ENDURANCE
Faithful Assurance
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Life is a journey- start and end point.
Our faith journey- (loading). with a start → end point
The must be movement.
Every stream has Jesus in it…
Tell road tripping story. (Vale)
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Life’s challenges, hurts and experiences have a unique way of slowing us down.
Left unchecked life can create in us a tendency to give up, stop trying.
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And then we justify and excuse our stagnation!
Addiction → neighborhood, parents, environment
Failed marriage → long line of broken relationships
Hurt → thats all I deserve
Unemployed → Its just not working out for me- my bosses are all just such idiots
Unanswered Prayer – God must no longer love me
Unblessed Christians – bad theology = generational curses
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Assume a posture of excuses instead of endurance
Excuse → get in the river of life but then we throw anchor
Endurance → get in the river and because knowledge that the flow = Holy Spirit ride the white water
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ENDURANCE OF CHARACTER TO REMAIN OBEDIENT
NOT STAMINA TO FINISH PHYSICALLY
Romans 12:2 – Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Stay the course – acceptable will of God!
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The white water rafting-great Zambezi.
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Flat water → White water
Without Assurance in the promises of God, endurance becomes exhaustion. Exhaustion leads to excuses. Excuses → mediocrity.
Exhaust ourselves in the drudgery of life and make excuses to avoid anything that looks like a challenge.
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Jesus introduced us to a relationship with the father for everything but mediocrity
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Story of Adam and Eve
Relationships with the Father = life.
Break that relationship = death (start to die) Adam
“positively
die”
Excuses lead to shame and condemnation
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Relationship with God through obedience not to law but to his promises.
Obedience to His promises is living a life of expectation and not excuses- (Godly Character)
eg promises to adam.
Assured Expectation (Faith) is the fuel of endurance.
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These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold–though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
1 Peter 1:7 NLT
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A FAITH THAT’S TESTED IS A FAITH THAT CAN BE TRUSTED.
Shadrach, Meshach and Obednego
King Nebuchadnezzar most powerful man—King of Babylon
After conquering Judah, ordered the capture of the best and brightest.
Daniel’s 3 friends: Shad, Mesh, Abend (most likely young teenagers)
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King Neb makes gold statue 90 ft tall & 9 ft wide—Compensating for something.
Every gov leader, adviser, judge, magistrate to come to the dedication!
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(Herald shouts) 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” Daniel 3:4-6 NLT
12-15… Everyone was bowing low, 3 boys standing tall.
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THREE CHARACTER QUALITIES OF ENDURING IN FAITH
1. ENDURANCE: OBEYS GOD INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING MAN.
16 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. Dan. 3:16 NIV
Love that they didn’t need to defend themselves—don’t have to explain everything.
Didn’t weigh pro’s & cons. Didn’t post on FB ask for advice. Didn’t have to pray.
The plan was; obedience.
NO EXCUSES
Think about how easy it would have been to rationalize a different plan:
Fake it—bow but won’t really worship idol!
Fingers crossed.
We’ll worship just this once and ask for forgiveness. God will understand.
Besides—if we die—who’s going to help these people?
If you’re committed to serving God
Satan will give you ample opportunities to compromise your commitment.
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(God honoring endurance builds God honoring character)
Faith obeys God instead of following man.
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2. FAITH BELIEVES IN SPITE OF WHAT IT SEES.
17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. Daniel 3:17 NLT
No matter what I see—my faith says God is willing and able!
See a bad medical report—my God is willing and able to heal!
See a broken relationship—my God is willing and able to restore!
See a dangerously low bank account—my God is willing and able to provide!
Willing and able to do exceedingly and abundantly more!
My faith believes in spite of what it sees!
But what if God doesn’t do what I’m believing for him to do???
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3. FAITHFUL OBEDIENCE IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY. THE OUTCOME IS GOD’S.
18 But even if [God] doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”
Daniel 3:18 NLT
Because we will do what’s right before God and trust him with the results!
Not a big deal when we know the end of the journey (knowledge)
You are not operating in faith if you are praising God with hindsight.
These 3 boys had no idea what would happen! (faith)
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King ordered furnace heated 7x hotter, strongest soldiers to tie up three men.
Throw in. Flames killed soldiers…
Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Dan 3:24-25 NKJV
God reveals his power in many places but you’ll know his presence best in the fire!
____________________________________________________ 27b…They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. Daniel 3:27b NIV
Didn’t bend, didn’t bow, because of God—wouldn’t burn!
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Dan 3:28 NIV
Faith that is tested is a faith that can be trusted.
Obedient endurance is LIFE!
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Jesus introduced us to a relationship with the Father for everything but mediocrity. He wanted us to have a relationship with the Father to create in us a desire to walk out enduring obedience with the Father – flat water, white water, any kind of water. He just didn’t want us to throw anchor and get stationary and stagnant. Any movement with the Father is movement towards life.