ENDURANCE

Endurance

2Tim:2:3 - Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

                                                                                                                                                           

In maturing as Christians, we meet challenging situations which requires us to adopt the character of endurance as soldiers of Christ.

What is endurance

Endurance is the ability to withstand difficult situations.

Soldiers go through endurance training to prepare them overcome obstacles during real battles. Christians are soldiers enlisted by Christ to conquer territories and to rescue the perishing. Therefore as true soldiers, we will go through hardships like rejection, beatings, imprisonment, shame, death, joblessness, hunger, pain, various needs and other difficult situations (as in 2 Corin. 6:4-10)- but we must endure because as soldiers there should be no retreating and surrendering to our arch enemy- the devil; Satan.

Importance of endurance

·   It is a pre-requisite to eternal salvation (Matt. 24:13)

·   It brings stability during uncertain times (Heb. 12:2)

·   It guards against desire to quit during trials (Phil. 3:13)

·   It helps to revive faith (1John 5:4)

·   It brings the believer closer to perfection in Christ (1Peter 4:1-2)

·   It is a guarantee of success in spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:11)

How to endure

As believers and Christians, we must not forget that we have a commander-in-chief who has won the battle once with precision and therefore we must depend on Him totally. This can be achieved through:

·   Total reliance on God’s word (Rom. 15:4) because it has stood the test of time.

·   Put on the full armour of God like truth, righteousness, prayer, fasting, etc (see Eph. 6:11-18)

·   Absolute reliance on the Holy Spirit as our counselor, guardian, helper and revealer of things to come and not man.

·   Fellowshipping with one another to encourage ourselves as the day approaches. (see Heb. 10:25) and

·   Patience in affliction and taking what we are going through as discipline (Heb. 12:6-8)

Evidence of God’s provision

Through the scriptures, the evidence is clear how endurance helped men of God to fight the battle to victory. Know that there is light at the end of the tunnel and satan, our arch enemy, is desperately moving to and fro to devour the believer.

·   In 2 Corin. 12:7-10, we see Paul’s testimony of victory through endurance.

·   Not forgetting about the Israelites and the red sea encounter- that God made a way where there was no way.

·   Do you remember Daniel in the Lion’s den? He did not deny His God and God delivered him.

·   Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego’s deliverance from Nebuchadnezzar’s burning furnace. How wonderful!

Let us not think God has abandoned us. He is in control. If only we believe, have faith and not waver (James 1:2-8). Let us not switch God for anything (Heb 6:4-6). Endure! Just trust and obey, for there is no other way.

Amen!