230721-Need of Endurance

The main idea of this transcription is about the importance of endurance and patience in the face of trials and challenges. The speaker emphasizes the need to hold fast to our faith and not let go, even when things get tough. They discuss various Bible verses that highlight the significance of endurance and how it leads to a stronger faith and a closer relationship with God. The speaker encourages listeners to rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit and to trust in God's promises. They also mention the importance of patience and perseverance in our daily lives and the rewards that come from enduring through difficult times. Overall, the message is to stay strong and steadfast in our faith, knowing that God is with us and will help us overcome any obstacles we face. Father, we come before you, O God, and we're thanking you, Jesus, for this time where you speak to our spirit and impart life, boldness, and strength, understanding. God, thank you for these times that we can share together the goodness of the Lord and the power of the Word. God, we're grateful. And asking that God move as only you can. Bless those coming. Lord, bless those we'll hear later. In the wonderful name of Jesus, amen. The title today, you have need, I have need of parents. And so I've been so touched as I've been studying and spending time with the Lord and imparting to me. You know, I wanted to say a while ago, in the last two weeks, the Lord has spoken to my heart, to me personally. And he said, son, you don't, you're not strong enough in the inner man, in the inner man. You're not strong enough in the inner man. And I said, sir, okay. And he showed me the weakness. I don't know how to explain, but I could feel the difference between the lack of strength in some areas, the lack of endurance, and what was needed. So I've been just yielding to the Lord and saying, God, it's true. I need more of that, of that strength, that fire. Lord, that which is shaken. I became aware that should certain things come, it would be too much for me. That's a hard thing to admit, isn't it? I'm not strong enough. I might be shaken. But it doesn't mean it's a permanent thing. It just says, God, I confess my need of you in this area. Thank you for showing me and shining the light on it because you want to prepare me so I will not be shaken in that hour. Amen. We've all felt the shaking. Our native friends call it a shakening. That's shakening. When God shakes all that can be shaken. And the only thing that remains is what is of him. Only what is of God can remain in that hour. And so not by might of flesh and not by work of man will we be able to stand. But only by the spirit of the living God giving us that power, that fortitude, that foundation that is unmovable and unshakable in Christ Jesus. Last week we were, last two weeks, two weeks ago we were speaking about the refiner of fire and the fuller of soap. And last week we were speaking of finding the joy in trial, in trouble. And it helped so much for me and for some of you as I hear your testimonies that given the understanding of what God is doing it makes a difference. So today let's read Jeremiah 12 verse 5. I don't know who would be capable of reading. You can just unmute when you're ready to read Jeremiah 12 and verse 5. I don't know if you are familiar with this verse or not but it is spoken to our lives many times through the years. It's one of Agnes' favorites. Jeremiah 12 verse 5. Jeremiah 12 verse 5. If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? And if in the land of peace wherein thou throstest they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Judah? How do you like that verse Emmanuel? What understanding do you have of that verse? I think it's quite clear. If the people you trusted or the things you were working with before time that you thought would get you through disappointed you, how would you not cope with the greater challenge or the greater project that is ahead of you? You were able to make plans and the plans you made failed at the beginning of the project. So how are you going to go about the bigger one? That is something I noticed there, sir. Okay. Someone else. Brother Cassander, what does that verse say to you? It's a context of war and I think you're very right on Emmanuel. But maybe Brother Cassander has further understanding. Yes, I love what Brother Emmanuel has said. How will you cope with that project? And I'm looking at it. If I've been unable to endure a certain level of trial, how will I endure a more serious trial? That's what I see there. Because as you talked, I said to myself truly, my inner man is weak. Because before I joined, I had prayed and told God I'm tired. Tired. That's the prayer I prayed and told God I'm tired. Amen. That scripture speaks to me. The scripture we are saying. Yeah. Brother Cassander, you're weary already. Yeah, exactly. If I'm already wearied by men, what's my hope with horses if I were to race