STEADFASTNESS

1. “I know all the things you do. I HAVE SEEN YOUR HARD WORK AND YOUR PATIENT ENDURANCE. I know you don’t tolerate evil people. You have examined the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not. You have discovered they are liars.
2. You have patiently suffered for me without quitting.”
   Revelation 2:2,3 (NLT)

• The above Bible passage is a a part or fragment of Jesus’ letter to the church of Ephesians, one of the seven churches in Asia Minor, which He wrote to them through John the Apostle.

• Jesus commended them for their hard work and patience endurance.
  HE also spoke about their zero tolerance for evil people, those who are liars, impostors, who claimed to be apostles but they are not.
  THEY lacked integrity.
• The church also suffered patiently for the name of Christ without quitting.
• All they did were commendable.
  THEY were steadfast in their faith.

• The truth is, walking with God and being obedient to His commands or instructions may not be a bed of roses, that is, it may not be an easy or a pleasant thing.
ALSO, what you expect from Him, your request or desire which you ask Him to grant, might not be given to you on a silver platter.

“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
2 Timothy 3:12 (NKJV)

• Whatever you are doing to expand God’s Kingdom on earth is noticed by Him.
  YOUR labour and patient endurance is known to Him, nothing is hidden—none of the things escapes His attention (Hebrews 6:10).
• You should be ready to suffer, endure without quitting.
  BE patient to the end.
  WAIT until your change comes.

“If a man dies, shall he live again? ALL THE DAYS OF MY HARD SERVICE I WILL WAIT, TILL MY CHANGE COMES.”
Job 14:14 (NKJV)

• The church of Ephesians left their first love; they did not love Jesus as they did at first (Revelations 2:4).
• Jesus told them to repent and do the first works, or else He would remove their lamp-stand from its place among churches (Revelation 2:5).

• Admonishment:

• Whatever you are passing through in your walk with God, you need to patiently endure.
• God is aware of your challenges as He did know the church in Ephesus were having a rough time.
• There is nothing you are passing through that is strange or hidden to Him.

1. “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, AS THOUGH SOME STRANGE THING HAPPENED TO YOU;
2. but rejoice to the extent THAT YOU PARTAKE OF CHRIST'S SUFFERINGS, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”
   1 Peter 4:12,13 (NKJV)

• Since you are living for His purpose, that is, to fulfil His plan for your life, the problems or challenges are meant to work for your good.

“AND WE KNOW THAT ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD, to those who are the called according to His PURPOSE.”
Romans 8:28 (NKJV)

• You should also know that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9,10).

• You should not act like an impatient child.
IF you are not patient in your walk with God, it may cause a setback in His programme for your life.
IF you did allow impatience, you may muddle up the plans and programmes of God for your life.

• Impatience is an offshoot of Unbelief.
  YOU should know that God is not slack concerning His promises.

• Let God raise you.

• If you are not satisfied with what God is doing in your life, and you want to be independent of Him, or force yourself out of His order or Way of doing things; you may regret and suffer if you took the step.
• If you do not accept or agree with God’s pattern of doing things, the devil may give you an alternative, which may be burdensome and laborious, onerous, or taxing (Matthew 11:28-30; 2 Thessalonians 2:10,11).

1. “Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
2. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
3. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
   Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)

• When you accepted God’s offer, His way of doing things, you enjoy His rest.

• When you took His yoke and learned of Him, you find rest for your soul.
• His yoke is easy and His burden is light (Matthew 11:30).
• If you refused His yoke and burden and went for that of satan, you may not survive it.

• Do not stand on God’s way in your life.

• Enjoy His rest by cooperating with Him in His programme about you life.
• If you rebel against Him, you will be the one to suffer for it. Accept God’s offer, His way of doing things!
  Do not truncate His programme in your life.
• Wait until your change comes.
• Some will wait but quit when their blessings are about to come.

• Be ready to face challenges and overcome it.

• Do not always want easy things.

• Your place will not be lost to another person in Jesus’ name.
• Your lamp-stand will not be removed in its place in Jesus’ name.

• You will not fail in Jesus’ name.