Perseverance

Perseverance - (a saving quality)

Something every single person that will be saved must have.

Matthew 10:22 NKJV

22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

It is an absolute necessity.

Even leadership in the family.

INBRED INTO EVERY GOOD LEADER IS AN EXTRA AMOUNT OF PERSEVERANCE!

Good Leadership Qualities:

Fair

Clear thinking

Honest

Good timing

Mouth control

Communication skills

Organizational ability

A clear mind

Perseverance should be somewhere near the top.

Every day living has very little to do with:

Chance

Circumstances

The breaks

Who you know

Who you don’t know

It has a whole lot to do with GRIT… FORTITUDE… PERSEVERANCE!

1. Perseverance is a major Bible subject:

Taught in Genesis:

By perseverance the snail made it into the ark. :)

a. Negative Illustrations:

REUBEN

Genesis 49:3–4 NKJV

3 “Reuben, you are my firstborn, My might and the beginning of my strength, The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power. 4 Unstable as water, you shall not excel, Because you went up to your father’s bed; Then you defiled it— He went up to my couch.

Reuben had a lot going for him...The birthright, dignity, strength, power

One thing did him in… he lacked perseverance.

Instability =

EPHRAIM

Psalm 78:9 NKJV

9 The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, Turned back in the day of battle.

WHAT AN INDICTMENT! ORIGINAL QUITTERS

Skill was not the problem

Equipment was not the problem

Their problem was… “The day of battle” when it came… they ran for cover! They looked good - but leadership is not there to look good. On the parade square they were impressive.

BUT...

UNDERNEATH THEIR SNAPPY UNIFORM AND SPIT POLISHED BOOTS WERE A BUNCH OF SOFT-BELLIES

They lacked fortitude

They lacked discipline

They lacked PERSERVERANCE

They were surface soldiers who loved the parade square. They knew how to retreat fast! Their fastest maneuver was waving the white flag of surrender!

NOTE WELL: WE HAVE A LOT OF EPHRAIMITES AROUND… LOOK … GOOD… LEADERS!

They have invaded the rank of churches and families.

They love fellowship

The excitement of worship

BUT:

When the battle cry is made to fight the world, the flesh, and the devil. THEY ARE ALWAYS WANTING TO RUN!!! When difficulty, trials, and tests come, they melt like butter!

THEY HAVE THE EPRAIMITE NATURE!!

So called leaders who can quote scripture… sing songs… and dress like a preacher. BUT when difficulty… trials…and tests come — THEY CAVE IN!

Ephraimites don’t like scriptures like:

1 Timothy 6:12a (NKJV)

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life...

Ephesians 6:11 NKJV

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

PERSERVERANCE is the opposite of the “Let’s just quit” attitude!

b. Positive Illustrations

PAUL

2 Corinthians 11:24–28 NKJV

24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

PERSERVERANCE PLUS!!

JOB

Job 13:15a (NKJV)

15 Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him...

PERSERVERANCE PLUS!!

Perseverance is leadership by example. It is a major secret of leadership.

It breeds confidence.

It encourages followers

It consolidates loyalties

PERSEVERANCE WILL MAXIMIZE INFLUENCE!

SUPER MARIO LEMUIEX

In 1992, Mario Lemuiex was destined to easily break the scoring record in the National Hockey League. He was playing with a bad back and a broken hand. In the middle of the season a devlish disease was discovered in his body. He left the ice and five times a week endured radiation treatments...

50 x stronger than a standard chest X-ray… The side effects of tiredness and sore throat, loss of appetite and weight loss followed.

One month and 23 games later, Super Mario flew to Philadelphia and met the Penguins—he went the ice and scored a goal. That year he went on the his 4th scoring title!

He had a made up mind!

2. Perseverance is Leadership by Example

It is a major secret of leadership.

It breeds confidence

It encourages followers

It consolidates loyalties

Lord Montgomery wrote:

Leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose, and the character which inspires confidence.

PERSEVERANCE WILL MAXIMIZE INFLUENCE

3. Perseverance will often bring out the best in you.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN was one of the worlds best leaders.

At 7 years old…his family was forced out of their home.

At 9 year… his mother died

At 22 years… he lost his job as a store clerk.

AT 23 years… he was left a huge debt by his business partner.

At 28 years… the gire he asked to marry him said “No!” (The one he loved before this one died!)

At 37 years… on his 3rd try, he was elected to Congress. Two years later, he was defeated and had a nervous breakdown.

At 41 years…his four year old son died.

At 42 years…he was rejected for Land Officer.

At 45 years he ran for Senate and lost.

At 51 years…he was ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.A — A GREAT ONE!

Yes sir! — You don’t stick greatness on people like TATTOOS!

Nobody deserves to lead without first persevering!

The point then is this: DON’T GIVE UP!

4. Perseverance Produces Stamina

The Holy Bible: King James Version Chapter 7

24 And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind? 25 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings’ courts.

John the baptist was one of the most unusual men in scripture.

He persevered through the losing of his ministry, his following, his freedom and soon would become a martyr!

He persevered to the end!

A shaking reed in soft clothing he was not! Reeds and soft clothing leadership will never survive in the end time.

Strong men of stamina are not built on flattery—Politics and public opinion polls.

They are built by pressing on through hard times!!

Two frogs fell into a can of cream, Or so I’ve heard it told; The sides of the can were shiny & steep, The cream was deep & cold.

“O, what’s the use?” croaked Number One, “’Tis fate; no help’s around. Goodbye, my friends! Goodbye, sad world!” And weeping still, he drowned.

But Number Two, of sterner stuff, Dog-paddled in surprise. The while he wiped his creamy face And dried his creamy eyes.

“I’ll swim awhile, at least,” he said— Or so I’ve heard he said; “It really wouldn’t help the world If one more frog were dead.”

An hour or two he kicked & swam, Not once he stopped to mutter, But kicked & kicked & swam & kicked, then hopped out… via butter! T.C. Hamlet

SO … PERSEVERE MY FELLOW LEADER!

Though unfair hardships

Through unwanted intruders

Through miserable failure

Through severe pain

Through loneliness and loss

They will tattoo your life with traits that others will want to emulate!

In this end-time there are going to be hurricane force winds!

Bro Larson - Pioneer of Columbia

Canadian from New Brunswick Canada

Went there when the Roman Catholic church was severely persecuting the evangelicals.

Went 9 years without seeing one person filled with the HG.

Was pressed on the return home where he could have pastored a large church.

Said, GOD SENT ME HERE, I WILL NOT TURN BACK!”

Wife died in childbirth.

He couldn’t buy a funeral plot

Went out and bought some boards and built a casket, buried her and covered her up with his own shovel. And looked after the new baby.

But, shortly after that a revival broke out in Columbia

The UPCI in Columbia is the largest protestant church in Columbia today.