Persevere in Abiding

Message in Print
Scripture: 1 Peter 5:6-11

 

Abide 10 – Persevere in Abiding - 1Pet 5:6-11
 
Do you ever feel like just
            “Givin Up”, “Throwin in the Towel”, “Callin it Quits”
 
Every time I’ve seen this happen - lurking in the background,
            undermining the Foundation - - is the word . . . DISCOURAGEMENT
 
Discouragement is the Devil’s Favorite tool
 
If he can get us to give in to his whispers of DOUBT & FEAR
            & SELF-PITY - then he can stir up ANGER, ENVY, JEALOUSY
 
Not to mention a LIST of other destructive sins . . .
            & Then - - He’s got us in DEEP TROUBLE
 
Back when we were teaching Philippians - I had told the story
            about the Devil having a Garage sell
            you know - clear out the tool shed & raise a few bucks . . .
 
Well - the devil deciding to sell some of his tools
 
& as a buyer was lookin around -
            he noticed a tool labeled “Not for sale” - & he asked about it
 
The devil answered, “I can spare some of my other tools, but I cannot spare this one. This might be the most useful tool I have against Christians
 
it’s called Discouragement, and with it I can work my way into hearts
            that are otherwise faithful, & strong
 
When I get this tool into a person’s heart (even a Godly person),
            the way is open for me to plant anything I want in there
 
There was a time, when the Children of Israel were DISCOURAGED
 
They had been taken away as Slaves to Babylon, Their Temple,
            & the city of Jerusalem, had been destroyed
            They thought for sure God had abandoned them - forsaken them
 
& at just that time God sent them a Prophet named JEREMIAH
            & gave him THESE WORDS for the nation of Israel
 
Jeremiah 29:11–13 (ESV)
11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare (good) and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
12 Then (after your time of discouragement) you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.
13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.
 
IF you belong to Jesus Christ today
            then GOD IS FOR YOU . . .
           RIGHT In the MIDST of the Difficulties, the Trials, the Struggles
 
GOD IS FOR US !!
 
He is at work for our good
            & He has a good plan & a Good Purpose
 
We’re in our TENTH MSG in the ABIDE series
            & I think it might be our last Msg in this series . . .
 
& so I want to talk about what it means
            to PERSEVERE in ABIDING
 
Remember - to ABIDE in CHRIST means
            “a continuous Living in Union with Christ”
             “being Vitally United to Christ”
 
& we EACH - Have a VITAL Need
            to PERSEVERE in our continuous Living in Union with Christ
            our “being Vitally United to Christ”
 
How many of you know - God OFTEN Uses
            TRIALS & DIFFICULTIES -  for our GOOD ??
 
Even in our Discouragement
            God is AT WORK - For our GOOD
 
Our JOB - is to PERSEVERE in ABIDING
            in our Continuous Living in Union with Christ
 
God is at Work for our GOOD
            He’s got a GOOD plan & a GOOD Purpose
            & He’s PROMISED to bring us through VICTORIOUSLY
 
ALL we have to do - is CLING to our VITAL UNION with Him
            & He WILL - CARRY us thru - the Difficulties of this life
 
Let’s take a look today - at just a SAMPLING of scriptures
            on this subject
 
I can’t teach them all - I just want to read them to you
 
Romans 12:12  (ESV)
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
 
Matthew 24:13 (ESV)
13 . . . the one who endures to the end will be saved.
 
Romans 5:2–5  (ESV)
2 . . . we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
5 and hope does not put us to shame . . .
 
James 1:2–3  (ESV)
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
 
1 Peter 1:6–7 (ESV)
6 In this (your inheritance) you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
 
& the GRANDDADDY Vs’s on Perseverance
 
Hebrews 12:1–3  (ESV)
1 . . . let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
 
& Finally - May the Apostle Paul’s Personal Commitment
            Be OUR Personal Commitment
 
Philippians 3:13–14 (ESV)
13 . . . But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
 
Can you SAY AMEN ???
 
God DESIRES to use our Trials for Good,
            to Grow us, & to Use us as a TESTIMONY for Him
 
But we have to JOIN Him in the good work
            that He desires to do - - in the Midst of our difficulty
 
When we Persevere in Abiding, we become
            a Tremendous Witness to the unbelieving world
 
when the world looks at us & sees
            that supernatural PEACE IN THE Midst of our trials
 
They can’t Debate that, they can’t Criticize that,
            they have to acknowledge
            SOMETHING is different . . .& it just Might Be - - JESUS !!
 
