Winning the Race of Perseverance
Text: Heb: 12:1-15
Heb 12:1 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,
Heb 12:2 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.
Heb 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
Heb 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Heb 12:5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Heb 12:12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
1. We are being cheered on by a great audience in heaven.
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- The saints of old are gathered for this last leg of the race.
2. We must persevere in our personal race.
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- Remaining Under
- Perseverance – used 32 times N.T., sometimes translated patience, endurance, or patient waiting. The term literally means “REMAINING UNDER” or standing firm despite opposition.
- Perseverance is the tenacious ability to “keep on keeping on”
- Someone said, “By perseverance the snail made it to the ark”
- It is getting under the burden and sharing the load until the promise comes – the vision is fulfilled!
- Remaining Under
Paul explains how you do it in Eph 6:18
Eph 6:18 KJV Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
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- Perseverance in this verse actually means – “to adhere to firmly.”
- The idea here is, attach yourself, and glue yourself to those glorious promises and that vision God put in your heart.
- Perseverance will get you through a transition, trial or period of waiting on God.
- Perseverance in this verse actually means – “to adhere to firmly.”
3. 9 Distractions to Perseverance
- Unconquered Sin
- Vs 1, “lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us…”
- Weight is a burden
- Sin is to miss the mark
- Beset- harass and plaque
- It is the unassigned burdens and the wrong focus that harasses and plagues us on the day of victory.
- Vs 1, “lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us…”
- Undefined Goals and Purpose
- Vs 1, “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”
- With a defined goal you can mark your progress along the way
- No purpose is like a ship without a rudder circling
- Goals and purposes keep you on course
- Vs 1, “Let us run with patience the race that is set before us.”
- Deadly Distractions
- Vs 2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”
- To persevere is to endure “to stay under”
- The devil wants to pull you out from under the load of destiny, but you must deliver
- Vs 2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”
- Losing Motivation
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- Vs 2, “Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.”
- Roadblocks, obstacles, hindrances, misunderstanding are all part of pioneering a new destiny.
- If people’s opinions, setbacks, and the unexpected dishearten you, you will lose the joy of the victory before you!
- Stay under your cross – Jesus did! If you endure there will be a resurrection!
- Motivate yourself by continually reviewing the reason you began – to finish!
- Ps. 30:5 “weeping endureth for the night, but joy cometh in the morning”
- Heb. 10:9 “he taketh away the first that he may establish the second”
- Vs 2, “Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross.”
- Becoming Weary
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- Vs. 3, “For consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds”
- Gal. 6:9 “be not weary in well doing; for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not”
- Vs. 3, “For consider him who endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds”
- Wrong Focus
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- Vs. 4, “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”
- Keep your eyes on the prize – don’t fear what has not happened
- 2Co 4:16-18 KJV For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. (17) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (18) While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
- Focus on the eternal value of God’s will
- Vs. 4, “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”
- Reacting against God’s Discipline
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- You can endure hardship and discipline, if you understand that God is treating you as his very own son or daughter.
- Remember what verses 5-13 said, “…those he loves he disciplines”
- Discipline is not to destroy or hurt you, it is to produce something good in you.
- Joh 15:2 KJV Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
- Are you willing to give up what it takes to go up?
- Discouragement
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- Heb 12:12-13 KJV Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; (13) And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
- Pro 24:10 KJV If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.
- Hard times are the time to be serious
- Paul confirms that truth when he tells the Galatians in Chapter 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not.”
- Discouragement means to take courage out vs encouragement is defined as to put courage in.
- Discouragement develops progressively
- Frustration
- Depression
- Vain Imaginations
- Criticism
- Resentment
- Bitterness
- Unbelief-the end result is spiritual paralysis
- Bitterness
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- Vs 15, Heb 12:15 KJV “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; “
- When you are bitter you are self-centered and closed up – you have lost your direction and forfeit your right to opportunity and promotion.
What Will You Do to Persevere and Win Your Leg of the Race?
- Deal with unconquered sin
- Deadly distractions
- Undetermined goals
- Losing motivation
- Becoming weary
- Wrong focus
- Reacting against God’s disciplines
- Discouragement
- Bitterness
Jesus prayed Luke 22:42
(Luk 22:42) Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
Biblical Examples of Perseverance
Joseph – Gen 45:7-8
Moses Ex 14:13-15
Ruth 1:16
David and Goliath
Jeremiah Lam 3:22-24
Job 1:21
Peter 1 Pet 4:14
Woman with Issue of Blood Luke 8:40-48
Paul 2 Cor 12:9
Conclusion:
- Adhere to your destiny. Remain under your calling and persevere for the promises of God:
- Heb 10:36 KJV For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
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