An in-depth study conducted by World Watch 2020 has revealed that global persecution on people identifying themselves as Christian has dramatically increased to 15 million more this past year. Countries which have previously avoided persecution, such as Sri Lanka, China, India, and Syria, have stepped up their demonization of Christians. Joseph's insight as he was sold into and subsequently released from slavery, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good," should provide comfort for all followers of Christ, hated intensely and currently anticipating persecution. If one does good, following God's instructions, persecution is automatically promised as a consequence, just as Christ paid with His life for healing on the Sabbath and raising Lazarus from the dead, acts which united the Pharisees and Sadducees (formerly enemies) as a confederation of hatred against Him, galvanizing them to destroy Him for threatening their influence and control. God's people today have the choice, like those contemporaneous at Jesus' crucifixion to: 1.) align themselves with the wishy-washy, gullible crowd, ignoring the significance of the miracles of Christ, 2.) aligning themselves with the religious leaders believing, after the manner of Caiaphas, the expedient, pragmatic practice of executing one man to save the many (an unwitting prophecy from an extremely self-centered, evil man), or (3) aligning themselves with Jesus Christ, following Him submitting to Him even in persecution or martyrdom, knowing that what Satan and the world meant for evil, God will turn it all around for good.