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Vision: We embrace
Christ’s kingdom – His
presence and fullness – here at Christ Center!
Today: Jesus
prophesied that true kingdom saints will endure “to the end.” Matthew 24:6-14.
Review: Satan’s Strategy: Wear down the saints in order to establish his kingdom of darkness.
24 As for the ten horns,
out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them,
and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 25
He will speak out against the Most High and . wear down the
saints of the Highest One.,
and he will intend to make alterations in
times and in law; and they will be given into his hand
for a time, times, and half a time. 26
But the court will sit for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away,
annihilated and destroyed forever. 27
Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under
the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His
kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and
obey Him. Daniel 7:23-27.
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Four Elements of Faith-Fatigue: What Anti-Christ
will do is what Satan is doing to saints now. 1. Character
Attack: He marginalizes the glory of God (e.g., “speak
against the Most High”). 2. Time
Attack: Delay! He interferes with the plan of God
(e.g., “alterations in times”). 3. Truth
Attack: Dumb-Down! He undermines the Word of God
(e.g., “alterations in… laws”). 4. Liberty
Attack: Bondage! He wants to dominate the people of
God (“given
into his hand”). |
Persevering Faith: What does it
look like?
1. Persevering Faith waits expectantly
on God’s promises and plan. Hebrews
10:32-11:2, 39-40.
32 But
remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great
conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by
being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly
by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. 34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and
accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for
yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which
has a great reward. 36 For you
have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you
may receive what was promised.
37 for yet in a very little while, he who is
coming will come, and will not delay.
38 but my righteous one shall live by faith;
and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.
39 But we
are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have
faith to the preserving of the soul.
11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things
not seen. 2 For by it the A men of old 1 B gained approval. . . . 39 And all these, having gained approval through their
faith, did not receive what was promised, 40
because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they
would not be made perfect.
2. Persevering Faith rejoices even in the hardest of times. James 1:2-4.
2 Consider
it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing
that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let
endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing.
3. Persevering
Faith remains actively obedient, even without
immediate reward. Galatians 6:9.
9 Let us not
lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow
weary.
4. Persevering
Faith stands the vigil in prayer in the day of
battle. Ephesians
6:18.
18 With all
prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with
this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition
for all the saints, . . .
5. Persevering
Faith presses in to know the heart of God. Daniel 7:21-22.
21 I
kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and
overpowering them 22 until the
Ancient of Days came and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the
Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the
kingdom.
6. Persevering
Faith is our part of the present spiritual battle
in the heavens. Daniel
10:1-3, 12-14.
1 In the
third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message was revealed to Daniel, who was
named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he
understood the message and had an understanding of the vision. 2 In those
days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks. 3 I did not
eat any tasty food, nor did meat or wine enter my mouth, nor did I use any
ointment at all until the entire three weeks were completed. . . .
12 Then
he [the revealing angel, probably Gabriel, 9:21] said to me, "Do not be
afraid, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart on
understanding this and on humbling yourself before your God, your words were
heard, and I have come in response to your words. 13 But the
prince of the kingdom of Persia was withstanding me for twenty-one days;
then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been
left there with the kings of Persia. 14 Now I have come to give you an understanding of what
will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the
days yet future."
7. Persevering
Faith finds its greatest example and motivation in
Jesus Christ. Hebrews12:1-3.
1
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us
also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and
let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising
the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider
Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so
that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Footnote: It is normal to groan in our
spirit as we wait in hope for God’s plan to unfold.
&
Romans 8:22-25. 22 For we
know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth
together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves,
having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within
ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of
our body. 24 For in
hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for
what he already sees? 25 But if
we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
&
Revelation 6:9-11. “How
long, O Lord!” occurs 58 times in the Bible. There is a divine timing
and plan!
Communion: The greatest need of this hour is for Persevering Faith. We
must press in as God’s children to listen for His voice, and to pray for His
kingdom to come, and His will to be done on earth right here, right now. We have heard enough of the deception and
despair of the world around us. As we commune, shut out the empty noise and
open your heart to the still, small voice of your Father.