Nearly 5,000 Christians were martyred for their faith in 2023. And more than 365 million Christians faced brutal persecution according to a recent report by Open Doors Christian charity. This means that globally, 1 out of every 7 Christians faced persecution for their faith. But this shouldn’t shock Christians. Jesus said the world would hate those who love him, and since the beginning of Christianity this has been true. All but one of the apostles were killed for their faith and the church has a long history of being persecuted. This reminds us that we are in a spiritual war, but despite this, Christianity has flourished. Despite historical persecution, Christianity is the largest religion in the world, proving that the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ will always triumph over the powers of this world.