Living In The Age of Endurance

There are eight areas for which people need to have much endurance in these troubled times – to bear up without giving in. Ephesians 6:18 says to “keep alert with all perseverance.”

1. False teaching and compromising the gospel of salvation (II Timothy 4:3-4 and I Timothy 4:1).
2. Moral decadence and evil (Romans 1:21-32 and II Timothy 3:2-5).
3. Persecution and societal exclusion/censoring of Christians and conservatives (II Timothy 3:12).
4. Unreasonable and unjustified government mandates (Acts 5:27-32, and Daniel 6:6-10).
5. The LGBTQ and transgender agendas (Romans 1:26-27).
6. Artificial Intelligence in its goal to become more than God and its use in worship services (I Corinthians 1:25 and John 4:24).
7. Humanistic philosophies and schemes (Ephesians 4:14).
8. Deception in all forms (Ephesians 4:14 and Colossians 2:8).

So, what proactively needs to be done to endure through all these above eight areas of trial and conflict?

1. Have transformed thinking through the Word of God (Romans 12:2).
2. Do not grow weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9).
3. Put on the whole armor of God…that you may be able to withstand in the evil day. This includes living by truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, the Bible, and prayer (Ephesians 6:10-18).

 Philippians 1:27-28 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.

4. In the midst of much conflict (I Thess. 2:2) See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord, (Col. 4:17), and contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Contend means to use intense effort.

What are the rewards for endurance?

Colossians 1:22-23 God will “present you holy and blameless and above reproach before Him if you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel.

James 1:12 Blessed is the one who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”