The Prophetic Word - Day 104: Without faith, endurance is impossible.
- Aug 11, 2023
- 3 min read
“For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:”
Hebrews 10:36 NKJV
My father did something he later recounted to illustrate the need for persistent endurance in order to see the results God has promised.
A new church building was being built and he was helping the many congregants who were gathering stones and clearing out the area where an altar was to be built. In this process, a very large stone was encountered that spurned all attempts at breaking it up (as it was, it was too heavy to move without special equipment).
My father sent a man to his house to retrieve a 16 pound sledgehammer. He then set into methodically pounding across the large stone in the same place, over and over and over again, with it finally succumbing and splitting in two!
You see, this wasn’t my father’s first rodeo; he learned from his own father that doing what he did would result in the immovable object becoming two (or more) very movable objects. He set into hitting the stone, knowing that this method would work; and, he persisted until it did.
Now, what does this have to do with staying the course in order to receive our promise?
Before answering that, let’s look at an odd encounter our Lord had with a Canaanite woman.
Once, as the Lord was leaving Canaan, a woman from the area (a gentile) approached Him, asking that He deliver her daughter of a demon. This was His response:
“But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!” But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.”
Matthew 15:24-28 NKJV
Now, we might think that it was her persistence that got the Lord’s attention. But He said it was her faith!
You see, Jesus knew that her persistence was revealing the faith she had in Who He was. Indeed, at the beginning of the story (not represented here) she called out to Him as “Son of David.”
The significance of her calling Him, “Son of David,” was that that name was used in referencing the Messiah! She knew He had the goods and she wasn’t about to go away until she got what she came for.
Now, nobody will trust a process they really don’t believe will get the results promised.
In referencing Enoch, Hebrews 11 offers a concise definition of what faith is:
“By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:5-6 NKJV
Believing that “God is,” in this context, means believing that God is Who He said He is and that He will do what He said He would do.
Faith is not a concept; it is a conviction. Faith requires believing that God is all-powerful and gives to those who trust Him, everything promised.
Back to the woman who wouldn’t give up on Jesus helping her daughter: She believed He was the Messiah and would bring deliverance for her daughter if she wouldn’t relent.
This woman didn’t “force” the Lord to answer her, her faith brought that to pass. And, the evidence of her faith was her persistence.
In our opening scripture we see the writer of Hebrews making the point that to receive the promise, we have to endure. But understand, endurance will not be present unless we truly believe that God is Who He says He is and will do what He says He will do!
Friend, if you are finding it difficult to stick with the process in which the Lord has placed you, go before Him and ask Him to increase your faith. Because, when true faith is present, quitting is no longer an option.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
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