Today we had church history at college and for all of you who just groaned, I recommend attending Mike's class. Your view of church history will change radically.
He reviewed the Medieval Church Age and the depressing nature of its outcomes but the point is that all that misery could not stop the plan of God. There were still people like John Wycliff, Jan Huss who stood strong for their simple faith and fought their battle faithfully all through their lives.
It is amazing how God shakes the high and mighty of the age through ordinary people. Wycliffe and his translation of the Bible became such a pain in the neck for the power hungry authorities of that day that they dug up his remains thirty four years after his death and burnt them charging him of heresy. What a desperate move and shame on their part! and yet it shows how God can exhibit his sovereignty through any period of time. No one is too powerful to supercede him.
It is also very encouraging for the people of God today who have seen the King and his Kingdom because as Tony always says "they can kill you but they cant take away your victory"