Persevering in Truth

God’s Word Does God’s Work...

God gave believers, the Body of Christ, New Covenant truths as our standard. In Scripture, God directs us to persevere in these truths. We are called to abide in the words of the New Covenant. He provided the standard of his Word to deliver and heal his people. God designed his Word to do this work in our lives. As we abide in God’s powerful Word, it restores us.

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction. (Psalms 107:20 AV)

God is ALWAYS right!  He sent his Word for our benefit. When we humble ourselves to the New Covenant truths, a floodgate of healing transforms us, even in areas we were unaware of our need for deliverance. Victory in any situation is guaranteed by God when our faith complies with his Word.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith. (1John 5:4 ESV)

Our faith overcomes the world. Faith regarding what? Our faith in the Word of life! When we believe the Truth, the power of the Truth unleashes God’s victory. The Truth overcomes the world. Our part is to believe it. Our faith is in Christ and his finished work of redemption. He overcame the world. In Christ, we have that victory.

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but have courage, I have overcome the world. (John 16:33 EMTV)

1 John 5:19 gives us great insight into the phrase “the world.”

We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

(1John 5:19 ESV)

Usually, we do not see that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. Our culture normalizes what God calls “evil.” However, God desires our realization that “...the whole world lies in the power (is under the control) of the evil one.” Satan orchestrates the affairs of this world. Through his influences, the world is driven by selfishness, greed, lust of the eyes, pride, ego, the desires of the flesh and of the mind. As believers of the Truth, we thwart his control. However, Satan still attempts to impede our deliverance through his lies.  The innumerable adversarial thoughts in this world have formed patterns of ungodly beliefs in our minds. Because  God is love, he sent the Truth to combat those lies thus liberating us from their destructions. As we humbly submit to the Truth, its healing power continues to produce the wholeness that is in Christ. Our deliverance is in the power of the Truth being upheld.

Our fight is not against bad circumstances. God affords us a vantage point which is far deeper and more insightful.

For we are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12 RSV)

Our fight is against the rulers of darkness. Life is spiritual. When you are contending with ill-health, lack of finances, unsound thoughts, emotional roller coasters, etc., you are actually contending with evil spirits, your spiritual adversaries. God inspired Ephesians 6:12 to be written because in his infinite scope, he realized the immensity of the spiritual battle arrayed against us. Dark forces are driving our thoughts toward what is really evil: the thoughts and lifestyle which are contrary to the New Covenant truths.

When we deal with any lack, whether financial, ill-health, emotional instability, etc., we need to recognize that these thoughts are contrary to what God’s Word states as our new reality . We are not contending with bad circumstances, rather with spirits of wickedness manipulating our thoughts away from God’s Word. The bad circumstances are not the problem! Circumstances (usually bad ones) are used against us like a magician uses sleight of hand. The adversary’s strategy moves our gaze away from what is REALLY happening: our thoughts are adversarily manipulated toward merely dealing with the undesirable circumstances. In the world of magic, this is called a “trick.” In the world of our spiritual adversaries, circumstances are used as a “trick.” The first step to not being “tricked” is to know the truths of what God says. Then, when bad circumstances arise, we hold to God’s truths, speaking and thinking accordingly. By the power of God’s Word, we can speak against the attacks. For example: “Fear and anxiety, you were defeated by the Cross of Christ. You are not allowed to get a grip in my life because God through Christ has delivered me!” The Word of God produces our victory! 

As we mature in holding fast to the Truth, we will feel out of place in the world. This is because we are not of this world, and neither is the Truth. This world is not our home.

If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.  (John 15:19 EMTV)

Know the Truth!

Then Jesus said to those Jews who had believed Him, If you abide in My word, truly you are My disciples. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. 34...everyone that practices sin is a slave of sin. 36 Therefore if the Son sets you free, you will be truly free. (John 8:31- 32,34,36 EMTV)

The word “know” means to intimately or experientially know. “Knowing” in this way implies that the thing known exists in relationship with the knower. For example, you know your gender (your life experiences and anatomy have proven this to you). Your gender influences your decisions and actions. As a man, if I were to hear of a women’s fellowship, I would not consider going because I know my gender. God uses his Word and his spirit to develop this type of intimate relationship in us with the Truth. Why? “The truth shall set you free.” Free from what? Free from sin (verse 34). Sin is of the world, not of the Christ. Sin was defeated by the Christ at the Cross so that we should experience victory over the consequences of sin. Truth in Christ makes us free from sin and its ramifications!

