But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. Luke 8:15.
Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance. 2 Peter 1:5-6.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
On the ascent to holiness the step that follows self-control is perseverance. Perseverance is the product of self-control. It is self-control for the long haul. It means that once you have My promise you just will not let go until you see it manifest. Once you know what you own in Christ Jesus and your Kingdom citizenship rights, it is very hard for the devil to take them from you if you will persevere. In fact, My servants Peter, Paul, and James did not back down at trials, Paul wrote, “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5. And James wrote, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4. And Peter encouraged those undergoing persecution for the faith, “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” 1 Peter 5:8-10. Yes, I MYSELF will perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you when you refuse to give up and give in to the devil’s tactics. Just take a stand and I will do the rest. All this has to do with My call to you to enter into My own glory and excellence.
And that is today’s life lesson on the Highway of Holiness: Perseverance. Do not lose heart in doing good, for in due time you will reap if you do not grow weary. Galatians 6:9, 2 Thessalonians 3:13. Perseverance is steadfastness in holiness. Revelation 2:2-3. It is keeping My Word in good times and in times of persecution and trial. It is walking in the truth no matter what lie is presented to you by the devil
Perseverance is patience in the face of adversity, staying at peace until you see the storm subside. And if you take your stand it will. But you cannot take a stand in depression, fear, and worry. Moses had to keep his arms raised up to the win the battle with the Amalekites (amal means painful toil). And to persevere you will need to stay in praise and worship. For to those who wait on Me in joyful praise, confident of the promised outcome, I can give strength, for My joy is your strength, so that you will mount up with wings like eagles, and you will run and not get tired, walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:29-31.
I have called you to My own glory and excellence, persevere in following that call. This is a call to holiness. Jesus prayed for this to Me about you, “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. John 17:22-23. Perfected in unity—this is being a partaker of My divine nature and become filled with all My fullness, so that you walk in a manner worthy of My calling into My own Kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 2:12. And you find these steps in the ascent of holiness we have been studying in the second letter of Peter.
Imitate Me as My dear children and walk in love until you attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of My Son, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:13. You are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is, Jesus Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:15-16. Let no unwholesome, rotten, idle word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit by unholy conversation. There must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting with who you are in Christ, but rather giving of thanks. Ephesians 5:4. This all has to do with self-control in the long haul.
In the first parable My Son told, which was that of the sower that is sowing the seed of the Word on various kinds of ground representing the hearers’ hearts, the ones who gave up due to pressure, circumstances contradicting the Word, anxieties, worries, cares, or just desires for things that were contrary to My Word by lust and selfish ambition had no harvests of My good promises for their lives. Only the ones who received My Word and would give it up but cultivated it to full growth enjoyed the harvest. The bore fruit through perseverance. Luke 8:15. The ones who had no deep root in themselves were only temporary and failed to have the reward. Matthew 13:21. Receive and cultivate to fruition My implanted Word, My Word has the power to save your souls. James 1:21. Be firmly rooted and grounded in Christ, who is My Word, and you will be built upon the unshakeable everlasting rock so that you can persevere in any storm and not be taken down. Do not just bear it, you must rebuke it! Anything that is contrary to My promises to you, you must not permit. You must resist.
To successfully persevere, you must be fully persuaded that My Word is truth. Without this you will be driven about by the wind and the waves of every circumstance, storm, and doctrine. Perseverance is not passive but actively aggressive to enforce My promises. You stand in My full armor of light and you wield the Sword of the Spirit. Never turn your back and run from the enemy, make him flee from you. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called. 1 Timothy 6:11-12. Depart from evil deeds and touch nothing unclean, purify yourselves for you are vessels filled with the Holy Spirit, but never back down to the devil, for you will not go out in haste, nor will you go as a fugitive. For I go before you to make a way where there is no way, I will walk with you and keep you in My love and protection, and I will be your rear guard. Isaiah 52:11-12. But how do I lead you out? “For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace.” Isaiah 55:12. And that was the way I redeemed My people out of the slavery of Egypt: “And He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen ones with a joyful shout and joyful singing.” Psalm 105:43. And they came out strong and healthy, with not a feeble one among them, and laden with silver and gold. Psalm 105:37. And yet Egypt was devastated.
What does it look like to be fully persuaded? It looks like joy. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13. So perseverance should not be a painful affair. If you really believe you will be anticipating the victory with joy and gladness. In the face of adversity and trial, My prophet Habakkuk sang, “Though the fig tree should not blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of the olive should fail and the fields produce no food, though the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle in the stalls, yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord LORD (Adonai Yahweh) is my strength, and He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, and makes me walk on my high places.” Habakkuk 3:17-19. And this was actually a song written for the choir director, on his stringed instruments. Habakkuk 3:19. I feed My children in time of famine. I take care of those who are Mine. “Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; though I dwell in darkness, the LORD is a light for me,” sang My prophet Micah.
Abraham had perseverance. Why? He had come to know Me. Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to My promise, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to Me and being FULLY PERSUADED that what I had promised, I was able also to perform. Therefore it was also credited to him as righteousness. Romans 4:19-22. And the promised child came to be. Fully persuaded faith perseveres with joy.
A highway will be there, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for him who walks the Way, and fools will not wander on it. No lion will be there, nor will any vicious beast go up on it; these will not be found there. But the redeemed will walk there, and the ransomed of the LORD will return and come with joyful singing and shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:8-10.
I love you. Isn’t it time you got on the superhighway of holiness? Faith opens a highway, a bridge, by which Heaven’s blessings are conducted right to your door. And it is supported by moral excellence, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly love, and love. And the next life lesson is godliness.