Our reference text this morning would be taken from Hebrews 12:1-17, it is quite a lengthy text but the Holy Spirit would guild us in it this morning as we break it down and as He leads us in the word. Hebrew 12:1-17. The Bible says:
1- 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, 2 – 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. 3 – For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 – You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
5 – And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: "My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6 – For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives." 7 – If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 – But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 – Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
We are going to take a pause there at this point. Now when we talk about persistence, what does it mean? There are two words that are combined there, the word active and the word persistence. But we will look at the word persistence first.
What is persistence?
Many people confuse persistence and consistency. Being consistent is for you to continue to do something, but persistence is deeper. And I came across this definition of persistence that I feel will help us to understand better what persistence mean, and when we talk about active persistence, what is it that the Lord requires from us? The definition I found to be very interesting and applicable in this teaching, is that; "Persistence is the fact of continuing in an opinion, (Note that word "continuing" it is in the present continuous) or course of action." And this definition will not be complete without this other part.
"The fact of continuing in an opinion or course of action, in spite of difficulty or opposition." So, it means that persistence is the fact of continuing in an opinion or a course of actions in spite of difficulty or opposition. That means we cannot say you have persisted if difficulty or opposition does not arise. That's why consistency and persistence is different. If you are consistent you can continue to do something but if there is no difficulty in it or there is no opposition in it, then your consistency transcends to persistency when you are faced with difficulty and opposition in what you are continuing to do.
This morning when we are talking about persistence, we talking about active persistence. You are not just doing it passively. What do we call active? In the definition of persistence, I love the word continuing it talks about the fact that you are actively involved in doing it, as we are speaking, you are doing it. It is not something you are giving up on. Something you have abandoned, something you have stopped doing, it is something you are actively doing. If I come to you, I will find you doing it. That means you are persistent.
And this morning, we would be looking at the model of Jesus. And I am going to read Hebrews 12:1-2 again as we alight this Scripture.
Hebrew 12:1 – Therefore we also, since we are surrounded (I love this word surrounded, we are surrounded, that means all around us, examples exist, we are surrounded by) so great a cloud of witnesses, ( not one or two people, so great a cloud of witnesses, evidence! Because we have evidence all around us, which we would be looking at deeply this morning) let us lay aside every weight, ( we are going to look at some of these things that stops us from being persistent, weight! He said lay aside every weight that will stop you from continuing) and the sin which so easily ensnares us, (that traps us, that stops us from continuing, that stops us from moving) and let us run (let us run, let us be active, let us be found doing what we have been called to do) with endurance the race that is set before us.
This message this morning is not for babes. It is for sons of God because we will see as we read further from verse 1-17.
You have been so called into ministry, you have heard the voice of the Lord, God has given you a word, how are you taking that word? What is your attitude towards that word? Is it with passivity or with activity? How are you moving with that assignment that God has given you? How are you treating that word that God has given you? Are you treating it with levity or you are treating it with active persistence? Because without this we cannot step into glory and we would see it through the life of Jesus And other cloud of witnesses as this scripture has said.
Listen to Podcast: Active Persistence: The Pathway to Glory
Let us run, and I realize that one of the synonyms of persistence, is endurance. He said let us run with endurance, let us run with persistence, let us run with a staying power, Let us run with a commitment, let us run with a persuasion, with a perseverance, with tenacity. Let's run with a resolve. The race, not a race. You can run other races without it. But the race you cannot run without it. Except God has not called you, you can live your life anyhow. You can choose to do whatever you feel like doing. And when you are tired of doing it, you give up and you abandon it and go.
But if it is what God has called you to, you need active persistence to be able to arrive at glory. Except God has not called you to that thing. Except that thing you are doing God has not given you a go ahead on it, except the word of the Lord has not come to you that's when you can choose to do it anyhow. But if that is the assignment, if that is the race for you, it must be with endurance. It must be with active persistence the race that is set before us.
And it says in verse 2 Looking onto Jesus" did it say looking unto men? It says looking unto Jesus. The first example He gave us. Let Jesus be your model, let Jesus be your example, let Jesus be the mirror of your persistence) , the author (the beginning) and the finisher ( the end) of our faith. Its saying this was how Jesus endured. This was how Jesus showed us active persistence. "Who for the Joy that was set before Him", for the glory that was set before Him. How many of know when God speaks to you concerning an assignment and He says to you, you are going to become this you are going to do this in my name. What God shows you is the glory.
When God came to Mary, He said blessed are you among women, wow Mary you are choice among women, you are favored among women, you are going to have a child, a holy child, a child that will deliver His people from their sin. God showed Mary glory, what Mary did not understand is that before she could attain that glory, she had to persist in the midst of the shame, she had to endure the ridicule. That a woman that had not known a man is pregnant, how would this thing be? That means this lady has been going around doing rubbish, and she carried the pregnancy, she did not know that the glory was going to be born in the day when it was rainy, where there was no room in the inn.