with them? If men have defeated me. Not to talk of, if I'm already threatened, I'm afraid, I've lost faith. Right. Because of the countryside. Because of the village. Because of, the Bible calls it the land of peace. Relatively, the thing is even peaceful. How will I cope with the swelling of Jordan? It's a challenge. Reminds me of the scripture that says, if you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is known. So that's what I see from that scripture. So what was the one you quoted? If you faint in the day of adversity? That should be Proverbs. I don't remember the chapter. Yeah, 24 verse 10. I'll read it. If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. I, Lord, confess that our strength is not enough. Lord, we confess we have need of strengthening. We have need of might on the inner man. Even as people prayed that they would be strengthened with might in the inner man. Oh, God, we pray, Lord, that you would release tonight, prophetically, sovereignly, you would release strengthening and courage that comes only by the Holy Ghost. God, we confess that we're often challenged just running with the foot soldiers. And we become weary already just with the foot soldiers. Lord, what are we going to do when they come riding on horses with chariots? Lord, what are we going to do when we get into the thickets along the Jordan and we have to contend and battle in the midst of the thickets along the Jordan? Oh, Lord, mighty God, have strength in us. Pour out, oh, God, Lord, that we would truly move by your spirit in the name of Jesus. Hallelujah. Amen. Today I've prepared various words in the New Testament. I haven't gone to Hebrews and into the Old Testament and Hebrew because we know that there are examples of those who had endurance and those who failed because of that weakness and they gave up before it was time. But in the New Testament, there's some words that are defined. And I'd just like to go through those. Let's begin in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 36. Can I continue with the reading? Continue. Hebrews 10, 36. For you have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise. Who receives the promise? The patient one who has done the will of God. It seems like, let's read more in that Hebrews 10 because I believe that there are those who don't. They don't hold on to the promise, but they shrink back. They shrink back. Should I continue reading, sir? How about verse 23? Verse 23 says, Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. Then it says, For he is faithful to the promise who also will do it. Amen. We see that the definition of this word here, hold fast, it's a Strong's number 2722. How many are familiar with these Strong's numbers? Do you know what it means? Brother Manuel, have you heard of that before? Which number, sir? It's called Strong's numbers. And so there is a King James version with the Strong's numbers in it. And that gives each word a number. There are various words in the New Testament in Greek. So it gives the Greek number and then the definition. And so when you look up the number next to the word, you find the definition. Okay. I think I've seen it in my study Bible. Yes. In your study Bible, I believe you have it. Yes. Right now. Yeah. It's an excellent way of studying to give understanding. So this word that we just read in Hebrews 10, verse 23, is let us hold fast. So I looked at it, and it's katecho. I don't know how to pronounce them. Maybe you do it better. Katecho. And it means to retain and to keep from getting away from you. So when we read this first with that understanding, what are we going to keep from getting away from us in Hebrews 10, verse 23? He said, let us hold fast or keep the profession of our faith. Don't let it get away from us. There's an endurance. Go ahead. Sorry about this. I was just thinking it's talking about we should hold strongly those professions of our commitment to God, our love for God, when the going was good. I think that is one area it's talking about. What an excellent definition. Amen. Don't let the troubles change your commitment. Don't let the troubles steal your commitment. Remember that which you promised to the Lord along the way, that when you get to the altar, you fulfill that which you have promised. Oh, there's something that we need within us, a strength, a strength to keep it. Again in Hebrews chapter 3, verse 6. Verse 6 and verse 14. Hebrews 3, 6. But Christ as a son over his own house, whose house are we? If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Let me take that again, please. But Christ as a son over his own house, whose house are we? If we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Then verse 14 says, for we are made partakers of Christ. If we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end. What do you find in both verses? If we hold steadfast unto the end. Until the end. The end is not the end until he says it is the end. The end is not the end when we say