Remain Steadfast
And
Confident
Jesus
spoke of days that were coming that would foretell the things that were
to pass as earth, as we know it, would cease to be. His
Words also warn us that, “we must hold firmly,” which is telling us to
remain steadfast. We must also remain confident and assured that God
loves us more than we could possibly imagine.
Hebrews 3: 12-14 See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
Why
is this so very important at this time? To me it is very clear. Just
think of everything the Lord and we Christians are facing today.
Right
now there is an all-out attack on Christ, His Word and Christianity.
There are attacks on the Divinity of Christ, ridicule of the Bible and
its Divine Word.
The
present generation faces vile and raging temptations never before seen
by our forefathers. Rampant displays of sexually oriented materials,
addictive substances and alcohol use are our everyday fare on television
and billboards. Never before has there been such immediate telling of
world events. Satan has unleashed his evil principalities
in a war that is designed to ensnare the souls of Christ’s followers. It
is as if targets had been sewn on our backs.
We
see terrorism, senseless violence, mounting financial crisis and near
panic. We see our government officials lower themselves as they succumb
to a lust for power. We see a great apostasy as once steadfast believers
abandon Christ for debauchery and carnal pleasures. Satan’s powers of
darkness are waging a battle designed to wear down the confidence and
steadfastness of God’s saints. The battles we face today are but a
forerunner to the war to be waged against us.
People, hear this, hear this and etch my words clearly in your minds; it is going to get worse, much worse! It
is going to get so very bad that we, as mere mortals, are going to need
spiritual powers to sustain us. Our humanity will be used against us as
we are going to be faced with demonic manifestations. Temptations will
confront us and many will succumb.
Without
a fresh outpouring from the Holy Spirit there is not a Christian alive
that will prevail without God’s strength and love! None of us…let me say
that again…NONE of us will survive unless we know and hold dear the
works of God’s Spirit. It will be by that knowledge and holding firm His
love that we will have a chance for eternal life with Him.
I
can hear some of you as you are saying to yourself…’Not me, I will never
lose sight of God and Jesus Christ. I will not fail Him.”
Let me remind you of one thing. Peter, a man who lived, traveled, and talked with God daily, denied Him three times! Three
times he said, without hesitation, “I do not know Him.” Three times
within a very short period of time Peter denied our Creator.
To
be the people, the people of God, true Christians, we must know what it
takes to obtain and hold onto a fresh outpouring from the Holy Spirit.
We must be strengthened by the power of the Holy Spirit and remain
steadfast and confident in God’s love.
Who
is the Holy Spirit? …The Holy Spirit is a Person of God and is the
mutual love of God the Father and Jesus Christ, His Son. He gives the
gifts that see us through this world.
The
love of our Father was bestowed upon us as He sent His Son. His Son,
Jesus Christ then promised, and sent, the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s
everlasting love for mankind.
Romans 5:1-5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a]have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3Not only so, but we[c] also
rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
We
must, and I say M U S T, with conviction, remain secure in our
knowledge of God’s love for us and, when faced with seemingly unbearable
hardships, we MUST know that God is there for us and the Holy Spirit
will be our guide.
Isaiah likened the work and Ministry of the Holy Spirit to the love and comfort of a mother.
Isaiah 66:13 As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."
Think
of God in the role of a mother. Her love is tender and although her
child rejects her love and sins against her, she never gives up on her
child. Her love is pure, strong and everlasting. No matter how stubborn
and rebellious her child may be, her love remains strong, even fierce as
she seeks to regain the mutuality of feelings for her. If her love is
not returned, a mother goes on loving she continues to love her child.
There
may be times that a mother cries silently in the dark and grieves for
her child; she continues to love without reservation.
Just
as a mother loves her child God loves His children; each and every one
of us. There is one thing I will never question and that is my Heavenly
Father’s love for me. He has revealed His love by the Holy Spirit who
dwells in me.
Many
see the Holy Spirit as the ‘hard man’ that stands over them and scowls
at their failures. They reference Him as ‘Counselor,’ which conjures up
thoughts of a hard headed attorney that is ready to do battle in the
Court room.
In truth the Holy Spirit’s mission is, “To revive the spirit of the humble, and revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
Isaiah 57:15 15 For this is what the high and lofty One says—
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
"I live in a high and holy place,
but also with him who is contrite and lowly in
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:
"I live in a high and holy place,
but also with him who is contrite and lowly in
If
we are ever tempted to fall into despair over our sins and our
shortcomings we must be ever aware that the very mission of the Holy
Spirit is rescuing us from that despair.
Recall the Words of Isaiah 66 that said: “You will be comforted in Jerusalem.” These
Words can be said as; God’s people will comfort one another and ease
their sufferings. Be nourishing of your fellow Christian as you remain
confident in the knowledge that God loves you all.
You
may think that God isn’t loving towards us as we are faced with the
problems we face today. We are in an actual battle with the demons of
Satan and sustain many wounds. We suffer our sinfulness and our human
weaknesses as we seek to do His will and His will alone. We are often
sidetracked and often call on God to ‘put a stop to this sinfulness.’ We think God isn’t listening but, believe you me, He is.
2 Corinthians 3-4 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who
comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any
trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
You may note that nothing is said about deliverance from the battle but what is said is that He will, “comfort us.” We are also taught that,” we can comfort those in any troubles.”
How are we able to comfort others when we, ourselves, are suffering? The answer lies in the closing Words of this Scripture. “With the comfort we, ourselves, have received from God.”
(Closing prayer)
Father,
we come to You with hearts filled with praise of You and for the
purposes of asking You to empower us with Your Holy Spirit to combat the
evils around us and to grant sufficient blessings for us to share with
our fellow Christians. We are weak Lord and it is only by the power of
Your Holy Spirit that we can face the sinfulness of this world without
falling. Lord, hear our prayer.
We
ask that You bless our military, our elected officials, our judges,
police forces and those charged with keeping America safe. Lord, please,
hear our prayer.
Lord,
for the many transgressions we have committed. We ask that You forgive
us and send Your Holy Spirit to strengthen us as we fight the wiles of
Satan. Lord. Hear our prayer.
Father,
we come to You as our God and as the Father of Jesus Christ who is One
with You and the Holy Spirit, and we ask these things in Jesus’ name,
--
Pastor Lee S Gliddon Jr
God's Word Christian Ministry
Conservative Patriot http://conpats.blogspot.com
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