I will work, and who shall let it?
Isaiah 43:13
Like the biblical giants of old, it takes the love of God, faith, strength and perseverance, to remain relevant in this journey! A fundamental element that strengthens the heart for endurance is keeping our eyes on the Lord or staying focused on Him as the victorious Savior. While He is physically invisible to us, He is nevertheless revealed to us in the written Word. He is described by His sovereignty; He is known as:
Ø ELOHIM: Creator
God
Ø YAHWEH: LORD
Jehovah
Ø EL ELYON: Most
High God
Ø ADONAI: Lord
Master
Ø EL SHADDAI: Lord
God Almighty
Ø EL OLAM: The
Eternal God
Ø JEHOVAH JIREH: The
Lord Will Provide
Ø JEHOVAH RAPHA: The Lord That Heals
Ø JEHOVAH NISSI: The
Lord My Banner
Ø EL QANNA: Jealous God
Ø JEHOVAH MEKODDISHKEM: The Lord Who Sanctifies
Ø JEHOVAH SHALOM: The Lord Is Peace
Ø JEHOVAH SABAOTH: The Lord of Hosts
Ø JEHOVAH RAAH: The Lord My Shepherd
Ø JEHOVAH TSIDKENU: The Lord Our Righteousness
Ø JEHOVAH SHAMMAH: The Lord Is There
It’s
there, in the Word, that we keep our eyes on the Savior. I brought endurance into this conversation
because even though I’m sharing how we can depend on God because He is
faithful, it takes faith on our part to believe that we can depend on Him. So, no matter what the negative circumstances
of our life, we still look to the invisible one to see us through. That takes perseverance; no matter what it
looks like, no matter what it feels like, we endure. We build our relationship with God from our
experiences – good and bad.
People rejoice over the wonders of God, the goodness of God but don’t really care to hear how we get to or what it takes to have goodness and mercy follow us. But, when we look at Jesus, He endured a great deal of suffering and yet remained faithful unto the end. To endure means to bear with or put up with; it means “to bear with" either someone or something -
with
all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love Ephesians 4:2
Or as a
difficult pressure or affliction -
So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: 2 Thessalonians 1:4
Endurance is a Christ-like quality that God wants to develop in our lives as a
part of our spiritual growth -
And the
Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for
Christ. 2 Thessalonians 3:5
The word of God has to be fully rooted and grounded in our heart. There’s one parable that lets us know how are
hearts have to be in receiving, keeping and walking out the word of God:
Now
the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Ø Those by the way side
are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of
their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
Ø They on the rock are
they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root,
which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Ø And that which fell among
thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with
cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Because
of the hostile pressures mentioned in the various soils, bearing fruit takes
time and requires growth which here requires a steadfast endurance, just as it
does for the farmer. The first 3 types
of ground aren’t good for cultivation but the 4th type of ground is
what we need and what we should strive for.
This ground is what makes a smooth transition when you think about the
potter and the clay. Just like the clay,
the ground has to be pliable. This is
the 4th type of ground:
Ø But that on the good
ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word,
keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Luke 8:11-15
So we hear the word, our flesh
[our self-nature] may not like it, the enemy may not want us to receive it;
it’s contrary to the standards of the world and because we are still conformed
to the world and have not yet been transformed by the renewing of our mind,
our ground – which is our heart – does not allow us to cultivate the word of
God and we end up with nefarious, stoney and/or thorny ground. But
the word of God tells us:
My
brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts
of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and
complete, not deficient in anything. James 1:2-4
The
fruit of the spirit not only aids us in becoming the image of God but it aids
us in not yielding to the works of the flesh.
The two aspects of the fruit that I’ve emphasized in this study is faith
and endurance (which is a part of longsuffering). We already know that it is through our experiences
that our faith is built. But you may be
wondering what endurance has to do with God being sovereign and faithful. If you can’t stand against the negative that
comes against you, against the wiles of Satan and even against your own flesh warring
against you, you’ll never know of the dependability of God. Your faith will never grow to the knowledge
that God is faithful. The scriptures I’m sharing with you relate endurance to
the issue of spiritual growth and maturity. The relationship of suffering,
endurance, and hope in the growth and maturity of believers is also discussed
by Apostle Paul in Romans:
Not only
this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces
endurance; and endurance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4
Words for “endurance,” are often used in connection with trials or tribulation, but never in the sense of mere resignation or a ‘grin and bear it’ attitude.
Ø They are often used in
connection with God’s use of trials as tools for our growth and maturity
Ø Endurance under affliction is
also a means of establishing the reality of Christ in a believer’s life or of
attesting to the character of one’s walk with the Savior.
Happy is
the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will
receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him. James 1:12
Endurance and patience are both used in connection with joy because
the believer’s endurance under trials or patience with others or in situations
should never be a matter of grim resignation to a situation or a person who
might try our patience. You know; the ‘grin and bear it’ routine where
underneath the grin is a sigh of impatience. But, because both are to be
motivated by hope in the person, purposes, promises, and principles of God as
found in His Word, biblical endurance and patience is to be encapsulated with
joy. Apostle Paul tells us:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. Romans 5:2-5
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Romans 12:12
We are strengthened and comforted by the Holy Spirit within us:
Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Colossians 1:11-12
Remember the work of Christ did not end on the cross! We have
continuous access to Him!
Looking
unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set
before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
Therefore
beloved, be strong in the Lord in the power of His might; have faith, endurance
and rejoice knowing that God is sovereign, He is the great avenger and all will
work out to those who endure to the end!
He is faithful and we can depend on Him!