I give up. The end is not the end just because I'm tired. The end is not the end because I'm under attack like never before. The end is not the end until he says it's the end. And we are to hold fast. What are we to hold fast to? What is it that he tells us that we're to hold fast to? Our faith. And it uses a particular word to express that kind of faith. Confidence. Aha. You cannot be confident without faith. And our confidence is not in ourself. Confidence. When we lose our confidence we are shaken. If my confidence is in myself I place my confidence in the wrong place. If I'm trusting in man I put my confidence in the wrong place. And it's okay if my confidence is shaken in myself or in someone else. But my confidence can never be shaken in the promises of God. I will be made a partaker of Christ. I will be inherited a son in his own house. If I don't let it get away from me. Remember the definition. It means to retain it, to keep it from getting away from you. There is a battle over your faith, over your confidence. Did you know that? I guess not. You have experienced it, correct? There is a battle and the purpose of the battle is to destroy your faith. It gets you to let go of the purpose for which God has called you. If God has called you for a purpose as we spoke of last week. The battle is against that calling and that purpose that God has called you. If God is preparing silver in the furnace. A furnace of affliction. A furnace of challenge. We cannot give up. Jesus when he prayed for Peter. What did he pray for him? At the very end. That his faith, his confidence. He would be able to keep it and not lose it. He would not shrink back. But he would press in. In the book of Hebrews it's there as well. The Lord has no pleasure in those who shrink back. But he delights in those who press in. The book of Hebrews is a precious thing to see. Each one of us not shrinking back. But God imparting to us a solidness of strength like fire within us. So that we cannot be shaken. You know the only thing that cannot be shaken is Jesus. Is our confidence in him. And may God just touch us today. And impart to us. Thank you Lord. Galatians 6 verse 8 and 9. Galatians 6, 8 and 9. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. But he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting. 9. And let us not be weary in our doing. For in due season we shall reap if we faint not. So to faint. If we faint not. It's the same meaning. Let's just read the meaning. It's number 1590. 1590 in the Strongs. It means to loose. Or to unloose. To set free. Even to just dissolve. Or become despondent. And become faint hearted. To grow weak and exhausted. And to give up. All right. So that's a long definition. But we can let go of our faith. Our confidence. Our strength. The enemy can seduce us. To let go of the most precious thing that we have. Our trust. Our faith in Jesus. You know we can become weary. But we cannot let go of that. But it's time not to be weary. But to strengthen those feeble knees. And those hands that hang down. Isn't that what he says? Strengthen those. Strengthen those. It's time to rise up by the spirit of the Lord. And face the giants. Not by might. Not by power. But by his spirit. I feel God imparting a bulldozer. You know what a bulldozer. An earth mover. Where the whole earth shakes and nothing can stop a bulldozer. Buildings will be collapsed as a dozer pushes. You can feel the whole ground shake. And I feel the spirit of God bringing that shakening bulldozer. That we will not give up. But we'll become strong in the Lord. In the strength of a bulldozer. The strength of his might. Oh, my might is, it fills me. But the reason I would be weak is because I'm not depending on his might. Oh, whoever trusts in and sows to his flesh from the flesh will be destroyed. But when we seek to please the Holy Spirit. There is something that would cause us not to be weary. And not to faint. Oh, what does he say? The dead weight upon the Lord shall renew their strength. Renew. God, we pray right now that you would renew strength. That we could run and not worry. We could walk. We could walk. Which means walking is more difficult than running. Because it takes so long to get where you're going. In walking, it gets too hot. In walking, it seems like you will never get there. Walking requires patience. In our life, to apply walking to our life is that kind of daily enduring. Daily walking. Daily faithfulness. Daily character. Having to be formed in us. So that we're walking and not fainting. Not giving up. Not letting go. But holding fast to that which he's promised us. Only those who hold fast will receive that promise. The promise of his calling in your life. The promise when we see Jesus. And the promise of fruitfulness. It doesn't come. We go through the fire. I just thank God. Example last week of the three Hebrew children who went through the fire. But who was with them in the fire? Jesus. Almighty Jesus. So we have need of endurance, my dear ones. James chapter 1, verse 2 to 4. James 1, verse 4. