I. Introduction
A. Psalm 112:1-8 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. 2 His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever. 4 Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. 5 A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion. 6 Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 8 His heart is established; He will not be afraid, Until he sees his desire upon his enemies. (NKJV)
B. Have you noticed? Some people will just not be stopped. They have accomplished much despite adversity. They refuse to listen to their fears. Nothing anyone says or does holds them back.
Cripple him, and you have a Sir Walter Scott. Lock him in a prison cell, and you have a John Bunyan. Bury him in the snows of Valley Forge, and you have a George Washington. Raise him in abject poverty and you have an Abraham Lincoln. Burn him so severely that the doctors say he'll never walk again, and you have a Glenn Cunningham - who set the world's one-mile record in 1934. Deafen him and you have a Ludwig von Beethoven. Have him or her born black in a society filled with racial discrimination, and you have a Booker T. Washington, a Marian Anderson, a George Washington Carver...Call him a slow learner, "retarded," and write him off as uneducable, and you have an Albert Einstein.
II. The heart of the matter.
A. We are presented we many examples of those who overcame adversity to achieve success. Many of the examples cited gained temporal success, but in the words of the Apostle Paul.
1. Corinthians 9:25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. (NKJV)
B. In the New King James and the King James Translations of the Bible the word steadfast is used 16 times.
1. The dictionary provides the following definition.
1. Fixed or unchanging; steady.
2. Firmly loyal or constant. [ME stedefast < OE stedefaest : stede, place + faest, fixed, fast.] steadfastly adv. steadfastness n.
2. The definition of the Hebrew word that is translated steadfast is even more direct:
1) to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute.
3. The English translation of the New Testament word adds immovable.
C. Let us spend some time looking at Biblical illustrations of steadfastness
D. Steadfast in Obedience
1. The first usage comes from 1 Chronicles as God is telling King David that Solomon, his son, will build the Temple.
a) I Chronicles 28:6-8 "Now He said to me, 'It is your son Solomon who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father. 7 'Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever, if he is steadfast to observe My commandments and My judgments, as it is this day.' 8 "Now therefore, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, be careful to seek out all the commandments of the LORD your God, that you may possess this good land, and leave it as an inheritance for your children after you forever. (NKJV)
b) We see Solomon being presented with a great challenge for his life's work, he was given the responsibility of constructing the house of God.
c) You know don't you that it is very important for those in positions of leadership to be steadfast before God. After all they have so many people depending upon them, so many looking up to them.
d) We all are responsible for the temple of God and for setting a faithful example for others to follow. In this passage, obedience to the commandments of God are directly linked to possessing the land and leaving it as an inheritance to our children.
e) Jesus said,
John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments. (NKJV)
f) John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. (NKJV)
E. Steadfast in Renewal
1. Psalm 51:10-13 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You. (NKJV)
2. Many when confronted with their sin and its inevitable consequences many people down through the ages have come to God for forgiveness. Sadly, many after a time revert to their old ways and are once again enslaved in theirs minds deceived that there is no longer any place of forgiveness for them.
3. The accuser of the saints would have you believe that although you may have received forgiveness and restoration before, this time it is just not possible. Satan would have you believe that you went too far this time.
4. David had sinned big time. Deceit, adultery and murder as well as pride. But when he was confronted with his sin by the prophet, he made no excuses, he did not blame anyone and then he asked God to give him a new heart.
5. But he did not stop there, but further asked for a renewal in spirit. He was not content with having his sins forgiven, he wanted to be restored in his spiritual relationship with God.
6. Without this step David as well as any other believer would leave himself wide open to attacks and accusations from Satan.
7. Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (NKJV)
F. Steadfast in Confidence
1. Hebrews 3:13-14 but exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, (NKJV)
2. Where can you really put your trust and confidence?
a) In institutions of men
b) In your own abilities.
3. Psalm 118:8-9 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in princes. (NKJV)
G. Steadfast in Hope
1. Hebrews 6:17-19 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, (NKJV)
2. Hope is in short supply in many homes, businesses and even churches. But hope is essential for survival. To be without hope is to be in utter dispair.
3. Ephesians 2:12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. (NKJV)
4. A few years ago the psychology department of Duke University carried on an interesting experiment. They wanted to see how long rats could swim. In one container they placed a rat for whom there was no possibility of escape. He swam a few moments and then ducked his head to drown. In the other container they made the hope of escape possible for the rat. The rat swam for several hours before finally drowning. The conclusion of the experiment was just the opposite of our common conclusion. We usually say, "As long as there is life, there is hope." The Duke experiment proved, "As long as there is hope, there is life."
5. Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (NKJV)
H. Steadfast in the Faith
1. I Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. (NKJV)
2. I Corinthians 15:57-58 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (NKJV)
3. J. H. Crowell went to work on a sailing vessel at the age of 16. He was the only Christian among a crew of 12. Before leaving home, he had promised his mother he would continue his devotions and pray three times a day. When the other sailors discovered his piety, they taunted him and poured buckets of water upon his head, but they could not put out the fire in his soul! As time passed the intensity of the persecution increased. One day they bound him to the mast and beat him with 39 stripes, but still he prayed. Finally they tied a rope around his waist and threw him overboard. Realizing he might drown, he asked God to forgive his tormentors, and pleaded with them to send his body home to his mother. "Tell her I was faithful and died for Jesus!" he said. When they thought he was dead, they pulled him back on deck, but to their surprise he regained consciousness. Conviction from the Holy Spirit came upon some of the sailors, and two of them were gloriously saved. Later the captain and several others were also converted. This unusual experience highlights the wonderful power of steadfast faithfulness.
III. Conclusion
A. Steadfast in Obedience
B. Steadfast in Renewal
C. Steadfast in Confidence
D. Steadfast in Hope
E. Steadfast in the Faith
