Freedom House Church and Healing Centre

A CALL TO PERSEVERE!

The Lord gave a Word to His church, ‘More Darkness-More Light’ back in December 2021. 

This is what the Lord said, to the church of Jesus Christ, “There will be more evil, more deception, more trials, challenges, testing and tribulations.  There will be more persecution.  There will be more intense battle”, says the Lord.

To the true church of Jesus Christ, “Ask for more!” says the Lord.  “The more you ask and seek, the more you will find.  The more you use what I have given you, the more you will be given.” says the Lord.

“So that, as there is more darkness, there will be more light”, says the Lord.

WE NEED MORE OF JESUS!

“Church, ask for and seek more wisdom and revelation, more discernment, more perseverance and more faith.  Be more watchful, more steadfast and more obedient.  Put into practice more of the "one anothers" especially the command to love and encourage one another.”

As you ask for, seek and receive more of these things, there will be more repentance, more refining, more maturity and more holiness.

Ask and seek and more will be given to you-more boldness, more opportunity, more power and more authority-more demonstration of My kingdom!”, says the Lord!

“So that, as there is more darkness, there will be more light”, says the Lord.

You can read the full word, ‘More Darkness-More Light’, in my blog dated January 2, 2022 by clicking here. 

In this season, Holy Spirit has highlighted the word ‘perseverance’.  Church, we need more perseverance!  I would like to answer some questions with you about perseverance-what is it, what are we persevering through, why are we called to persevere and how do we persevere.  I encourage you to read this word, ‘A Call to Persevere’ along with listening to my sermon posted here.   I pray that you will be built up, encouraged and strengthened by this word.

What is perseverance?

Let’s take a look at the biblical definition of perseverance.  Perseverance (hupomone) means a patient enduring, endurance, steadfastness, a patient waiting for.  Constancy which is the characteristic of a man who is unswerved (not changing or becoming weaker) from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety (reverence for God) by even the greatest trials and sufferings.

WOW!  I need more perseverance!  The church of Jesus Christ needs more perseverance!

What are we persevering through?

Jn 16:33 NASB 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.

Tribulation = pressure, oppression, stress, anguish, adversity, affliction, crushing, squashing, squeezing, distress.  It is like placing your hand on a stack of loose items & manually compressing them.  It is like crushing grapes or olives in a press.  Tribulation puts a lot of pressure on that which is free.

Why are we called to persevere?

Perseverance is very important to God!

Brings glory to God (1 Peter 4:12=16)  When we are able to persevere through hard times with God, not giving up on Him, not getting angry with Him but continuing to have faith and trust in Him, who He is, His promises and who we are in Him, it glorifies God for who He is and what He promises  

Proves our faith to be genuine (1 Peter 1:6-7)

Develops maturity & wholeness-trials test our faith (proving genuineness) which produces patience (endurance; steadfastness = perseverance) so that we will perfect (mature) & be whole, lacking in nothing

Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (Ja 1:2-4 NASB)

Develops character (Ro 5:3-5)-when we go through tribulation do we remember that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance character and character hope!  This is the good that can come out of tribulation (pressing)-it is God’s way of refining His church!

We must persevere to fulfill God’s purposes-sometimes God puts us in a place where the only path that will fulfill His purposes for us as individuals and as the church is forward and the only way to look is up just to get us to persevere!  Having to persevere causes us to choose to continue to look up up-and move forward!  When we have decided to follow Jesus, love Him, obey Him, and live for Him, it is not an option to look back, to go back-NOT an option! (examples: Jesus-Mt 26:39, 42) 

So that you may be blameless until Jesus returns (prayer-Phil 1:1-11 NLT) Pray for the church to be blameless until the day of Christ!

How do we persevere?

Only possible with God (knowing who He is, His promises, who we are in Christ), a decision to love, follow, obey and live for Jesus in the power of Holy Spirit!

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]take heart (courage, be of good cheer) (Jn 16:33 AMP)

Jesus the example-Therefore, since we also have such a great cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let’s rid ourselves of every obstacle and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let’s run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the 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. (Heb 12:1-3 NASB)

Heb 10:19-39 NLT-a call to persevere

             Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. Vs 22

            Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Vs 23

            Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Vs 24

            Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Vs 25

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you!  Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.  “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.  And my righteous ones will live by faith.  But I will take no pleasure in anyone who turns away.”  But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved. Vs 35-39

Church!  Do we need perseverance (steadfastness, constancy, patient endurance)? YES!  There is a great reward waiting for those who are able to patiently endure trials, suffering and persecution, remaining steadfast in our faith-JESUS!

Church!  Will you receive the call to persevere?  Will you make a statement of faith!

Can you agree with me and declare that: "We, the redeemed, will not partner with the enemy or the world even in the face of trials, sufferings and persecution, even unto death.  We will persevere, remain steadfast, patiently enduring all that comes our way.  We will remain faithful to our King Jesus.  We will remain obedient to the commands of our King accomplishing the great commission given to the church by our King Jesus in Mt 28. 

Remember that God is for us!  We are victorious in Christ!  We are overcomers in Christ!

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Rev 2:7 NKJV)