Psalm 59:16  (ESV)
16 But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress.
 
But the ONLY WAY we can SING that song to the LORD
            Is if we have EXPERIENCED Him
            as our FORTRESS, & our REFUGE, in the Day of our DISTRESS
 
Jesus Promised us in John 16
            that IF we will Continue to ABIDE in Him
 
We can have PEACE - that OVERCOMES the trials of this world
 
But what we CAN’T DO
            is AVOID the Trials & Difficulties of this world
 
The Bible NEVER says we can AVOID them
            But it ALWAYS says the Lord will go through them - with us
 
There is a day recorded in the life of Jesus
            that is so filled with stress & difficulty . . .
 
that it would make our MOST STRESSFUL Days,
            look like a VACATION
 
This day - or portions of it - are recorded in ALL FOUR Gospels
 
the only other event recorded in ALL FOUR Gospels
            is the Crucifixion
 
God wants us to know, with Certainty -
            what Jesus & His Disciples went thru - on this day
 
There’s much that can be taught in this Overwhelming Text -
            but the lesson I need you to hear today is
 
When it comes to us being TIRED, & OVERWHELMED,
            being in OVER your HEAD - & wanting to GIVE UP . . .
 
When it comes to PERSEVERANCE - Jesus KNOWS how you feel -
            He has been there !! - HE KNOWS
 
When putting ALL 4 gospel accounts of this day together
            The exact timing of each event is not PERFECTLY Clear
 
but we know this - all of this occurs basically at the same “time”
            possibly on the very same day
 
It’s all recorded in MAT 14, Mark 6, LUKE 9, JOHN 6
            & all together - it makes for some incredible reading
 
In Mat 14 - It all begins with Jesus hearing
            about the death of His cousin - John the Baptist
 
But not only His Cousin - John was His Friend, Forerunner,
            Co-Laborer - & now, he’d been murdered
 
Herod beheaded John the Baptist - the disciples had buried him,
            & then come to tell Jesus about it
 
But along with the news of John’s death, came a warning
 
Luke 9:9 (ESV)
9 Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him (Jesus).
 
Certainly there was more than a “social visit” on Herod’s mind here
 
So Jesus was dealing with the Death of possibly His closest friend
            AND the guy that killed John, was now looking for Jesus
 
During that exact same time Luk 9 tells us
            the Disciples had been sent out on their very first Missionary trip
 
It had been a extremely EVENTFUL & EXHAUSTING for them all
 
& JUST as Jesus was receiving the News about the Death of his friend
            AND the news about Herod’s threat toward Him
 
At that same time, the 12 Disciples were returning
            from this incredible ministry trip
 
They had seen Great Miracles & they wanted to talk about then -
            & they were also Extremely Exhausted
 
& so - for a number of Reasons - Jesus decides to take some time off
 
Mark 6:31–32  (ESV)
31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. (now THAT, is Busy)
32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves.
 
BUT Then - the Very Next Vs tells us
 
Mark 6:33 (ESV)
33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them.
 
& so, While Mourning for John the Baptist, with threats from Herod,
            Trying to take care of a Dozen overwhelmed Disciples -
            Jesus tries to just get away for a few days
 
But now - instead - there is a throng of Selfish people
            WAITING for Him - When He really just needed some REST
 
& Guys - Jesus felt EVERY Single Thing
            that you & I would feel in this time - of overwhelming stress
 
He had thousands of people pressing in on Him
            when He really - just needed to be alone
 
But instead of responding how we would’ve responded
 
Luk 9:11 says - and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing.
 
