Jesus People Podcast Episode 49

"Persecution is a Silencer" with David Platt

Host: Ryan Miller
Guest: David Platt
Date: December 8, 2025

Episode Overview

In this powerful, passionate episode, Ryan Miller sits down with author, pastor, and missionary David Platt for an unfiltered conversation on faith under fire—literal and metaphorical. They dive into themes of persecution, evangelism, biblical literacy, generational faithfulness, and the tension between culture and obedience to Jesus. Drawing from global contexts and personal experience, the conversation calls listeners toward deeper intimacy with God, greater boldness, and a radical return to Scripture.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Legacy of Faithful Obedience

• Ryan reflects on the influence of David Platt’s book Radical alongside Francis Chan’s Crazy Love, crediting them for inspiring a “no longer lukewarm” generation (01:19–03:14).

• David recounts the unexpected reach of his book and humbly attributes it to “God’s grace”—noting that the calling is to “fuel zeal for God’s word… not according to the culture around us… but according to who He is and what He said” (03:14–05:14).

  “This comfortable Christian spin on the American dream really doesn’t square with Jesus and his words.”
  — David Platt, 03:31

2. Gen Z & Global Revival

• The hosts celebrate an emerging spiritual hunger among young people, both in the US and persecuted nations, witnessed through social media and direct encounters (05:14–09:39).

• David shares inspiring scenes from Bangladesh and other nations: “all over the room for hours, for days, just sitting there on the floor with their Bibles open and then worshiping, praying, and saying we want to make the gospel known among people who’ve never heard it, no matter what that costs with our lives” (08:22).

  “What a time to be alive with all the ways God’s provided for us to be a part of spreading his love.”
  — David Platt, 09:23

3. The Role of Persecution: Silencer or Catalyst?

• Ryan frames recent events in America and the global church as a test of willingness to publicly stand for faith (09:39–10:35).

• David unpacks biblical and historical patterns: persecution aims to silence, but also provokes boldness and resilience—if believers lean into the Holy Spirit’s power (10:35–15:20).

• He reminds that the adversary uses both persecution and comfort to stunt witness: “That’s always the goal of persecution: to silence witness” (13:20).

  “As long as they’re quiet with the gospel, they’ll be just fine… When they start being active in sharing the gospel…that’s when the risk comes.”
  — David Platt, 12:42

• The biblical call—to all believers, not just leaders—is bold, everyday gospel proclamation (14:39–15:20).

  “It was just ordinary, everyday believers filled with the extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit sharing this news… turning the Roman world upside down.”
  — David Platt, 14:53

4. Evangelism is a Mandate, Not Merely a Gift

• Ryan passionately counters the common misconception that evangelism is only for the “gifted”:

  “Evangelism is not a gift, it’s a mandate… Go make disciples.” (17:22)

• David points to the timidity and fear even among the early disciples: boldness isn’t natural, but is given by the Spirit and empowered as the church prays for each other (18:47–22:12).

  “Let’s find some solace in the fact that these early disciples… they were tempted to sit back quiet… so let’s not be surprised when that temptation comes.”
  — David Platt, 18:54

5. The Spiritual Battle for Attention & Biblical Literacy

• Ryan brings up the challenge of digital distraction and AI, asking whether browsing for spiritual advice undermines direct engagement with Scripture (26:36–30:43).

• David laments the “dangerous dependence” on screens and emphasizes the need for intentional disciplines to keep God’s Word central (30:47–36:27).

  “We become like what we behold. Well, if we’re spending all our time, like, beholding stuff in this world… we’re being conformed to the pattern of this world all day long. Which means there’s got to be intentionality to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.”
  — David Platt, 31:16

• He encourages “meditating on God’s Word day and night,” leveraging even phones as tools for Scripture memory rather than mindless scrolling (33:40–34:20).

6. Reading the Bible Rightly

• Ryan asks about misreading Scripture (37:46–37:54).

• David warns against self-centered or merely emotional approaches, stressing exegesis before application:

  “There’s a way to leave God’s word that leads to deception and destruction. So we got to make sure we’re reading God’s word the right way.” (38:17)

  “The Bible wasn’t intended to answer every question we’re asking… but [to] draw us into intimacy with God, to make us look and think and desire and love more like Jesus.”
  — David Platt, 43:31, 45:34

• Ryan echoes a caution against using the Bible “for our own gain,” observing how Satan himself twisted scripture (42:00–43:18).

