Hold fast to what you have

[JohnC]

So often - we like to dream of the "Overcoming" when really, the challenge before us is to "Hold fast".... Overcoming is so MUCH FUN! We glory in it... and Overcoming truly is a wonderful feeling... but so many times, we forget that the "REAL BATTLE" has only begun with the overcoming.... (Look at the WHOLE book of Judges..)

Overcoming is so quickly forgotten.... The "High" produced doesn't last... AND.. The reality is that "Overcoming" may well drive out the enemy.. But, don't fool yourself... the enemy is going to try his best to come right on back...

Matt 12:45 and Luke 11:26... You drive out the Demon... That's "Overcoming".... He is unhappy about this - so he gets 7 others even worse than himself to come and retake what was once his..... This is "Holding Fast".... Which is going to be the greater challenge? Driving out the ONE - or standing fast against the attacks of the 8 that are now on your doorstep?

"Overcoming" is like the day you got married... Glory! Happiness! Top of the World, no one can touch you....

"Hold fast" is 2 years later when the baby has the Flu, your wife hit a curb and busted 2 tires on the car, Work is griping that you need to put in more hours, the toilet is stopped up, the Inlaws call wanting to come spend 2-weeks with you, AND the checkbook is empty....

"Hold fast" is when you really need to dig deepest... to dig DOWN DEEP... To grab on to Jesus as HARD as you can... to "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 13:14)... to Hold on to the message of HIS faithfulness. (Rev 2:13) To put on the WHOLE armor of God (Ephesians 6) - and never fool yourself that you are strong enough to stand on your own because you were overcoming....

This scripture struck me:
Isaiah 30:20-21 (NASB)
Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left,"

 

[By Faith]

I like this.

What to do when all hope looks lost, and naturally victory seems impossible.

 

[Fish Catcher Jim]

Hello John,
Thats all well and good but then there is what Jesus did for us....He over came the world so we do not have to or defeated the world. He over came death or defeated death, He over came the devil or defeated the devil. Christ has made it so we are overcomers or another words victorious in battle and live in victory.

We can over come sin.....our flesh....our desires and make our desire of HIS.
Every single thing that the enemy or life throws at us to trip us up or defeat us can be over come. That is who we are. That is how we live in Christ Jesus.
Blessings
Jim

 

[CCW95A]

This scripture struck me:
Isaiah 30:20-21 (NASB)
Although the Lord has given you bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your teacher will no longer hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher. Your ears will hear a word behind you "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left,"

When I think of "overcoming" this is what I see. As the Bible says.....

1John 5:4.. For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
1John_4:4.. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

We are already world over-comers. We have already overcome, (past tense). This how it is in the eternal spiritual world. It is complete, finished, but we are still living in a "time based" world that goes on day by day. Here we have to "overcome" what we have already "overcomed" in the eternal!
I look to Jesus as my example in how to do this. Jesus suffered greatly in his physical body while living in this time based world. How did Jesus over come the pain and suffering in this world, and the pain of being crucified? The Bible tells how he was able to do this.

Heb 12:1.. Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Heb 12:2.. 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

What Jesus did is exactly what we are suppose to do to be able to "overcome" this life. It was the "joy" that was set before Jesus that he kept his "eyes" on that allowed him to endure the cross. What was this "joy" that Jesus saw?

Isa 53:10.. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Jesus's "joy" that was set before him was us!!! His Church!! Jesus saw you, me, and all of the members of his body!!! Keeping our eyes fixed on our "teacher" which is Jesus Christ is the only way to overcome!! We will never let go of the things of this world, unless we see something much better.

.....but your eyes will behold your Teacher..... (Isaiah 30:20-21)

Heb 12:2.. 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.