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The Value Of Endurance

February 22, 2009

We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. James 5:11

When we observe the outcome of Job’s life, we see his endurance and we see the faithfulness of God: “The Lord restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the Lord increased all that Job had twofold” (Job 42:10).

Longsuffering is the King James word for “endurance,” and it’s a good description of what we need when we’re being long-bothered (Galatians 5:22). Longsuffering doesn’t mean that we have to crawl through life in defeat, but as we encounter the inevitable challenges of life we are to consider the value of endurance and be confident that the outcome of the Lord’s dealings will be breakthrough! Look at these words about Jesus:

When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him [Jesus] until an opportune time. Luke 4:13

Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him. Matthew 4:11

These verses show that every temptation and trial the devil throws at you has a beginning, middle, and end. If you don’t understand this when you march into a battle you’ll cave in, thinking you’ve been defeated. Don’t quit! God knows how to take bad situations and turn them around. “Then Job answered the Lord and said, ‘I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted’” (Job 42:1-2).

If you’re in the middle of a battle, don’t grow weary and become lethargic and vegetate on TV and ice cream. Strengthen yourself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6). Sometimes this is easier than other times, but God has called us to flat out do it. The world needs Christians who will stand up, have some backbone, and press on! Good things are ahead.

Persevere,

Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.