THAT - is Persevering in Ministry
           BUT - This Day is not over yet
 
When the day was far spent,
            & when Jesus & the Disciples were FAR SPENT
 
Somebody realized there were 5,000 men, plus families
            who all the sudden, were Hungry
 
The disciples had hoped they’d just all go away -
            But instead, Jesus FEEDS THEM, every single one of them
 
& the Bone-Weary Disciples had to do all the leg-work
 
Finally - as the day should have been ending - - Mark 6 says
            Jesus MADE His disciples get into a boat to cross the lake again
 
& Jesus Himself went up on a mountain
            to get some time alone with the Father in prayer
 
It had been an extremely exhausting day -
            so much stress - so many demands - by so many people
 
Overwhelming, Exhausting, Grueling
            Jesus needed time alone with the Father
 
& we pick up the story in Mark 6:46-48(a)
46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.
47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land.
48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them . . . (MAT says - they were being beaten by the waves)
 
Now - I know it’s easy to Spiritualize this part of the story
            & for some lessons it’s good
 
But remember - Jesus is 100% Man, 100% God
 
& right now - the 100% God, had to inspire the 100% Man
            to go out there & take care of the 100% SCARED Disciples
 
Mark 6:45 already told us
            Jesus MADE them get into the boat
 
& so we Know God’s at WORK for the Disciples good
            but EVERYBODY is Overwhelmed & Exhausted at this point
 
Just like you & I get - when it’s
            one crisis after another, after another, after another
 
This is the Big Picture I’m trying to show you
 
Jesus KNOWS - He’s BEEN there - He really does understand
 
So Jesus GOES to His Disciple’s
            WALKING on the Water - in the MIDST of the Storm
 
AND . . . The Disciples FAIL the Initial Test
 
MAT 14 says - they were TERRIFIED when they say Jesus, & they thought He was a GHOST
 
Can’t you just imagine Jesus, walking on the water,
            in the Midst of the Storm
 
& putting His hand to His forehead with an OY-VAY!!
 
But - - it’s not over yet
            PETER decides HE wants to walk on the water
 
Which brings Jesus a moment of real encouragement
 
But then - Peter’s faith fails, He sinks, Jesus has to SAVE HIM
            & carry him BACK into the boat
 
FINALLY - this incredible string of Crisis, Trials, & Difficulties,
            ALL in ONE DAY . . . finally comes to an end
 
Matthew 14:32–33 (ESV)
32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
 
& Jesus & the Disciples had
            the WHOLE rest of THAT NIGHT to rest,
 
before they hit shore the next day - Where the same Needy people
            were waiting for them all over again
 
Guys - PLEASE - PLEASE Hear me
 
When you are OVERWHELMED
            & you think you just can’t go on
 
REMEMBER - Jesus KNOWS - HE KNOWS
 
He KNOWS how you feel,
            He KNOWS what you’re going thru
 
& you can run to Him - - He KNOWS
            He understands - from PERSONAL Experience
 
He has been Us - in Every Way
            & He has experienced EVERYTHING we have Experienced
 
Yet - Without Sin
 
So often - we’re like that young boy
            whose Dad was trying to teach him how to play basketball
 
The Dad would easily launch the Ball right up to the Basket
            & then give it to his young son,
 
who would push with all his might, but the ball would only make it
            half way to the basket before falling back to earth
 
& the Dad would pick up the ball & say again to his son,
            like this son, & again easily launch the ball
 
well - after a few times of this,
            the boy became Exasperated - & finally said to his dad
 
“Yeah, it’s easy for you up there,
            but you don’t know how hard it is from down here!”
 
Guys - - Jesus KNOWS how hard it is, from “down here”
 
Hebrews 4:15–16 (ESV)
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
 
Our High Priest - Can sympathize with our weaknesses
 
IN EVERY Respect
            Jesus Christ has been Tried & Tested as we are
 
Every Hurt, Every Ache,
            All the Stress, & All the Strains - - with NO Exceptions
 
WHY ?? . . .
 
So He could sympathize with our weaknesses
 
& SO NOW - we can, with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, where we can receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need
 
We can COME to Him - We can CLING to Him
            He UNDERSTANDS - - He’s BEEN THERE
 
AND - THRU it ALL - He has Emerged Victorious
 
SUPER Victorious - More than a Conqueror
 
& when we are ABIDING in Him
            IN HIM - We are also Super Victorious
            IN HIM - We are also More Than Conquerors
 
Romans 8:37–39 (ESV)
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
 
Amen ??
 
