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Series: God’s Plan to Change Me “Fight the Good Fight” Today: Fighting For Endurance (assorted scriptures) Use these notes if you find them helpful. However I believe most are better served by listening with an open Bible (Acts 17:11) heart & mind than by writing. - Pastor Jeff
Intro:
*** God calls us to a God-glorifying life of _____________endurance in ________________.
I. …by putting in us (by grace) hearts that _______ God in ______________.
II. …by using hard times to powerfully stimulate our ________in the assorted _____________ of Christ.
III. …by using hard times to maximize the effectiveness of our __________ for _______.
Digging Deeper into “fighting for endurance” I want to suggest several ways we can study God’s Word so as to learn more about & seek to grow in the spiritual quality of “endurance”.
1. The NT noun (in Greek) for “endurance” is also translated as “patience”, “steadfastness”, “perseverance” & “patient endurance”. It is used @ 31 x in the NT including the following: Lk 8:15, & 21:19; Rom 5:3-4, 8:25 & 15:4-5; 2 Cor 1:6, 6:4 & 12:12; Col: 11; l Thess l:3; 2 Thess l: 4 & 3:5; l Tim 6:11; 2 Tim 2:10; Tit 2:2; Heb 10:36 & 12:1; Jam 1:3-4 & 5:11; 2 Pet 1:6; Rev 1:9, 2:2-3, 2:19,3:10, 13:10 & 14:12. This word normally has the idea of a capacity to bear up under difficult circumstances. • Note that the trilogy of "faith, love & endurance" are found together in 1 Thess 1:3,1 Tim 6:11,2 Tim 3:10 & Tit 2:2 • “patience” (in a totally different Greek word, see #3 below) is found with “endurance” in Col 1:11 & 2 Tim 3:10
2. The NT verb (in Greek) for “to endure” is also translated as “to persevere”, “to be patient” & “to be steadfast”. It is used @ 17 x in the NT including the following: Mt 10:22, 24:13; Mk 13:13; Lk 2:43; Acts 17:14; Rom 8:24, 12:12; 1 Cor 13:7; 2 Tim 2:10 & 12; Heb 10:32, 12:2 & 3 & 7; Jam 1:12 & 5:11; & 1 Pet 2:20.
3. There is a term similar to “endurance” but which is a different Greek word. It expresses more of an idea of emotional calm when provoked. It occurs about 17 x including: Rom 2:4 & 9:22; 2 Cor 6:6; Gal 5:22; Eph 4:2; Col 1:11,3:12; 1 Tim 3:10 & 4:2; Heb 6:12; Jam 5:10; 1 Pet 3:20 & 2 Pet 3:15 with the verbal form in Mat 18:26 & 29; Lk 18:7; 1 Cor 13:4; 1 Thess 5:14; Heb 6:15; Jam 5:7-8 & 2 Pet 3:9.
4. Not of least importance is to study the wide variety of passages that call us to “put off” sin & “put on” the qualities of practical holiness. Some of those key scriptures include: Col 3:1-16; Rom 1:29-32; 1 Cor 5:9-11, Gal 5:19-25; Phil 4:8; 1 Tim 3:1-13 & 6:11-16; Tit 1:5-9 & I Pet 4:13. Read & reflect on & ask God to produce in you/ us all of the qualities of practical holiness - for His glory, our joy & others’ good!
5. Finally - of the many good books on suffering I especially recommend How Long O Lord by DA Carson & The Call to Joy & Pain by Ajith Fernando.
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