When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isaiah 43:2.
In this our day, many of God’s servants, though innocent of wrong-doing, will be given over to suffer humiliation and abuse at the hands of those who, inspired by Satan, are filled with envy and religious bigotry. Especially will the wrath of man be aroused against those who hallow the Sabbath of the fourth commandment; and at last a universal decree will denounce these as deserving of death….
His children must make it manifest that He is the only object of their worship, and that no consideration … can induce them to make the least concession to false worship. To the loyal heart the commands of sinful, finite men will sink into insignificance beside the Word of the eternal God. Truth will be obeyed though the result be imprisonment or exile or death.—Prophets and Kings, 512.
In all ages the Saviour’s chosen have been educated and disciplined in the school of trial. They walked in narrow paths on earth; they were purified in the furnace of affliction. For Jesus’ sake they endured opposition, hatred, calumny. They followed Him through conflicts sore; they endured self-denial and experienced bitter disappointments…. They love much, because they have been forgiven much. Having been partakers of Christ’s sufferings, they are fitted to be partakers with Him of His glory.—The Great Controversy, 649.