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith walketh patience. But let patience have her perfect walk, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. Praise God. So the word here is patience. And the number, strong number is 5281. And I'm telling you this because I'm going to post my notes later. And you'll be able to see these scriptures organized according to those numbers. And it may help you to read again later. And I'm also, I love to teach how to study the word of God. And so one way to study is by understanding more deeply what is meant in the Greek word. That the trying of your faith works or produces patience. And so go to the definition of this patience. All right. 5281. Steadfastness. Constancy. Meaning never changing. Always constant. Endurance. So in this word patience is also endurance. The ability to endure. So in the New Testament the characteristic of a man who cannot be swerved from his deliberate purpose. Or from his loyalty and faith in Christ. Even during the greatest trials and sufferings of his life. Do I need to read that again? Wow. In the New Testament it is the characteristic of a man who cannot be swerved from his deliberate purpose. And from his loyalty and faith unto the Lord Jesus Christ. Even during his greatest life trials and suffering. You know what does patience in suffering look like? Wow. Includes the word perseverance. All right. So the trying of our faith works. The ability to be patient. The ability to not change when circumstances happen. So verse 4 says let patience have her perfect work. You know patience is that work in you. And when we allow patience to grow something else is growing. Without patience you can't make it to the goal. You can't make it to the goal. You can't make it through the fire. You can't make it through the testing without patient endurance. And when patience is working in you, you become perfect. You become whole, healed, lacking nothing. Let patience have her work. Oh, Lord Jesus. Amen. Is somebody getting something out of tonight? Second Thessalonians 1 verse 4. Same word. That word patience. When do we need patience? Second Thessalonians 1 verse 4. Paul is so proud of this church. He's commending them because of their patience. Their patience and faith in every persecution and tribulation that they've gone through. Paul is just so proud of them. Why would anybody be proud of somebody going through trouble? Go ahead and read it brother. Second Thessalonians 1 verse 4. Second Thessalonians 1 verse 4. So that ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure. Praise God. So Paul is glorious and so pleased and smiling just like a father over his son. Thank you, Paul. Boy, that boy can take a hit. Wow. Paul is looking at these people and the strength that he sees in them. That they have patience and faith in all of their persecutions and trials that they're going through. They have joy. They have found Jesus in the middle of it. Hallelujah. Romans 2 verse 7. You know, there's this life and then there's a next life. Romans 2 verse 7. And the things that we go through in this life as we read through these verses. Pay attention because there's something being formed in us. It's fruitful and new year. But there's something that's formed in us through these things that bring an eternal weight of glory. Go ahead, brother. Romans 2 verse 7. To them who by patience, continuous in well-doing, seek for glory and honor and immortality and eternal life. These things that we're going through. Patient, continuance, endurance. Patiently continuing. When it doesn't feel good, when it is good. In well-doing. What are we continuing in? Doing well. Moving to minister to others. See people come to Christ. Treat to our own family. Going through life. Supporting the needs of our family. Mighty God. There's a lot upon us. And yet patient, endurance. You know, I think sometimes that that's the very place that we develop this patience. This strength on the inside. Hallelujah. The power to be faithful. Bless the Lord. Well, here's another one. Hebrews chapter 12. We can read verse 3 to 7. Hebrews chapter 12. Verse 3 to 7. My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loved, he chastened and discouraged every son whom he received. 7. If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons. For what son is he whom the Father chastened not? 8. But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. 9. Furthermore, we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be a subjection unto the Father of spirit and life? 10. For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure. But he, for out of profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Interesting. 11. Now no chastening for the present seemed to be joyous, but grievous. Nevertheless, afterward it yielded the peaceable fruits of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. 