220821 Holding the line

Friday, August 19th 2022 at 2:26 pm Sun Foy has left the bounds of this earth and is joined with her Savior in heaven where there are no more sorrows, no more tears old things have passed away. Today she is enjoying a new Body at her new eternal home waiting for the rest of us to join her.

While we grieve her absence, we do not grieve as the unbeliever who has no hope. So, with the tears, we grieve our loss, but celebrate her gain.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (NASB95) — 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Our sympathies are extended to her husband Chris.

Let us rise and sing When we all get to heaven.

Prayer

Video The Gospel of the Kingdom

The Bible Project

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IN 480 BC a force of 300 Spartans along with many Greek allies adding to their number to about 14000 troops, against the Persian army of over a million as described by the ancient Greek historian Herodotus.

This is known as the Battle of Thermopylae. It was at narrow pass protected by a mountain range on one side and on the other side marshes of sediment that would be impossible for a large army to get across.

For three days the Spartans held off the invading army of Xerxes until a way was found around the mountain to get behind the Spartans. Knowing that their final stand was near, King Leonidas dismissed the allies leaving only the 300 to face certain death as they fought to the last man.

Many do not know of the Greek culture or who and what the Spartans were or even their training, but many of us have heard of the battle and the mighty the Spartans.

There is the spiritual battle, where a few stand in the gap against an overwhelming forces of the devil and our battle cry stands as

“hold the line!”

even if it costs us our lives.

Paul’s letter is one of encouragement and instructions of those who have been deemed worthy and are going through the gauntlet of suffering in the journey to Glory and the Kingdom to come.

May I say up front as we continue our lesson on the spiritual battle, that not all suffering is for blessing. There is that suffering that comes from one’s own bad decisions. This is what we call self-induced misery.

If we never mature in life learning responsibility and taking charge of one’s own life, it will be difficult to determine whether our own suffering is for blessing or from our bad decisions.

There is the other suffering that comes from being outside of God’s will evoking divine discipline as that which comes from the father for correction, not blessing (Hebrews 12), though we are blessed to have the opportunity to repent.

The suffering which Paul is referencing is undeserved suffering or suffering for blessing which comes to the believer who is equipped to handle adversity and to suffer well for the glory of the Lord.

As Christians, we must keep the proper assessment of current events that surround us in light of eternity within the future kingdom of God. Even as we go through the valley of the Shadow of death, facing trials and tribulations witnessing in the time in which we live, the depths of wickedness and the escalating war against God’s elect.

We can wring our hands and be tormented by the wickedness that surrounds us, or we can know and be comforted by the reality of the promised Kingdom which may be closer than any of us think.

Matthew 6:33 (NASB95) — 33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Matthew 5:10–11 (NASB95) — 10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

2 Thessalonians 1:4–5 (NASB95) — 4 therefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

Going through the gauntlet of not only personal adversity of heath, finances, grief of loss ones, temptations, disaster, there is the growing threat of being ostracized from the community and of bodily harm and even death to the believer is Christ.

Few of us know anything about the Greek culture and how the Spartans once lived and how the warriors trained. But what we do know is their heroism in the time of war.

These are the times the spiritual heroes emerge and rise to the occasion. It is the heroism in the spiritual battle that the faithful will be remember for.

To the Church of Smyrna, the Commander and Chief sends a dispatch with a message to the believers to hold the line.

Revelation 2:8–11 (NASB95) — 8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this: 9 ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

The battle that we fight is a spiritual battle and, in that battle, there are the invisible heroes. Now, that fight may not be so witnessed by the casual onlooker, but certainly the battle is being observed by the heavenly host (1 Peter 1:2; 1 Tim 3:16). The battle of faith will be remembered and spoke of throughout eternity.

The heroes will be identified by rank

Revelation 2:24–29 (NASB95) — 24 ‘But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them—I place no other burden on you. 25 ‘Nevertheless what you have, hold fast until I come. 26 ‘He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; 27 and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

The Heroes will also be identified by the written records on the pillars for all to see.

Revelation 3:10–13 (NASB95) — 10 ‘Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 ‘I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12 ‘He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. 13 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Just as the Spartans wore distinctive armor so does the mighty warrior in God’s army

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Ephesians 6:13–17 (NASB95) — 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

It is in and for the battle which we are remembered.

The battle Cry is to hold the line.

Remember the 12 who held the line in the darkest of times. 12 who stood against the might forces of Satan seeking to destroy the church before it ever begun. And while the fight was to the death the words of the Lord stood clear.

Matthew 16:18 (NASB95) — 18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

The War that we fight as Christians, holding the line, is a spiritual battle. Our weapons of warfare are spiritual armament (Ephesians 6).

The perseverance and the faith through the persecution is a clear indication of not only personal spiritual growth among believers, but the assembly which Paul is writing to, as we hold the line against the present evil.

5 This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment

Because of all this it becomes evidential that these believers having been deemed worthy by God’s evaluation to be placed into the arena.

