How Long Will You Last

How Long Will You Last

By Pastor Jay Williams

I. Seven Signs You Lasted

5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. 6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (NIV)

When you have kept your head or stayed mentally focused

When you have endured hardship

When you have done the hard work

When you have fought the fight

When you have finished the race or your specific assignment

When you have kept the faith

When you have seen your reward (your reward will be the proof of the quality of your work)

II. Three Reasons Paul Lasted

A. He Stepped Over Immature People (, The Message Bible) • 20 You have such admirable tolerance for impostors who rob your freedom, rip you off, steal you

blind, put you down—even slap your face! 21 I shouldn’t admit it to you, but our stomachs aren’t strong enough to tolerate that kind of stuff. Since you admire the egomaniacs of the pulpit so much (remember, this is your old friend, the fool, talking), let me try my hand at it. 22 Do they brag of being Hebrews, Israelites, the pure race of Abraham? I’m their match.

B. He Believed Through His Stormy Seasons (Paul listed 21 Storms) • 22 Are they servants of Christ? I can go them one better. (I can’t believe I’m saying these things. It’s

crazy to talk this way! But I started, and I’m going to finish.) 23 I’ve worked much harder, been jailed more often, beaten up more times than I can count, and at death’s door time after time. 24 I’ve been flogged five times with the Jews’ thirty-nine lashes, 25 beaten by Roman rods three times, pummeled with rocks once. I’ve been shipwrecked three times, and immersed in the open sea for a night and a day.

He worked harder

He was jailed

He was flogged five times 39 lashes each (Total 195 lashes)

He was beaten with rods 3 times (v.25)

He was stoned (v.25)

He was shipwrecked 3 times

He was immersed in the sea and almost drowned

• 26 In hard traveling year in and year out, I’ve had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, struggle with foes. I’ve been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers.

He traveled hard

He braved rivers

He fended off robbers

He struggled with friends

He faced risk in the city and the country

He was engaged by the desert sun and storm

He was betrayed by “those I thought were my brothers”

I’ve known drudgery (weariness, NKJV) and hard labor, many a long and lonely night without sleep, many a missed meal, blasted by the cold, naked to the weather. 28 And that’s not the half of it, when you throw in the daily pressures and anxieties of all the churches.

He managed drudgery, (menial, dull, irksome, fatiguing)

He managed hard labor

He managed sleepless nights

He missed meals

He managed cold weather

He had daily leadership pressures

He managed anxieties in all the churches

C. He Let People Help Him Question: What is out of control in your life that you can’t manage alone? • 32 Remember the time I was in Damascus and the governor of King Aretas posted guards at the city

gates to arrest me? 33 I crawled through a window in the wall, was let down in a basket, and had to run for my life. (cp. )

III. Two Things That Can Help You Last

1. Break your life down into pieces 2. Prioritize the pieces of your life