity, and reverence of all people. Dr. Billy Graham's life is an example to every one of us. He is
not ashamed of the gospel of Christ in a modern world. He believes that the gospel is the power of
God unto salvation, and he practices his belief in a hostile world. He is faithful to God's calling,
even though he faces hostility.
Hostility does not necessarily come from rulers and government. Hostility might even come from
friends, neighbors, or family members. The Lord said, "Be faithful until death and I will give you the
crown of life" (Rev. 2:10b). By being faithful and living an upright life, Dr. Graham kept the dignity
and integrity of the gospel of Christ. As a result, he has gained respect and reverence even from
his enemies. He has prayed for kings and presidents, and he has prayed for the whole world.
Dear brethren, it is true that we are strangers and pilgrims in this world. It is true that we are hated
by the world. But our duty and our responsibility is to be the light of this world and to pray for
those who oppose us so that they might come to the knowledge of Jesus our Lord and so find
peace.
In the Old Testament, there is a command from God to His own people. In Jeremiah 29:7 we read:
"And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to
the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace."
Paul in the New Testament gives us a similar command in 1 Timothy 2:2: "[Pray] for kings and all
who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence." If
we as believers live this kind of life, we will make a difference in the world.
You might say, "We have prayed. We have lived a godly life and we have shown them the love of
Christ, but they still persecute us. They are still opposed to us. What can we do?" That leads me
to my third pointY
III. You should know that faithfulness for the Lord and His gospel is a divine request in
spite of hostility.
Jesus said to the angel of the church of Smyrna: "Do not fear any of those things which you are
about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested,
and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life"
(Rev. 2:10).
Dear believers, a day will come when people will kill us and actually think that they are doing a
service to the Lord. Be faithful unto death, be faithful to Christ, and be faithful to the Word of God.
Jesus is saying, "Fear not. They are going to put you in prison and they are going to persecute
you. Be faithful."
God's problem with the inhabitants of the earth is their lack of faithfulness. He said in Hosea 4:1:
"Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel, for the Lord brings a charge against the
inhabitants of the land: 'There is no truth [faithfulness] or mercy or knowledge of God in the land.' "
God has a court case with the inhabitants of the earth. To be able to have a court case, you need
charges. What are the charges against the inhabitants of the earth?
No faithfulness on the earth
No mercy or love on the earth
No knowledge of God on the earth
There are three charges, but the first is unfaithfulness. God forbid that it be said of us that we are
not faithful. Jesus says to be faithful until death, and He will give you the crown of life. When we
hear about the believers who lived under communism and how they were faithful until death, we are
proud of them and we have a great respect for them. May the Spirit of the living Christ help us to
be faithful to death, as well.
You might ask, "Is there a way that will help us to keep up our courage in a hostile world?" Yes,
there is, which brings me to my fourth pointY
IV. The only way that will help us to keep our courage is to remember that JESUS HAS
ALL AUTHORITY AND POWER.
Jesus says in Matthew 28:18: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth."
Dear brothers and sisters, we are serving the Lord of glory, the almighty God. We have to
remember that Jesus has all power and authority in heaven and on earth. Not one hair will drop
from our heads without Him knowing about it.
Remember that He is the One who wrote by His hand on the wall of the king and terminated
his kingdom.
Remember that He is the One who sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions so that
they would not hurt Daniel.
Remember that He is the One who walked in the furnace fire with the three Hebrew
children.
Remember that He is the One who gave the order to the water of the river of Jordan to stand
like a wall.
Remember that He is the One who stood at Lazarus' tomb saying, "Lazarus, come forth."
Remember that He is the One who ordered the storm and the sea to be silent.
Remember that He is the One who rose from the dead.
Dear brethren, isn't He worthy to be trusted? Isn't He worthy that we should even die for His sake?
How can we be afraid when we remember these things? How can we be afraid when we look at the
empty tomb?
Be faithful until death. Death is not an enemy anymore for the believer. Death is the way that will
take us to our eternal home. Death is the channel through which we will see Jesus. As it is
written, "While we are at home in [this] body, we are absent from the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:6).
One day I was going to a Bible study, and I went through a town controlled by the Druzes' militia.