12. Wherefore, lift up the hearts which are down, and the feeble knees. Amen. Wherefore, when you see wherefore, you have to look at everything that came before. So verse 3 says we need to consider Jesus, who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, so that we would not be weary and become faint in our minds. Such a weariness and a fainting. When you faint, you even lose track of reality. You become unconscious even. We need to consider what Jesus went through and thereby understand and be encouraged. For the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame. Where is he now? At the right hand of the Father. Oh, let's not lose sight of the goal of the calling and of the joy set before us. Hallelujah. And then verse 7. If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as sons. For a son whom the Father does not chasten. These things can help us understand. Brother Faber, talk to me. Thank you, Reverend. This has been a timely teaching. And I'm thankful that we are all here. I'm very excited to see Sister Berta. Some of the scriptures my brother read from Hebrews. The scriptures on endurance are very connected. But in Hebrews, the writer of Hebrews, who we believe to be the apocryphal, talks about holding firm to the end. And I've been listening, but I just needed to share this. Lending this contribution to all that you've been sharing, Reverend. Yes, sir. Please do. You know, because, you know, we thought at first you talked about how that we tend to, you cited yourself, and Brother Kess cited himself. And I think it applies to many of us. You know, at some point, we tend to either be discouraged or to be weak within. And here's the thing. And as we as we started going by the introduction, I began to look inwards at the Holy Spirit for examples in scripture that would, you know, come out as a very good encouragement and give us insight into the whole mystery. I call it a mystery into the mystery of endurance. I call it mystery because oftentimes when we think when we are discouraged and we begin to feel weak and we begin to feel, well, I don't think this is working. That is actually when it's working the best. That is actually when we're doing the best. When we're working the best. And the Lord just gave this two scriptures and insights to address this point. It would bring up the example of John the Baptist and how that John the Baptist and you, Reverend, you said that, you know, when you started, you talked about holding the hope, the hope, the profession, firm to the end, that which we have professed. And of course, you know, when we had that hope all up and then profess and had our confidence, being sure of what we're saying. But then along the line, we almost like we begin to review it and begin to doubt it. And because we're losing steam on the inside. So this happened to John the Baptist. And the Bible says this. The Lord, he sent his disciples to our Lord Jesus and he said, go and ask him if he's the one to come or are we to expect another? Which, which, which, of course, was a reflection of what he was going through at the time. The Lord's response. And I've said this many times, but it continues to strike me very striking and continues to minister to my heart. The response of our Lord was very deep. He didn't go. He didn't say, oh, well, go and tell John, you know, he's going through a phase right now. He's backsliding. He should, he should fast. Well, no, he didn't say any of those things. He simply said when, when, when he asked the disciples of John and he says, go tell John what you have seen. And when they left, he began to talk to the people about John. And he said, of all born of a woman, none has been, none is as great as John the Baptist. Now, here's a sharp contrast. He over there, he was thinking, I don't know, maybe I think I don't understand what I've been doing. Maybe I'm not entirely sure this is the right thing to do. I'm not entirely sure I heard well. I'm not entirely sure that all these years of devoted professing and speaking, you know, about, you know, he was beginning to review a lot. And these doubts were coming through. But then in the realm of the spirit, this was what the Lord Jesus said about him. God, the Lord Jesus talked about his position in the spirit realm, something that he didn't see. He wasn't seeing, which means that at the time he thought, OK, OK, yes, maybe I'm losing my steam. At the time he thought about giving up. Yes. Based on all the commitment, based on all the sacrifice, based on all the time, you know, he stayed in the wilderness, away from people. He committed himself to consecration and, you know, consecration and quantification and all of those things. And then at this point he was beginning to review all of that. But here's what he didn't. Was it worth it? Yeah. Yeah. He was beginning to ask, was it worth it? But here's what he didn't understand at the time. It was so worth it. His sacrifice, his labor of love was being recognized, applauded in the spirit realm. And he didn't