What We Need To Keep Going
WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP GOING
Text: Hebrews 10:36.
INTRODUCTION: There are few, if any, endeavors in life where all the “starters” finish what they have started — the ability to “keep going” is obviously an important one.
The Parable of the Sower teaches that not all who begin the life of a Christian finish it faithfully ‑ Matthew 13:18‑23.
There are some specific things we need in order to keep going spiritually — and these are things that can each be acquired by any child of God.
I. FAITH IN THE UNSEEN
A. As with Israel, “unbelief” is often the reason we fall short of our goals in the Lord.
Hebrews 3:18-19 And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
B. We walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight:
C. We need a faith that will not only take God at His word and believe His promises, but consider the fulfillment of those promises so sure that they become “real” to us already
Romans 4:16-22 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
An old pastor stood in his pulpit addressing the congregation about the drought that had lasted for at least 8 months. As they stood filled with faith he told the congregation that they would gather that night for prayer. "Folks we are going to prayer for rain so come prepared to see God move in a great way." That night as many assembled the old pastor stood and asked a simple question.
Folks where are your umbrella's?
D. What is you goal?
1. To be a better Christian
2. Become more involved in the work of the Lord
3. Our ultimate goal is the same as for Abraham, our spiritual forefather:
Hebrews 11:8-10 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Hebrews 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
E. We need to be able, by faith, to “visualize” the reaching of our spiritual goals so powerfully that this becomes a continual motivator to keep working toward them
Philippians 3:12-14 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
II. COURAGE
A. A lack of courage is a serious thing: it can literally cost us our souls.
Revelation 21:8 (NIV) But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”
B. Cowardliness is the fruit of failure to trust God
Numbers 13:30-33 And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Numbers 32:7-8 And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which the Lord hath given them? Thus did your fathers, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land.
C. Reaching the end of our spiritual journey requires having the courage to forge ahead, regardless of the dangers that have to be faced.
III. WILL POWER
A. To keep going when it would be easy to quit requires the ability to enforce a decision to keep going.
B. Even the Lord had to exert will power to finish His mission
Luke 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
C. We need the kind of determination and strength of will that Paul evidently had
Acts 20:22-24 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 21:12-14 And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, besought him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. And when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done.
IV. SHOULDERING ONLY ONE DAY’S BURDENS AT A TIME
A. Likely none of us would keep going if we knew all of the obstacles that will face us in our whole lifetime — we would be overwhelmed by the immensity of the task.
B. But we can more easily manage each day’s difficulties — we can be content to receive God’s help for today’s problems, and not worry about tomorrows.
Matthew 6:34 (NIV) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own
Exodus 16:16-21 (NIV) This is what the LORD has commanded: Each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent. The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little. Each one gathered as much as he needed. Then Moses said to them, No one is to keep any of it until morning. However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them. Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away.
Deut. 8:3 (NIV) He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD
C. We simply “do not know what will happen tomorrow” we should leave that in the Lord’s hands and keep going today.
James 4:14 (NIV) Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
V. SELF-RESPECT
A. When we confessed the Lord we, in effect, made a promise to be faithful to Him for the rest of our lives.
1. Our confession of Christ should have been a bona fide commitment which integrity causes us to keep.
2. We ought to recoil from the very idea of being faithless, undependable, etc.
B. Surely it must have meant a great deal to Paul to be able to say that he had “fought the good fight...finished the race...(and) KEPT THE FAITH”
2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
C. There is considerable joy involved in knowing that we have kept our commitments.
Conclusion: The generation of Israel that failed to enter the Promised Land probably illustrates a lack of each of these things.
But we are exhorted to learn from their example and do better
Hebrews 3:16-4:1-2 For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.
Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
Hebrews 6:9-12 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Ultimately, we must finish our course by focusing on Jesus Christ
Hebrews 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.