Because of the inherent power of the Truth to utterly free us from sin and its consequences, the adversary’s attack is ultimately against the Truth. Through a plethora of distractions, pleasures and/or pressures, the adversary attempts to deflect the Truth from our minds.

Hold to the Truth! As Jesus Christ emphatically suggested, “abide in my word.” (John 15:1-7)

Governed by Thoughts

We are governed by our thoughts which are developed either by spiritual light or spiritual darkness. To be governed by spiritual light is to be governed by God. To be governed by spiritual darkness is to be governed by Satan. The Truths of the Gospel were sent by God to deliver people from darkness and Satan into the light and power of God. Toward this purpose the Lord Jesus Christ commissioned Paul as an apostle to minister the Gospel.

But arise and stand on your feet; for I (Jesus) have appeared to you (Paul), to appoint you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen, and of the things which I will yet reveal to you, 17 delivering you from the people, and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the authority of Satan to God, in order for them to receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me. (Acts 26:16-18 EMTV)

The Truth of the Gospel is the light of God. As we hold the Truth in our minds, the light dispels the darkness. Through the Truths of the New Covenant, God inspires us to think of ourselves, others, and the various circumstances we face in light of God’s perspective rather than contrary information. Learn the Truth, and abide by it!

Condemnation vs Discouragement

While we persevere in the Truth, condemnation and discouragement seem to be the most common attacks. Condemnation means judgment against, finding one guilty and worthy of punishment. Condemnation comes from perceived failure. Condemnation attacks us when we are hit with thoughts like, “I’m not seeing results of the Truth yet. I must be doing something wrong!” “I must have failed to walk according to the Truth in some way.” “I am not deserving of the blessings of God.”

Discouragement is condemnation’s companion. Discouragement results when we do not see expected results in a timely manner. We are being attacked with discouragement when we have thoughts like, “Oh, how long do I have to be dealing with this problem?” “There must be something wrong.” “Why has this not been resolved yet?” “What if I try something else for results?” These thoughts are not from your Father who loves you, who sent his Word to  heal you.

Both condemnation and discouragement thwart the Truth’s manifested power. Entertaining thoughts of condemnation and discouragement requires taking our eyes off the Truth. Condemnation and discouragement are powerful weapons against us who are persevering in the Truth. Knowing and holding fast to the Truth eliminates condemnation and discouragement.

1 Peter 5:6-9 encourages the believer to persevere in the Truth.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, because He cares about you. 8 Be sober! Be on the alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. 9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your brothers in the world. (1Peter 5:6-9 HCSB)

Verse 8 says that our adversary, the Devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion seeking to devour us. Lions in the Bible lands were known to hunt in the tall grass where they wait to hear their prey walking nearby. The lions roar to freeze their prey. Once the prey is frozen in fear, the lion will pounce and devour. The lesson here is to NOT consider thoughts designed to freeze us in fear. Instead, we humble ourselves to what God says is true. Refute the adversary’s suggestions by persevering in the Truth. By the Truth, we put up the shield of faith which quenches all the fiery darts of the wicked one – Ephesians 6:16. The Devil cannot defeat the Truth, just as darkness cannot overpower light. The Truth is a powerful weapon in the hands of a believer!

1 Peter 5:9 tells us further how to resist the roaring adversarial thoughts. To “resist” means to stand against. We stand against the Devil’s suggestive thoughts by holding “firm in the faith.” The faith is what we are to believe – the truths of the Gospel (what is true in and through Christ). Empowered by the thoughts of Christ’s redemptive work, we are strengthened to stand firm against the Devil. This is our position of victory.

1 Peter 5:9 further states that we stand firm in the faith knowing that these same experiences with which we are suffering are accomplished (fulfilled, brought to victory) in our brethren. You and I are not alone in circumstances which challenge our thoughts of Truth. Our predecessors have seen victory regarding the same challenges with which we are enduring.

God provides his Word (light) for our deliverance from all darkness.

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. (Psalms 107:20 AV)

Persevere in the truth. This is the victory God gave to his people.

 

KEY TO BIBLE TRANSLATIONS             

AV- Authorized Version

EMTV-English Majority Text Version ESV-English Standard Version

HCSB-Holman Christian Standard Bible

RSV-Revised Standard Version