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Enduring

in

“The Faith”

2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”  

We live in a time when many start out in “The Faith” but don’t finish in “The Faith”.  It’s important for us to grasp that the Christian race is not a sprint but a marathon! It’s a race of endurance; therefore, God wants to “condition us” tonight so that we are firmly secured in The Faith.  Each of us should have the expectation that we too, as Paul declared and even our Lord Jesus, have FINISHED the assigned purposes of God for our lives.  Now before we discuss enduring in The Faith, we must first have a clear understanding of what being in “The Faith” is. -2 Corinthians 13:5

It is so easy to equate The Faith with religious duties or even having regular faith.

What is “the faith”?

The faith is……

ü Being a committed follower/Disciple of Jesus Christ.  (Acts 2:42; 1Cor. 11:1)

ü Loving Humanity (both saints & sinners)  (John 13:35; John 3:16)

ü Doing Righteously (1 John 3: 7) 

ü Relationship not Religion  (Matthew 7:21-23)

ü Walking in humble submission to the Lord and the saints (1 Peter 5:5)

ü Being led by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14)

ü Enduring Hardships while pursuing Christ (Luke 14:7)

Why don’t we finish?

Reasons People Don’t’ Endure in the Faith: 

A.) Satanic Attack

B.) Becoming offended (by people; by god)

C.) Perceiving a blessing to be delayed

D.)Being stagnated/stuck in a season

E.) Cares of Life

How do we endure in “the faith”?

I. stay _____________ to jesus – “the finisher”

John 15:5 (AMP) “I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.” 

II. Keep the right _________________ .

Romans 8:28 (KJV) “And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.”

III. Stay ________________ and _______________for the lord

Matthew 5:6 (KJV) ⁶ Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

iv. Draw strength from your divine _________________ .

Exodus 17:11,12 (KJV) “¹¹ And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.

¹² But Moses hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.”

V.  _________________ on the lord

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Answer Key: I. Connected  II. Perspective   III.  Hungry, Thirsty   IV. Supporters

                  V.  Wait