even understand at that point in time what position he, by the labor of love and by all that commitment, had attained in the realm of the spirit. So he needed the Lord Jesus to begin to speak about that, which was a sharp contrast to how he was feeling. So this came as an insight. You know, this came as an insight. Sometimes when we feel we are very close to giving up, we should probably just exercise a little more patience, a little more push. Hallelujah. And here's the thing. The Lord just gave me another scripture. I always talk about this in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 17. Paul writes it. He says that God will give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation. Wisdom and revelation. And this is very key. Key in the sense that, you know, there is this thing we say in Igbo land, and for many of us who are from the Igbo tribe, they say it this way. The whole phrase says this. When it is the hardest, that is when you are bound to experience your solution. Right? Exactly. When it's the hardest, when you are at the hardest of times, that is when the solution is about to come. So, it takes wisdom to know this and to open this understanding. It takes wisdom to know that, okay, this time I may be experiencing the strongest push I have ever experienced, but also it could be a sign that I am about to break through into what I haven't been able to do. Hallelujah. Yes. Paul writes in Ephesians 1 verse 17, he says you need first wisdom. And, you know, again, I would think about the parable of the two men who built their houses. The Bible says one built his own on sand and the other on rock. And by this parable we can tell that the one who built his house on the foundation of a rock, he probably took a lot more time to come up to visibility. He probably took a lot more time to erect the structure that people would see because he had to break all that rock because the ground was harder and everything, he had to break all that rock, he had to do all of that. And maybe the one who was building on sand had already, you know, lifted his building and people were already celebrating with him. But the one who was building on rock, he needed wisdom to be patient. He needed wisdom to endure and continue doing what he was doing. And the wisdom was, if I can get my foundation in the rock, I mean, established on the rock, then I would never have my building. I would never have the fear of this building collapsing. And so we need wisdom even as we walk the walk of endurance. And finally, we need revelation. We need to ask the Lord, you know, because just like you started in the introduction, I think this affects each and every one of us. And this teaching is so timely. Many times, many times we find ourselves at the brink of giving up, at the brink of feeling despondent and all of this. But when the Lord gives us a revelation and opens our eyes, just like it happened to Elijah, Elijah and Elijah, right? Just like it happened to Elijah, when the Lord opens our eyes and we understand, oh my. Just like it happened to Elijah's servant, Elijah's servant as well. Elijah's servant, he said, he was saying, oh, Master, see all of these, all of these soldiers, they've surrounded us, right? Like they've ambushed us, we're in trouble. And Elijah says, God opened his eyes. And by revelation, he understood, oh my goodness, we were never in any ambush. We were never, we were never surrounded. Those who were for us, those who were against us. That is also what we need as we walk this walk of endurance. A revelation of where we are, Lord. Lord, we want to see where we are. And sometimes when the Lord opens our eyes and speaks to us in a dream or in a revelation, however he wants, then we understand that we are making so much progress, more than what we could ever have imagined. That was the situation with John the Baptist. He was making so much impact. He couldn't have even imagined that. And when his disciples left, the Lord Jesus began to speak about him. So this is my trial. Can you imagine, Favor, that Jesus could not even have come without John the Baptist having prepared the way? It was always the plan of God that Jesus. Jesus talked about the kind of endurance that we need. And he did not miss any words. He did not hold back. He told us that there's going to be a lot of trouble. And yet it seems we are so surprised when we encounter challenges and difficulties. We need a strength on the inside of us that we do not yet have. Matthew 10, verse 22, Brother Emmanuel. Matthew 10, 22. Same thing in Matthew 24, 13. If somebody else wants to get it, they're short. Versus Matthew 10, 22. The second one, Matthew 24, 13. Go ahead, Sister Bertha, you're first up. Go ahead and read. Can I read Matthew 24, 13? Yes, please do. Somebody else get Matthew 10, 22. Maybe Emmanuel has to step up. That's it. That's the whole verse. Good news. You're going to be hated by everyone for my name's sake. But he that endureth until the end. You