Where she just had to manage in the manger where they were taking care of animals. If you ask somebody he will say are you sure there is any glory in that, because when God speaks to you He shows you glory but the path of that glory leads to active persistence in the midst of what you are going through, you are saying see this is what God has shown me, God will come through and Mary carried that child for 9 months in the midst of all the ridicules and that's the example. Jesus came into the world to die for our sins. Glory ahead of Him. For the Joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross, He had to pass through the cross. Do you think going on the cross was easy for Him? You will know it is not easy because when He got to the garden of Gethsemane He said I wish this cup can pass over me, I wish I will not go through this experience to Glory, but He said nevertheless not my will but your will be done.
Because if I don't persist through this I can't get to glory, if I don't go through this difficulty, if I don't go through this opposition, I can't arrive at glory. And that is why He said looking unto to Jesus, Jesus is our example, there was a joy that was set ahead of Him. Just as God has spoken to you about that glory about that joy ahead of you. That you are going to be a great woman, that you are going to have sons and daughters that will flock your side, that they will rise and call you blessed, glory ahead of you but there is a part to that glory. For you to walk on that part you need active persistence.
It says He endured the cross, He despised the shame, so there was a shame and there was a cross to endure. There was a shame to despise and there was a cross to endure. He persisted, and because He persisted the bible says "and has set down by the right side of the throne of God. It says consider Jesus the son of God who endured such hostility, from sinners against Himself less you become weary and discouraged in your souls. Sons of God it is not a time to be discouraged, looking unto Jesus, what you are going through is a necessary phase on the path to glory.
What you need at this time is active persistence, you are continuing in it in spite of the difficulty, God did not promise us that the road will be rossy, He did not promise us that its going to be all beautiful, and you will see what Jesus said. I want us to see Philippians 2 an example of Jesus. Phil 2:5-11 another definition of persistence using the example of Jesus, because we are looking unto to Jesus now.
Phil.2.5 –
"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" It says "let this mind "there is a mind for active persistence, it is not just any kind of mind, it is not anyone that can be persistent, and that's why it is not every one that will arrive in glory, if everyone can be persistent then everyone can arrives in glory. If everyone can be persistent, then everyone will arrive in glory, because everyone cannot be persistent, everybody cannot arrive in glory.
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, our model and example who being in the form of God, ( who being anointed, Jesus had the anointing, the Holy Spirit without measure, even though He was so anointed, full of grace and truth He did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. He allowed God to have a final say. So anointed son of God, you think that difficulty will not come because you are anointed? It will come, you think opposition will not come because you are anointed? Why am I going through all these, with the anointing God has placed upon me, it is necessary for the path of glory. And Jesus went through it.
Phil.2.7 – but made Himself ( it is an attitude,) of no reputation, (He humbled Himself under the mighty hand of God. In proverbs the bible says before honor comes there's humility. If you see honor comes, then humility has gone ahead. So Jesus humbled himself, and became obedient, obedient to the point of death, because which man in his right senses will you say to this is your divine assignment, go and die for the sins of the world. And the same people that you are supposed to die for, and you look at them. Some of us that have received a word for somebody and you know this word will deliver this person, when you get to the person, you greeted the person and the person didn't even answer you will refrain. We don't want opposition, yet we want glory.
You will say see how he greeted me am not even delivering the message again, imagine that is the attitude of Jesus, and He says see the people am dying for they are stoning me, in fact angels just come destroy all of them, am not dying again, but that was not His attitude, He became obedient, He became submissive, He became humbled, to the point of death, to His own hurt) taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.
How many of us can go through that kind of difficulty and opposition in the race. God sends you to a people, stiffed neck and you know you are the one that carries the solution, you are the one that carries the answer and they are misbehaving are you able to obey to the point of death? are you able to endure the shame, despise the shame, endure the cross, the difficulty, are you able? If you are not able then you can't go to glory.
You can't get to glory because this is the pathway to glory, will you keep praying for somebody that is insulting you every day, will you keep fasting for that your brother that does not even regard you, that does not honor you, will you keep praying for his salvation? And continue at it in spite of the persons behavior, inspire of the persons opposition, and difficulty, will you continue at it? We can't achieve the glory without active persistence, we can't get to where God wants us to be if we can't go through opposition that's the example that Jesus set for us.
Phil.2.9 – Therefore God also (because He did this has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, Phil.2.10 – that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, Phil.2.11 – and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Jesus did not enter His glory without passing through the path that requires active persistence. I want us to see some Scriptures also, how Jesus lived in John 10 and He was speaking to His disciples, John 10 verse 34
John.10.34 – Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, "I said, "You are gods"'?
John.10.35 – If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),
John.10.36 – do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, "You are blaspheming,' because I said, "I am the Son of God'?
John.10.37 – If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;
John.10.38 – but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him."
John.10.39 – Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. ( because His time had not come) and verse 40 says;
John.10.40 – "And He went away again" (so He has been doing it? This is the path of His life, they want to kill for saying something or doing something and He will escape and He will go again, this is how to see a man that is committed. Another synonym for persistence is commitment, active commitment, you will see Jesus committed to the same assignment even though He was about to die at His last encounter.
It says He went again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first and there He stayed, then many came to me and said John performed no sign but all the things that John spoke about this man where true and many believed in Him there. He didn't stop, many people are saying with this difficulty that I don't even have a child of my own, I think I am going to stop here, it looks as if the devil has made my house his headquarters, he is focusing on me too much, so let me stop so that the devil can branch, Jesus didn't do that, He continued to His own hurt.
