{"id":48063,"date":"2022-07-28T10:47:36","date_gmt":"2022-07-28T07:47:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/?p=48063"},"modified":"2025-05-29T01:35:42","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T22:35:42","slug":"what-can-we-learn-from-joanna-and-manaen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wingulamashahidi.org\/en\/2022\/07\/28\/what-can-we-learn-from-joanna-and-manaen\/","title":{"rendered":"What Can We Learn from Joanna and Manaen?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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If you think your environment excuses you from following Jesus, think again.<\/em><\/p>\n

Many people believe that their circumstances prevent them from becoming true disciples of Christ. You might say:<\/p>\n

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\u201cI was born into a religion that opposes Christianity. How can I become a follower of Jesus\u2014especially one who denies themselves daily to follow Him? I\u2019m married to someone who rejects Christ. My whole family doesn\u2019t believe in Jesus or even respect the Christian faith. Is it really possible for me to go to church, serve God, and live as a faithful believer?\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The answer is YES.<\/strong>
It is entirely possible if you are willing to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Jesus (Luke 9:23).<\/p>\n

You’re not the first to face a hostile environment. Throughout the Bible, there were people who encountered even more difficult situations than yours. Some overcame<\/strong>, and some did not<\/strong>. Let’s examine both.<\/p>\n

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1. Those Who Failed to Follow Openly<\/strong><\/h3>\n

John 12:42 (ESV):<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cNevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Here we see Jewish leaders who genuinely believed in Jesus\u2014but they remained silent. They feared being expelled from the synagogue and rejected by their community. Their secret faith bore no fruit, because they were unwilling to confess Christ publicly.<\/p>\n

Jesus Himself warned against such hidden faith:<\/p>\n

Matthew 10:32\u201333 (ESV):<\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u201cSo everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Fear of man kept them from full devotion to Christ. This is a sobering warning for anyone tempted to stay silent because of societal or religious pressure.<\/p>\n

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2. Those Who Overcame the Pressure<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Thankfully, the Bible also gives us powerful examples of men and women who were in extremely difficult situations\u2014yet they chose to follow Jesus boldly. Two such people are:<\/p>\n