Title: Spiritual Perseverance
Contents
Bible: Hebrews 12:1~3
Today we are running the race of faith. In fact, in the race of faith, whether we enter 1st or 100th, God has absolutely nothing to do with it. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. As the apostle Paul said, it is important to finish the course of the race. It doesn't matter how many backs we run. In the race of faith and the spiritual race, it is important to run well to the end.
On the other hand, if we look in the Bible, there are people who quit the race of faith in the middle. Looking at 2 Timothy 4:10, which says, “Demas loved this world, and left me and went to Thessalonica,” anyone can easily see that Demas was a person who gave up on the way or a person who fell behind. Also in Matthew 26, Jesus says these things about Judas Iscariot. “He who puts his hand into this vessel today will betray me. The Son of Man will go as it is written in the Bible, but God's wrath will come to the one who sold me. It would have been better if you had not been born on this earth.”
Jesus gave two important words to Judas Iscariot, who had stopped on the way, one was, “Woe to you!” The second is, “I almost wish you hadn’t been born.” is. That is why Jesus said that the race of faith should be completed, but to stop in the middle is bad, angry, and worse than not running.
In order for us to finish the race of faith like this, first, we must never give up. When we look at Jesus, we do not know how many temptations Jesus was tempted during the precious work of carrying the cross. He constantly tempted Jesus, but Jesus overcame all those temptations with the Word. Jesus overcame all temptations and difficulties, completed the faith to the end, and came to the precious place of glory when he was crucified and resurrected. We are disciples of Jesus. Just as Jesus did not give up and finished the race of faith to the end, I believe that we must follow Jesus' foot and finish the race.
Guys, do you know why Rockefeller became rich? Rockefeller actually did gold mines. No matter how much I surfed the ground after taking the staff, there was no crack after 6 months. So, when you are about to give up, Galatians 6:9 says, “Do not become weary in doing good, but do it to the end.” I remembered the words. So Rockefeller didn't give up and went down for another three months. Then, not gold, but oil. That's how Rockefeller got rich. Dear brothers and sisters, never give up. There is no renunciation in our dictionary.
It takes spiritual persistence to not give up. Perseverance in faith is required. The first thing to do is to have a life of perseverance in faith, not to be disturbed like Daniel. Daniel constantly prayed three times a day in any case. Whether Joseph was in Potiphar's house or in prison, he continued to lead a godly life of faith without being distracted by God.
If we are to be spiritually victorious and to have spiritual perseverance, I hope that we will not only worship today but also live a spiritually undisturbed life tomorrow. Praying, reading the Word, and living a life of faith without spiritual disturbances is what brings us spiritual perseverance.
The second spiritual perseverance is that we have to look forward to victory. It is looking at the crown of glory, the crown of victory, that our God will put on me. I believe that we will all have to work hard today as we look forward to the glorious Hanshin Church.
And to gain spiritual perseverance, there must be a concrete practice. First, we must act as soon as we hear the Word. Second, we have to practice on our own in a place where no one can see us. You must lead your own spiritual life in the invisible. You must go into a closet where no one sees you and have time to pray.
After seven years of marriage to a prophetess named Anna, her husband died and she became a widow. And she lived in the temple as a widow for 84 years. The dream of this widow, the prophet Anna, was to see Jesus Christ with her own eyes. He waited 84 years in the temple for that. When Joseph and Mary came in holding Jesus, Anna was very happy and happy to see Jesus. Please remember that there is no end to our religious life. It will go on forever. And I hope you will lead a spiritual life relying only on God. Then we will be the ultimate victors.
Dear saints, I pray in the name of the Lord that you will not give up, have spiritual perseverance, live a diligent life of faith, and become the final victors who receive the crown of righteousness and the crown of victory when you stand before our Lord.
2007-09-15 16:46:10