Unyielding Faith
The Roman governor stood before forty Roman soldiers of the Thundering Legion. “I command you to make offerings to the Roman gods. If you will not, you will be stripped of your military status.” All forty soldiers firmly believed in the Lord Jesus. They knew they must not deny Him or sacrifice to the Roman idols, no matter what the governor would do to them.
The soldiers were first offered money and honors, then threatened with torments and tortures. Candidus spoke for the legion, “You will not find us fainthearted or attached to this life or easily stricken with terror. For the love of God, we are prepared to endure any kind of torture.”
Triumph in Suffering
The enraged governor, wanting the legion to die a slow, painful death, had the soldiers stripped and herded to the middle of a frozen lake. He set soldiers to guard them and to prevent any from escaping. The forty soldiers encouraged each other and spent the night courageously bearing their pain and rejoicing in the hope of soon being with the Lord.
To increase the torment of the Christians, baths of hot water were put around the lake. They would be allowed to come ashore when they were ready to deny their faith. In the end, one of the soldiers did weaken, came off the ice, and got into a warm bath. When one of the guards on the shore saw him desert, he himself took the place of the traitor. Surprising everyone with the suddenness of his conversion, he threw off his clothes and ran to join the naked ones on the ice, crying out loudly, “I am a Christian.”
The soldiers were Jesus Freaks who knew that God works through tragic situations to draw more people to Himself.
As a Jesus Freak, will you see God working through tragic situations to draw more people to Himself?
Date: 23rd July 2022
Title: The Thundering Legion
Martyr: A Legion of Roman Soldiers, Sebast
Location: Armenia (now Turkey)
Source: Jesus Freaks
Author: DC Talk and The Voice of Martyrs
Suffering Saturday 002
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