7. Recognizing and Following the Shepherd’s Voice

• Ryan tells a moving analogy about sheep knowing their shepherd’s voice (46:34–47:41).
• David describes his personal experience with God’s voice in daily devotions, emphasizing the vital dependence of God’s people on their Shepherd (47:41–50:27).

8. Prayer for Wisdom, Boldness, and Generational Faithfulness

• Ryan closes by inviting prayer for David—who humbly asks for boldness in daily life and wisdom as a husband and father (50:42–51:55).
• The episode ends with powerful, mutual intercession for listeners and the global body of Christ to live boldly, wisely, and intimately with God (54:02–59:53).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ryan Miller (01:21):
  “You are, like, one of the titans of the kingdom of God who has been faithful and gone before this generation and really carved the path… and to not bend the knee to the culture.”

• David Platt (03:31):
  “This comfortable Christian spin on the American dream doesn’t really square with Jesus and his words.”

• David Platt (10:40):
  “There’s an adversary who wants to use persecution… to silence faith, to pull our hearts away from Jesus and his Word. And so we’ve got to be on guard against both.”

• David Platt (13:24):
  “There are people who’ve given their lives for the gospel…and the whole picture in Revelation 12 is these are the followers of Jesus who have loved not their lives even unto death, and have conquered by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.”

• Ryan Miller (17:22):
  “Evangelism is not a gift, it’s a mandate… Therefore, go make disciples of all nations. And how can they become disciples if they haven’t heard the good news?”

• David Platt (18:54):
  “The fact that they were praying for boldness shows they were afraid… let’s not be surprised when that temptation comes…that’s what every follower of Jesus has felt.”

• David Platt (31:16):
  “We become like what we behold. Well, if we’re spending all our time, like, beholding stuff in this world… we’re being conformed to the pattern of this world all day long…”

• Ryan Miller (42:06):
  “If we’re reading the Bible for our own gain and to figure out what this means to us, we are demonically reading the Bible because the Bible is not about us, it’s about God.”

• David Platt (45:34):
  “Our souls are made for intimacy with our Creator. And it’s God’s word and the power of God’s spirit that makes that a reality for us on a daily basis.”

• David Platt (47:41):
  “What a privilege, what an honor to be his sheep, listening to his voice… I cannot live without hearing that voice.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:19–03:14 — The generational impact of Radical and Crazy Love
• 08:22–09:39 — Scenes of revival and hunger for the gospel in persecuted nations
• 10:35–15:20 — How persecution works as a silencer—or a catalyst
• 17:22–18:47 — Evangelism: mandate, not a special gift; practical stories
• 18:47–22:12 — Praying for boldness and embracing weakness as the Spirit’s invitation
• 30:47–36:27 — Digital distraction vs. biblical meditation in daily life
• 38:17–40:53 — How to avoid misreading or misusing the Bible
• 43:31–45:34 — The Bible chiefly draws us into intimacy and Christlikeness
• 47:41–50:27 — Knowing, depending on, and following the Shepherd
• 50:42–51:55 — David’s personal prayer requests: wisdom & boldness
• 54:02–59:53 — Mutual prayers: for the Platt family, for listeners, for global impact

Takeaways for Listeners

• True faith is public, bold, and rooted in love for Jesus—not conformity or comfort.
• While persecution aims to silence, it can spark great courage through the Holy Spirit.
• Biblical illiteracy and cultural distraction are as dangerous as open opposition.
• Every believer is mandated to share the gospel, empowered by the Spirit, not personality.
• God’s Word is meant for daily transformation and intimacy—not just answers or inspiration.
• The call is both for courageous action “out there” and for deepening, intentional formation “in here.”

Final Blessing

"May God’s Word be your food day and night… that you would be like trees planted by streams of water… bearing fruit for the gospel and joy beyond your imagination."
— David Platt’s prayer for listeners (56:13–59:53)

For more resources, check the show notes for links to David Platt’s How to Read the Bible and the Global Christian Relief ministry.