How did the early believers endure constant persecution and pressure?
Early believers endured constant pressure by holding to the promise that the Lord who permitted their affliction was also the Lord with strength to bring them through it. They learned not to trust in themselves but in God, who raises the dead, delivers, and will yet deliver.
Les explains that all these early believers were under constant pressure, but they had the promise that the Lord who was permitting the affliction and pressure was also the Lord who had the strength to bring them through it. Paul describes being pressed out of measure, above strength, so that he despaired even of life and did not think he would live to finish his ministry. Whether the pressure came from physical sickness, the Romans, or the Judaizers, he almost despaired of life. Yet he had the sentence of death in himself so that he should not trust in himself but in God, who raised the dead, delivered them from so great a death, doth deliver, and will yet deliver.