Two men riding on a motorbike approached me. The one in the back pointed a gun toward me and
waved me to stop. So I stopped. He then came down from his motorbike, sat next to me with his
gun pointed to my side, and said, "Drive!"
When we got off of the main road, I was really afraid. They took me to a building far away from the
town, and within minutes I found myself in a locked room. They took everything from me except
my New Testament.
I prayed and then I opened my New Testament to read, but I was shaking like a leaf. I couldn't
read, so I prayed again. I thought that God would help me, but to my surprise, my fear just grew.
Then I kneeled down and really poured my heart before the Lord. At that moment, this verse came
to mind: "To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." I kept repeating this verse in
my mind.
Suddenly I was separated from the love of my wife, my children, my church ‑ and even from life
itself. I stopped shaking and I was only thinking, "I want to see Jesus!" At that time, the door
opened and they took me for questioning. I was like a lion.
To cut a long story short, while they were questioning me, a gentleman came to the room. The
men all stood for him and saluted him. He gave an order that I be sent back to the room. After a
half hour had passed, a young man came back with all my papers and said, "You can go." He was
trying to take me out through the back door, but I told him that I wanted to go through the front to
see the same people who had questioned me and to thank them for letting me go. So I left from
the same door I had entered. I went back to those people and thanked them. Then I promised to
come back to drink a coffee with them the next week. The second week I returned with a Bible and
a letter explaining the way of salvation to them.
Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.
Paul, facing imminent persecution, understood the importance of his life ministry, but he also
realized what an incredible blessing it would be to be with Christ. He writes, "But if I live on in the
flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard
pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better"
(Philippians 1:23).
Dear brothers and sisters, do not be afraid of physical death. Jesus says, "Do not fear those who
kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body
in hell" (Matthew 10:28).
With that being said, let me give you one final principle that will help each of us to remain strong in
a hostile worldY
V. The evangelist needs wisdom from heaven above.
The evangelist needs wisdom to know when to speak and when to be silent. It is written in
Ecclesiastes 3:1: "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." Then
further down in verse seven we read, "A time to keep silence and a time to speak."
We have to know when to speak and we have to know when to be silent. If we speak when it is
time to be silent, it is dangerous; and if we are silent when it is time to speak, it is also
dangerous.
We need wisdom from heaven above. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of
God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."
Pray for wisdom, and do not delete from your account the work of the Holy Spirit or forget the great
promises of God. Do not forget this precious promise from Jesus: "Whatever you ask the Father in
My name He will give you" (John 16:23b).
Our problem today is that we have lost the greatest weapon against Satan and against all of our
enemies. I say it with sorrow in my heart ‑ in these days we have lost the power of prayer. We
have neglected this great weapon, which was given to us by God. All the prophets of the Old
Testament and the saints of the New Testament triumphed over the world by prayer.
Elijah was a man like us, and he prayed that it would not rain for three years and six months ‑ and
it did not rain. Later he prayed for rain, and God sent rain.
Joshua prayed for the sun to stop until they finished the battle against their enemies, and God
answered his prayer. And to be able to answer his prayer, God had to change the solar system! It
is written in Joshua 10:14: "And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the Lord
heeded the voice of a man; for the Lord fought for Israel."
Beloved, let us go back from this conference determining to gain back this power which has been
lost, and to pray without ceasing. Pray and believe that our Lord is able. Pray and ask the Lord to
fight for us as He fought for Israel in the times of old.
Let us go back from this conference remembering that we are strangers and pilgrims on
this earth.
Let us go back remembering that we are hated by the world, but loved and sent forth by the
Lord.
Let us go back remembering that our behavior and our upright life will give us respect,
dignity, and reverence.
Let us go back remembering that Jesus has ALL authority in heaven AND on earth.
Let us go back remembering that we can obtain wisdom from heaven above when we ask
for it.
Let us go back remembering that we possess the greatest power on earth ‑ the power of
prayer. And let us remember that the power of the Holy Spirit is ours when we honor Christ.
May the Lord richly bless you.
Amen.
This Amsterdam 2000 speech text is under copyright. The author has rights protected by
international law. This text is not for reprint or republication. The message actually delivered at
Amsterdam 2000 may have differed significantly from this text.
