Perseverance
We need to look to God more than ever before in these unprecedented times because He endures forever as everything else shall pass away.
Because of the times we are living in, many of us have been discouraged and bogged down even to depths that we have never been before. Knowing the promises of God however are what will fuel and anchor us to navigate these times. We need to know God intimately in a way we have never known Him before. This is our only way out in such times.
Isaiah 43:2 (MSG) When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you; all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in!
- In the hard and desperate moments of life, God shows up – Just as He did for the children of Israel in Egypt between Pharaoh and the Red sea. It’s not a dead end.
Even in these last days, though the love of many may wax cold and wickedness increases, those who stand to the end will be saved.
Mark 13:13, Matt 24:13-14 – Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved
- God requires us to stand firm in these last days so that we may be saved. It is your mandate as a child of God to stand firm.
- Standing firm in these last days is a sure indication of our salvation.
As we go through tough times, it is a natural instinct to fear because we are flesh and bone, but God encourages us to stand firm. God will come and strengthen and save you amidst the fears troubling you.
Isaiah 35:3-4 Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
- Encourage yourself in the Word. You shall live and not die.
- We can only stand on the promises of God that we know in our hearts.
- The promises can only be of effect when we have known Him as our Lord and Savior.
Why should I stand firm?
Hebrews 3:6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory
We see Moses (a servant of God) doing many mighty works for God including delivering the House of Israel out of exile. For us today, Christ is faithful – as a Son over God’s Household to which we belong to bring us out of hurdles if we frilly hold onto His promises.
We must stand firm and persevere to the end so that we will see what we have hoped for.
Hebrews 6:18-20 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
- Endurance is a Christian virtue we ought to exude.
- If we do not preserve, we shall not see the things we have been hoping for, or the fruit of our labors in the Lord.
- The promises of God are trustworthy; He cannot lie. Abraham waited for 24 years and yet God still fulfilled His promise.
- We have access to God through Jesus Christ – and therefore access to the resources to enable us to maneuver tumultuous times. This is our hope in the Lord.
- Jesus Christ has overcome the World on our behalf – John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
- Because the God whom we have believed is faithful to deliver. Every promise of God is true and trustworthy. Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.
- We shall reign with Christ both now and in eternity if we endure. 2 Timothy 2:11-13 Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him. If we disown him, he will also disown us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for he cannot disown himself.
Hallmark
Hebrews 10:36-39 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
- Move away from a life of reason (what we see) to a life of revelation (what comes from God).
- Be generous and give of your time to support someone in need during this time.
- Keep up your courage in the Lord.