know, it's an interesting thing that you never know when the end is the end. Because it's like a thief in the night. Because you just don't know when the end is. So it's not a time for giving up. It's a time for pressing in to the will of God. James 1, 12 says, blessed is the man that endures temptation. For when he's tried, he will receive. You know, there's a before and an after in almost every one of these verses. Blessed is the man that endures this time. It says temptation. And in context, it's talking about being tempted to sin. For when he is tried. Did you know temptation doesn't come from God? But those temptations will try you. And in those temptations, you have to find Jesus as your source of strength. And you gain authority over everything. Oh, Jesus help me. Over everything which you overcome, you gain authority. You want to be blessed. You want to be strong. You want to have authority. It doesn't just come by what you speak. It comes by what you overcome. And speaking is part of it. But these troubles, these trials, temptations to sin, temptations to compromise, temptations to be like the rest. When you overcome, each of the churches that Jesus spoke that to, they live for Satan's act. Another one. They had gone lukewarm. They had forgotten their first love. Each one had temptations. They had this woman Jezebel teaching everyone that, you know, it's okay. You know, you can sleep with anybody. You can do whatever you want. And leading the men of God into compromise. Each church had a challenge. Each church had a promise. Every church had a promise. To him who overcomes will I give. We will not receive the promise. We will not receive the authority both in this world and in the next until we have overcome. And it's not an easy word because each of us. And we don't overcome by our own power, by our own might. We overcome by learning to draw upon the strength, the grace, the provision of our God. There is provision enough. In every temptation he will make a way of escape. He will minister to you. Even the angels came and ministered to Jesus after his temptations and his fasting in the wilderness. Oh, bless the Lord. Hallelujah. Colossians 3, verse 23 and 24. Colossians 3, verse 23 and 24. Can I read? Yes, please. Colossians 3, 23 and 24. And whatever you do, do it heartily as the Lord and not as the men. Knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance for you serve the Lord Jesus Christ. One thing which discourages us and causes us to lose confidence is the response of men. The opinions of men about us. The words of men against us. Very true, very true. And it's one of those things that is a burden too heavy to bear. In fact, I think the Lord allows it sometimes in his kindness. He will allow all men to turn against you if that's what you're doing is trying to please men. Trying to gain approval that you're a powerful, excellent minister. But if what we're doing is heartily, with all of our heart, unto the Lord, not unto men. And we know that from the Lord, whether men recognize me or not. Whether I'm given a pulpit or I'm not. Whether my gift is accepted or not. I will receive the reward of the inheritance as I serve in Christ. One thing that just releases us from the heaviness and from discouragement is just to say, Lord, whatever they say. I've done what I've done. It's my best ability to obey you, to walk with you, to please you. I'm not serving them. But I'm serving you, Jesus. So it's just kind of like a side note about discouragement. But I believe it may speak to someone. An example today. Let's have a couple examples. One is the life of Elijah. Look at him. Near the end of his active ministry, outward ministry in the nation. He was running for his life from Jezebel. He had just defeated all the prophets of Baal and had killed a large number of them. He had just outrun the chariot and he heard that Jezebel was threatening to take his life. Now, that was not an ordinary woman. That's a woman who was very connected to the demonic spirits. And something had come against Elijah that shook him with fear to his very core. And he believed that he may die. And he was so afraid. All the rest of the time, I mean, with such boldness. And he despaired even of life. He says, I might as well die. I'm the last one and I'm about to be killed. And Lord, you've been defeated. God, you've been destroyed by this evil, wicked one. And God, who sits in heaven, was laughing. Not at Elijah, but at the enemy. The enemy, too. But if I could just slay this one, put out his voice, it's finished. You know, so many times we don't realize the intensity of the spiritual warfare which is against us. And we take things personally. And we don't get the big picture. And so we are fighting a battle. We are fighting a battle, but understand, we're fighting a battle. Maybe even we don't realize we don't need to fight. Because the battle, when we look at it from God's viewpoint, is so much different. And the Lord spoke to Elijah and he