The End - ‘Endure and be Saved’ Pt 2
Jesus said:’‘But he who endures to the end shall be saved’ Mark 13:13.
‘Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good and his mercy endures forever ’
1 Chronicles 16:34, Psalm 106:1.
To endure Old Testament – To stand, abide, arise, continue, live, be employed, establish, be present, raise up. Remain, repair, serve, make, stand by, stand fast, stand with, to wait.
To endure New Testament - To stay under and remain, whilst undergoing and bearing trial. Have fortitude, persevere, endure, take patiently suffering.
To endure Dictionary – Undergo difficulty and hardship, tolerate, remain in existence, to last, submit to.
Endurance – The power or habit of enduring (beyond endurance), and the ability to withstand prolonged strain, the act of enduring.
The end of the world as we know it will require a strength of character in Christ, enabling you to withstand anything: any pressure, trial, sickness, challenge, and battle, because the end of the world is a time of immense instability. ‘Because you have kept my command to persevere, I will also keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold I come quickly…’ Revelation 3:10-11.
The scriptures are clear that there is great trial on the earth before Jesus comes back. Trial that will need believers with the habit and power of enduring, to persevere through it. In recent times many Christians lives have been turned upside down; many wonder why they are going through hardships, or are not always comfortable, secure, healed, and successful.
Testing and suffering are actually part of the Christian life. It has not been a popular message in most church cultures where material gain and success are considered a sign of godliness or God’s blessing, but like it or not, testing prepares you to endure. We live in a time where the ability to withstand prolonged strain, is a characteristic of heart and spirit that is very much needed in these days of the end.
Since the arrival of the global pandemic 2020 the trials of life have all escalated globally. “You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold the Judge is standing at the door! My brethren take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the intended end by the Lord – that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful” James 5:8-11.
James gives great practical advice in the scriptures, and one of them is to let time establish your heart. In God, it will take long periods, requiring patience; a fruit of the Spirit. The slowdown and lockdowns of the pandemic have given believers time to engage in critical thought, question, search, and seek the Lord for what is truly important. The end on earth will have so much trouble, and there will be many occasions to criticise and grumble about everything. The devil will use this tool extensively in the last days to create discouragement and division amongst God’s people as we are witnessing now. You must be enduring and patient in trials, following the Lord always and discovering His purposes for it. God always has an intended end of any trial or test. It is usually blessing, as Job also discovered; remember, ‘ALL things work together for good’ (Romans 8:28).
Enduring people are considered blessed in the scriptures! In some church cultures, blessed has often been predominantly measured by what you own, your status in work, or by some form of business increase. Yet, all heaven watches your endurance in Christ in all of life, and is cheering you on even when it is tough for you! The Bible prophets all experienced some form of suffering, and their patience is an example to us in having the faith ability and character, to endure. As James also says, when you endure, ‘let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.’ (James 1:4).
The second coming of the Lord is surely at hand, this is now a time to let your heart be established like never before. Strong hearts of faith and endurance are what is needed in the darkness of the end-times. The world and all its distractions will always try and wear down your resolve, but endure, for it is God’s command and desire for you.
‘You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier…therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him. If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He also remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself’ 2 Timothy 2:3,10-13.
The apostle Paul knew about enduring and suffering, but he was faithful, as God is faithful, the Lord will not deny you in your trials, how can He! He sees everything, and will see you through, and give you hope where you may not have had it.‘For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises’ Hebrews 6:10-12.
We are exhorted to have full assurance of hope until the end, and not be slack. It requires diligence, consistency, and an enduring heart, to maintain a revived and reformed life on a day to day basis, despite all the craziness that is happening post the pandemic. Why? Because the world and the devil, are in full onslaught mode at the end to drag you away from your hope. It is important to be around other believers in faith, be in a good Church, staying inspired and connected. You cannot do it all on your own. You may have been in ministry, given much and done much; the Lord does not forget. He is a just God, and is with you right now, preparing you for these days. It is important to hold fast your confidence; it must be placed in God and nothing else. ‘Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.’ Ephesians 6:10. Be strong in the word, stay close in your relationship with Jesus.
“But Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end…For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end” Hebrews 3:6,14.
Enduring creates character within you that is completely unshakeable. It is that spirit that partakes of Christ and allows you to continue to be effective on the earth for His purposes, even with all its battles.
You must be firm and steadfast always; backsliding, giving up, or looking back, must never be a consideration. God’s promises and plans for every life take time; destiny and purpose may not come the way you expect it. But it will come if you stay the course and endure. The Bible clearly says we are His if we hold fast our confidence and hope, there is no option to give up.
‘For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater. He swore by Himself saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise’ Hebrews 6:13-15.
‘It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. But recall the former days in which after you were illuminated, you endured great struggle with sufferings: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated: for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward. For you have need of endurance that after you have done the will of God you may receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul’ Hebrews 10:31-39.
Walking with God is no cakewalk; it is not an easy path to success, peace, and ease. You are in an army; there is a spiritual war for your soul. The world system, the flesh, and the devil, are all against the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. The ability to endure in the end comes only when your character is tested in the crucibles of this life, that is the opportunity we have to live in right now. The walk with God is by faith, there is no other way, you cannot draw back once you are in, you must endure and keep going, doing His will, staying confident in Christ.
Your confidence has great reward attached to it. The Lord loves your confidence in Him even when it’s hard. He will save your soul - keep enduring, keep going, and make the choice to never look back. We are in a race far greater than any Olympics - get rid of the baggage, the silly things, and the sins that weigh you down. Jesus is writing the book of your life, He is the author, don’t leave all the end pages blank because you gave up!
Jesus endured hideous treatment at the cross; consider your Lord, your example. It is easy to become tired and discouraged, but these are things of the flesh and they pass. Each day is brand new, full of grace, mercy, and possibility (Lamentations 3:22-24). The Holy Spirit is with you, He is your comforter, and will teach you all things (1 John 2:27). If you need rest get it, but make a decision that you will endure to the end. You are surrounded by angels, they are rooting for you, watching every step, waiting to minister, and help you when you need it.
‘Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls’ Hebrews 12:1-3.
“And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all the saints” 1Thessalonians 3:12-13.
Enduring produces the fruit of love, which is the abounding force that drives your faith and hope. The strength that comes from enduring establishes your heart to be firmly rooted in that love, so you can walk blameless, holy, effective, and powerful in this fallen world. Through all that is now happening we must learn afresh how to navigate our rapidly changing world; for it’s a completely new era and day! We are also being prepared for the coming of the Lord Jesus at the end, to get us ready for a brand new start for eternity.
There is an apostolic boast for those who endure with patience in the love of God. You may never hear of it, or see it in your present life, but heaven knows, and records your journey.“We are bound to thank God always for you brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of everyone of you all abounds toward one another, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure’ 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4.
By faith, walk forward and endure all things in these last days of the end. Maybe you will hear heaven singing for you! “Love…hears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” 1 Corinthians 13:7.
God is love – He does this with you as you hear, believe, hope and endure with Him – so endure to the end and never give up.
By Stephen Bennett 10/11/2021
Author - The End - He who endures shall be Saved
https://store.bookbaby.com/book/Prophet-Musician
https://store.bookbaby.com/book/The-Divine-Artist
Book coming soon: First released in 2008, re-written for this time.
The End - He who endures shall be Saved