In the last 3 msg’s in the Abide series
            I’ve tried to include One - - HOW
 
& so I’d like to do that as we close today
            - - Let’s turn over to 1Pet Ch 5
 
Here’s one - HOW (one way) - You can PERSEVERE in ABIDING
 
1 Peter 5:6  (ESV)
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God . . .
 
To humble ourselves means to be empty of SELF 
           or to lower our own estimation, or opinion of our selves
 
It means we’re not demanding God be our Genie
           We’re giving Him FULL RIGHT over our lives, in ALL Areas
 
& THEN . . . the rest of V.6 says
 
1 Peter 5:6 (ESV)
. . . so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
 
Meaning in “HIS” time, or at the “Right” time
            According to HIS good Plan & HIS good Purpose
 
If we will Allow God - to be GOD - in our lives
            & continue to ABIDE in His Love & His Care
 
Then, in HIS Time, He WILL Lift us
            out of the difficulties that He has allowed us to pass thru
 
VS. 6 is about allowing GOD to be GOD
            VS. 7 is about our Response to Him being our God
 
1 Peter 5:7 (ESV)
7 casting all your anxieties (cares) on him, because he cares for you.
 
If we will Truly PUT God in His rightful position in our lives
           Then we will be able to cast all our anxieties upon Him
 
Anxiety most often comes
            from the FEAR of Losing Control of something
 
But if we will Surrender that Control to God - as V.6 says
 
Trusting that He is a better God of our lives, than we our
            & Trusting that He truly CARES for us
 
THEN - we can cast all our anxieties, burdens, worries, concerns -
            ALL upon Him
 
Because we know - He’s in charge,
            & we know - He cares for us
 
This is a PICTURE of PERSEVERING in ABIDING
 
Continually rolling your burdens over to Him
            & allowing Him - to SUSTAIN you
 
& When we do that - He WILL sustain us through the Storms
 
However - there is a “Bit More” to Persevering in Abiding
            than Casting all your CARES upon the Lord
 
You also have an enemy -
            who wants to take you OUT of that Abiding Relationship
 
Continuing in 1Pet 5:8-9 (ESV)
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful (be seriously on alert). Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
9 Resist him, firm in your faith, . . .
 
The word translated RESIST means LIT
            “to stand firm against an onslaught, an attack”
 
To be FIRM in your faith means be IMMOVEABLE - STEADFAST
 
You HAVE an Enemy -
            He wants to KNOCK you OUT - of your Abiding Relationship
 
& Peter says;
            Be SERIOUSLY on Alert
            Stand FIRM against His Attacks
            Be IMMOVEABLE in your Faith
 
PERSEVERE in Abiding !!
 
& then - as encouragement - Peter says - You are NOT alone
 
Continuing in 1Pet 5:9 (ESV)
. . . knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
 
Peter - on his way to being MARTYRED for the Faith, says
 
TAKE HEART - the same kind of sufferings that you are experiencing today, are being experienced by your brotherhood thru-out the world
 
Guys - We have GOT to get out of this ALFALFA Mentality
 
I’m not talking about the Animal Feed
            I’m talking about the Little Rascals
 
& Alfalfa’s famous quote - where he says
            “Then the clouds opened up, & God said, I Hate You Alfalfa!”
 
God LOVED us - when we were sinners
            He DIED for us - when we were His enemies
            He CARES for us - as His own children
            He PROVIDES for us - even when we don’t deserve it
            He’s Reserved an Eternal Inheritance for us
            He’s POURED out His love into our hearts
            He’s our SHEPHERD
            Our REFUGE
            Our ROCK
            Our Dwelling Place
            Our HOPE
            Our STRENGTH
            Our LIGHT
            Our HELP
            Our KING
            Our PORTION
            Our SHIELD
            Our HIGH TOWER
 
We need to STOP acting like God HATES us
            God LOVES US
 
& it is NORMAL for us to Experience
            some TRIBULATION & SUFFERING in this WORLD
 
Jesus Christ did NOT Die - so we could escape the TRIALS
            He DIED so we could be VICTORIOUS THRU the TRIALS
 
& THAT is WHY we must PERSEVERE in ABIDING
            We must NEVER - Turn Away, Fall away, or DRIFT Away
 
IF we will Persevere in ABIDING - GOD WILL;
            RESTORE us
            CONFIRM us
            STRENGTHEN us - &
            ESTABLISH us
 
& THAT is exactly what our last verse says
 
1Peter 5:10-11 (ESV)
10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
 
Let’s Pray