said, I have seven who have never bowed their knee to Baal. Never kissed his hand. Like you were saying, favor. We don't realize the stature at which we stand, of Christ. We don't realize the significance of our life and pressing through to keep the faith and not give up. We don't realize the importance of our life remaining faithful in the place that he is good at. We don't always realize the significance of what God is doing through us. It's good to encourage one another. To give courage to one another. Minister courage. Because sometimes we need it. I wish that Elijah had a Jonathan to come up next to him and to strengthen his hand in the Lord. But he didn't. He had angels that came and made kiss for him. And Elijah ran or traveled on the strength of that food for 40 more days to northern Israel. Up into the cave where he sought the Lord. And the Lord spoke to him. We don't have the picture even as John the Baptist. He'd lost that picture. He didn't know the significance of his life. Oh, that we would be encouraged. We would not let go of the patience of the faith. That's the word. We would not let go of the faith and of the promise that God has given to us. Let us hold it fast. Like Hebrews says, let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering. For he's faithful. The earth has promised. So one last example is the life of Paul. And I like how he talks to Timothy. Second Timothy. Second Timothy four, verse seven and eight. All right. Who's going to read? Second Timothy four, verse seven and eight. Four. Yes. Seven and eight. Yes, man. I have fought a good fight. I have finished my cause. I have kept the faith. Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Three things that Paul said to Timothy. He says, I'm almost done. I have fought a good fight. He didn't say I've lived a good life. He didn't say I was a pretty good preacher. He didn't say I enjoyed myself and had plenty of vacations. He said, I have fought a good fight. Oh, he told Timothy in another place, you endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ. Endure hardness. Check that out. That word to endure hardness is translated from the word suffer. Timothy, suffer as a good soldier. Don't be weak inside. Strengthen. So the second thing Paul said was I finished my course. I had a purpose given to me. I had a calling, and I followed that calling. Even as he stood before King Agrippa in Acts 26, he says, I have not been unfaithful. Oh, King Agrippa took this calling, which I was called. I was not unfaithful. And then lastly, the third one is I have kept the faith. Amen. Keep the faith. It's the same word to hold on to, to strengthen and never let go of. To carefully guard my calling, my purpose, and my faith. To purposely. And the last one is Revelation, the third chapter in verse 10. Jesus commands this church. He says, because you have kept the word of my patience, and therefore I will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell on the earth. The promise of God that although we go through trouble and we're at the end of the age, if we keep his word of his patience. So I wonder what that means. What is the word of his patience? Emmanuel, maybe you want to tackle that as we finish up here. What is the word of his patience? Please, I will leave it for someone else to tackle this one. Okay. You're a wise man. Me, I'll just look it up in a different version and see how it reads. And the Bible in basic English says, because you have kept my word in quiet, patient strength, I will keep you from the hour of testing, which is coming on the world, to put to test those who are on the earth. Oh, behold, I come quickly. See, keep it. Keep that which you have, so no one would take your crown. To him that overcomes, I'll make a pillar in the house of my God. So there we have a definition of this keep. Because you have kept my word in quiet, patient strength. You've not let it go. I just want to pray. Heavenly Father, we have need of strength in the inner man. And Jesus, that strength only comes by your spirit. So Lord, you've spoken to us and we can admit that we need to be strengthened. We're not yet ready to face the horsemen. We're not yet ready to run and to contend on the thickets of the Jordan. God, strengthen us within our innermost being that we might be strengthened with might by your mighty power. God, we confess our need of you more. Lord, that we not be living by the flesh, to please the flesh. But God, that as we seek you and please you and refuse to give up our confidence in you, our purpose and our calling. God, that you would strengthen us, that we would not fail. God, my dear brothers and sister here, that you would pull in grace, grace upon grace. That we could find joy in the midst of this time. Lord, that we would not be weak and shrink back. But Lord, we would be full of your joy. That no matter what we face, Lord, you are our provision. And we bless you in the name of Jesus. Amen, dear ones. God bless you, each one.