Hebrews 10:35-36 (NIV)
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.
Living a Christian life … living a life worthy of the Lord Jesus and His calling upon you can be quite challenging at times. As believers we need to be diligent because the Adversary prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (Cf. 1 Peter 5:8) He is a liar … a deceiver … a thief that comes only to steal and kill and destroy. (Cf. John 10:10) And sometimes we fall prey to our enemy and his schemes. Sometimes we succumb to his oppression … embrace his temptation … or become ensnared by his deception. In doing so, we fail … we sin. We fall into a place of guilt and shame … self-condemnation … unforgiveness … and missing the goodness God desires for our lives.
Our Verse of the Day, is a reminder this morning for us to hold on and not throw in the towel. Do not throw away your confidence! Do not forsake your faith! It is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things not seen. (Cf. Hebrews 11:1) We are equipped to persevere through the trials of faith and to accomplish the will of God for our lives … for it is God who works in us to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose. (Cf. Philippians 2:13) Indeed, it is God’s will that we should be sanctified; that we should avoid sexual immorality and learn to control our own bodies in a way that is holy and honorable. (Cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4). It is God’s will that we should rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. (Cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) And it is God’s will that by doing good we silence the ignorance of foolish people. (Cf. 1 Peter 2:15) Yes, we can do all these things through Christ who strengthens us. (Cf. Philippians 4:13)
And so, I want to encourage you as well with a few reminders from the Scriptures to help you persevere in faith when you are tested and challenged:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV)
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
1 Corinthians 10:12-14 (NIV)
12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation (test) has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted (tested) beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted (tested), He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.
1 John 2:15-17 (NIV)
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.
1 John 1:5-9 (NIV)
5 This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:1-2 (NIV)
1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Hebrews 4:14-16 (NIV)
14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Yes, out of the fullness of Jesus we have all received grace in place of grace already given. (Cf. John 1:16) So, I encourage us this morning to seek His grace … to confess any sin in our lives … to acknowledge that the world and its desires are temporal and not from God … and to renounce all idols of self-aggrandizement that hinder us from fulfilling the will of God. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Cf. Luke 16:13) And Jesus taught: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Cf. Matthew 16:24) So let us surrender to God and His will. Let us believe His Word … receive His Word. We do not have to lose our faith or confidence in the face of spiritual challenges; rather, let us yield to the Spirit of God. For He helps us in our weakness and intercedes for us in accordance with the will of God. (Cf. Romans 8:26-27)
Father God, I ask you this morning to fill us with the knowledge of your will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that each of us may live a life worthy of our Lord Jesus and please Him in every way. I pray that we would bear fruit in every good work; grow in the knowledge of you; and be strengthened with all power according to your glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience! Yes, Father, we joyfully give you thanks because you have qualified us to share in the inheritance of your holy people in the kingdom of light. We praise and worship you because you have rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of your beloved Son; in whom we have received redemption and the forgiveness of our sins. For HE is our confidence … the One whom we trust. It is in the name of Jesus that we give you thanks … and through whom I pray. Amen. (Adapted from Colossians 1:9-14)
These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” ~ Jesus
So Now You Know 