“These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling.” John 16:1.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God (אלהים) says:
Every Word of Jesus that He said at the Last Supper was carefully crafted to convey important revelation that was needed for His followers to keep on with the mission after He returned to Heaven and was no longer among them according to the flesh. He stated more than once that the things He was speaking to them would put His joy in them so their joy would be full, and My joy is your strength, but now He added another dimension, He told them “these things” so they would be kept from stumbling.
First, it is good to see what the word “stumbling” is in the language it was first written down in for your edification. The New Testament was written in the Greek language though Jesus and His disciples spoke in the Hebrew dialect. The word translated “stumbling” here can also be translated as “fall away” or “scandalized.” It is the Greek word skandalizó (σκανδαλίζω), which means to cause to stumble, to offend, to lead into sin. It (skandalizō) describes the act of tripping up a person’s faith, conscience, or moral walk. It ranges from inner disillusionment with Me to deliberate inducement of sin in others. It includes a snare (“stumbling-block”), a trap you fall into. In Hebrew the word is mikshol (מִכְשׁוֹל), which means a stumbling block, obstacle, offense.
If you recall, when Jesus revealed that He is the true bread come down from Heaven for a man to eat and never die, and that His body and blood would become food and drink for you, many people took offense, were scandalized, by that teaching and fell away from their former commitment to follow Him.
Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble (skandalizó)? What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” John 6:60-64.
Now let us consider the words of Jesus at the Last Supper which are before us today in their context:
“These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling. They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God. These things they will do because they have not known the Father or Me. But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. These things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you.” John 16:1-4.
Jesus is warning those who will commit to following Him that there will be times that you are tempted to fall away, to become doubtful of My promises because of the persecutions and evil that will be done against you because of your allegiance to Me. And this questioning and persecution of the truth will not just come from people coming against you but from the tactics and wiles of Satan and his unclean demons in thoughts and spiritual attacks.
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5.
The last few Life Lessons we have seen that Jesus at the Last Supper, as well as His teachings over the three years He taught you as He walked the earth according to the flesh, reveal ahead of time that there will be evil in the last days like never before since the time of Noah to the present day. As I flood the earth with the knowledge of My glory as the waters cover the sea, Satan will release his flood of evil against the church, the body of Christ, and all its members.
Jesus has told you ahead of time that people will hate you for proclaiming the glorious gospel of their salvation because they hate Me and My Son, thus they hate His body on earth. Do not let it catch you off guard and cause you to fall away. In the early Church, the apostles warned them of these things, and they were ready and rejoiced when they were persecuted for the sake of the Name for they had their eyes set on a higher realm, the Kingdom—the heavenly Zion and the heavenly Jerusalem. Acts 13:51-52.
But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ 18when they said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow after their own ungodly desires.” These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life. And indeed, have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Jude 1:17-25.
When you understand the purpose, the plan, the reward and the power that is there for you in Me you will not fall away or grow cold. You will not stumble. When you stumble you slow your progress and jeopardize reaching the goal, it impedes you and if you do not get yourself back upright you will fall headlong.
Jesus told you the problem that causes the stumbling. You will not draw back if you know Me and what I am about. You are not fighting people, illness, lack, the curse, you are fighting the good fight of faith, that is, fighting fear and doubt. The challenge is not what the devil is sending against you but not to be moved by the temptation to doubt, waver and quit. You are not fighting the pain or the lack or the evil, you are fighting anything you say that is contrary to My Word. You are not keeping the problem but My Word at the forefront of your mind. You already have healing, do not be fighting for it, enforce it by putting down the thoughts that healing is not for you or that healing won’t work this time. Your job is NOT to heal yourself or work up the funds to pay the bill, your job is to receive and not doubt My promise in My Word.
Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God . . . For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not mixed with faith in those who heard. Hebrews 3:12; Hebrews 4:1.
You give no place to the devil. Stay in faith AND be patient and you will win.
And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:11-12.
It is knowing Me and the things to come by My Spirit in you and on you that will keep you from ever stumbling.
Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10.
Be constantly in touch with Me so I can lead you on paths of righteousness and I can keep you from stumbling.
In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:6.
Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble. Psalm 119:165.
You never need to stumble if you wait on Me.
He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary. Isaiah 40:29-31.
When Peter told Jesus he would never deny him but would die with him, he had not yet faced the fear and disappointment of seeing Jesus arrested with no resistance and condemned to death. He let fear of his own life being taken for being a disciple of Jesus cause him to fall away from being faithful to the One he had left all he had to follow. But he returned to follow and finally did give his life because he proved faithful. Do you remember? Jesus had prayed for Peter that his faith would never fail and that when he returned he would strengthen his brethren. And that is what never stumbling is about: Are you faithful? Can I trust you to stick with Me even when it looks like you will lose everything for being faithful to Me? Although Peter failed the test once, he never did again. Jesus had prayed for him and Jesus now as your great High Priest is forever interceding for you. What for? That your faith may never fail. You can trust I have answered his prayer for you. I will one day say to you as I did to Peter, “Well done good and faithful servant, come share your Master’s joy!”
I love you. You are Mine and I am yours. If you know this, you will never fall away.