When Leonidas, King of Sparta, who himself would fight at the Gap of Thermopylae, hand picked the best of the warriors to stand in the gap. It is our Kingly Lord who chooses the best to fight the good fight of faith.

And by the way, did not our King say that He will never leave us or forsake us? (Hebrews 13:5)

It is the Kings choice, not only who elected us before the foundation of this world, but he also hand picked us for the battles that we would have to fight in light of his glorious kingdom.

Being that it is a spiritual battle that we fight, what happens to the body is inconsequential.

Matthew 10:28 (NASB95) — 28 “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Those who focus only upon this present reality and no thought of the spiritual warfare will not stomach the battle and will run from the line. But those who stand for the Glory of God with sites upon God’s glorious kingdom will be those who will fight the good fight and even die physically, if that is what they are called to do. As a result having glorified their God and King will also rule with their King.

Romans 8:16–18 (NASB95) — 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

2 Timothy 2:11–12 (NASB95) — 11 It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him; 12 If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us;

We have often heard from other Christians the statement

“We know who wins in the end.”

This is encouragement. For though the enemy seems at times overwhelming and most powerful, the one who is on our side makes an overwhelming majority.

Paul telegraphs victory even while the war is being fought and still fought to this day.

2 Thessalonians 1:6 (NASB95) — 6 For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you,

88.12 δίκαιοςa, α, ον: pertaining to being in accordance with what God requires—‘righteous, just.’ Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ αὐτῆς, δίκαιος ὤν ‘Joseph, her husband, was a righteous man’ Mt 1:19[1]

To repay

38.19 ἀνταποδίδωμιb: to cause someone to suffer in turn because of actions which merit such retribution—‘to pay back, to pay in return, to repay, to cause retribution.’ ἐμοὶ ἐκδίκησις, ἐγὼ ἀνταποδώσω ‘retribution is mine; I will repay’ Ro 12:19.[2]

God keeps perfect books. there will be no evil act unaccounted for, especially against His elect. As evil is allowed to continue an indictment is mounting against those who do evil.

This viewed in the Torah in the book of Exodus as Jesus is speaking with Moses

Exodus 6:2–5 (NASB95) — 2 God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord; 3 and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name, Lord, I did not make Myself known to them. 4 “I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they sojourned. 5 “Furthermore I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant.

We are the Royal Family of God. knowing that our enemy will have to pay retribution for their offense against us, we can in turn show the love of God toward our enemies, and in so doing even win some of them over to Christ.

The worst thing that we can do against our enemy is to give them over to God for God to execute his justice.

Romans 12:18–21 (NASB95) — 18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. 19 Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. 20 “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

In the meantime, we wait on God’s timing for His forthcoming justice which brings blessing to the righteous and cursing to those who do wickedness with repentance.

“Isaiah 30:18 (NASB95) — 18 Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.

חָכָה [chakah /khaw·kaw/] v[3]to wait patiently.

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Waiting is holding the line. Maintaining our Christian virtue, which is loving our enemy, walking in the good works that we were created for, standing as a witness to God’s righteousness as light in this dark world.

Job’s wife asks her suffering husband,

“Are you still holding on to your integrity”

We say yes! We are holding on to our integrity refusing to turn away from our trust in the word of the Lord! He will deliver us, and he will vanquish the enemy.

Exodus 15 is the victor’s song which celebrates God’s salvation and the annihilation of the enemy.

Why do we care about the ancient history of how God dealt with Israel and with His people’s enemies?

Because it gives us encouragement. The same God that saw the affliction of His people, and delivered them and destroyed the enemy is the same God who is our God.

Deuteronomy 32:35 (NASB95) — 35 ‘Vengeance is Mine, and retribution, In due time their foot will slip; For the day of their calamity is near, And the impending things are hastening upon them.’

Ps 94:1; Rom 12:19; Heb 10:30

The account of Pharaoh pursuing God’s people is an image of what is happening in our very day. The direction of this world is laying the foundation for the coming of the AntiChrist. In that regime there is an all-out war against the righteous.

Prior to the Rapture, there is growing hostility toward the Christian. The propaganda that is being accepted by the world is that the Christian is the cause of all hate and evil within the world.

Many believers and even many churches will capitulate and seek some compromise to show the world differently. But the faithful will persevere to the end, not yielding or compromising their own Christian values.

God’s people, the Israelites were delivered through there own baptism through the water which was their escape into freedom. Those same waters which the Israelites went through were the waters that came crashing down upon Pharaohs armies.

We as Christians have gone through our own baptism. The forces of Satan is poised to destroy us. We see the dust that is being lifted up from the horses and chariots coming to destroy us.

But the word from the Lord continues to declare

“Be still and watch the deliverance of the Lord!”

[1] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains(electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 743). United Bible Societies. [2] Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). In Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition., Vol. 1, p. 491). United Bible Societies. [3] Strong, J. (1995). In Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Woodside Bible Fellowship.

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