The Biblical Priority of Endurance & Perseverance
September 15, 2019      |     By: Sam McVay, Jr.      |      Category: Sermons      |      Location: El Dorado
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Matthew 24:9-13 (ESV)
9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake.
10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.
11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.
13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Hebrews 10:35-39 (ESV)
35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
37 For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;
38 but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

James 1:12 (NLT)
12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Many of the books of the New Testament have as a main focus: the endurance and perseverance of the saints.

It is arguably a primary need in first century persecuted house church Christianity.

And it is desperately needed in “this generation” as well as essential in the “last generation” - which btw, could be the same.

John Piper is quoted as saying that this generation of Shepherds, and saints, is “emotionally fragile”.

Our culture of “high freedom” & “feeling-centered reality” has pushed us closer and closer to becoming a generation of chronic quitters.

Abraham Lincoln lost at eight elections/nominations, failed at business, lost job, had a nervous breakdown all before he was elected President of the United States twice.

Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preachers, suffered most of his life with excruciatingly painful gout, public slander and criticism, periodic bouts of depression, death of congregants during one of his services, and a wife who was from the age of 34 an invalid - yet he persevered to the end, faithfully believing and preaching Jesus.

Jesus highlighted and valued endurance in His teachings to the disciples.

Paul is constantly making pleas for endurance to the suffering churches.

The book of Revelation: to help the Church overcome and persevere to the end.

Do you highly value endurance?

How to get endurance:
1) Receive from the Holy Spirit who supplies the fruit of patience or long suffering - Galatians 5:22
2) Don’t waste suffering by complaining, but rather rejoice in the midst of suffering - Romans 5:3-4
3) Be in a fellowship that values and encourages endurance
4) Resolve not to quit: Endure to Endure more

Galatians 5:22 (ESV)
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Romans 5:3-4 (ESV)
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

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