II Timothy 2:7 Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things. 8 Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: 9 Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. 10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: 12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: 13 If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
Many through the years accepted the Lord. They made a profession but when pressure was on they didn’t endure. It was a shallow reception. They put down no roots. The enemy came and they withered away.
Paul bore the marks of Christ in his body. He had many injuries at the hands of others. People wanted to stomp out Jesus. It was a Christ-rejecting world as it is now. We’ll not find favor in the world especially in these last days. Satan works through schemes of society to underscore the lie that the world needs to be rid of us. If being a Christian is an infection I hope everyone catches it! We ought to be contagious. Our character should reflect Jesus so that people get a good old case of conviction and the Holy Spirit can work in souls. Before I got saved I was afraid it would rub off on me. I’m glad I got a case of salvation. It’s not a disease but a release from sin.
There was such a change in Paul that his cohorts quickly became his enemies. Those he was trying to destroy became his family. Christian enemy No. 1 came in preaching Jesus from his road to Damascus trip. Remember your value as a child of God. If God be for us who can be against us? We are more than conquerors. We have no idea what’s in store this week. We have up’s and down’s. Jesus told Peter Satan had plans for him. Peter had no forewarning. Mark it down. The devil will make it rough. When the winds blow it can knock you around. A storm is going to blow but because our Savior arose from the dead, because Jesus is Lord every day, we can hunker down and endure. We have an umbrella in the Lord. Satan is just a windbag anyway. The winds of the devil may blow; rains may come in life. We can and should endure. We must endure! Either let life and the devil defeat us or keep standing in the victory of Jesus Christ. What is victory—even our faith in Jesus.
Walk worthy of the calling. There is no reason to deny the Lord. There is no reason to let the threats of the devil or the world get to us. Lift up your head and be glad. Jesus came so that we could have life—abundant life. The devil can make plans for us. He can send the rains. He can stir up people against us. Remember Jesus planned your day first. He’ll never leave or forsake you. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. Unexpected things might broadside us. We can take it because greater is he that is in us than he that is in the world. Declare yourself dead. Let what the devil does slide off like water off a duck’s back. Remember Psalm 23. The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. Put it into practice. God knows what to do. I can’t fight the devil on my own. Neither can you. If we follow the Lord he’ll get us through. One of these days we’ll leave with him but for now he’s still with us every day. Plug into Jesus.
Whatever we suffer, remember there is an eternity of reigning with Jesus. Keep going. The Lord will bind you up. He thought us worth dying for, so He’s worth living for. If we deny him he’ll deny us. The devil would like nothing better than for us to deny Jesus. We don’t have to cave in. Give Jesus what he deserves. He’ll then confess us. He’ll be pleased with us. I’d rather please him any day. We have nothing to apologize to the world for. We owe the devil nothing. Bear the marks of Jesus if necessary.
Verse 13 says if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself. This is the conclusion of the matter. Many have departed the faith. They used to be in church. Regardless of what others have done, the Lord continued on. He did not cease to be Savior. Even though people forsook him, Jesus went ahead to the cross. God will always be God. The Word will always be the Word. The church will always be the house of God. The Lord will abide faithful. If we all deny him he’ll still be God and Savior. The least we can do is go on.
Two choices: give in or endure. It’s not by our will power. It’s by the strength and power of our Savior. If we keep our eyes on Jesus we can walk on water. If we need to be carried he’ll carry us. We need Jesus in us, around us, behind us, in front of us. When we keep him all around us, nothing can come between us and God. Our life was given to us by Jesus Christ and there is no reason not to endure. Our Savior is there making way for us. He’ll take us through!
There is no telling how rough it will be before the rapture, but we can endure. Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. Are you ready to endure?
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 