CHRISTIAN ENDURANCE

MATTHEW 10:2

A. OUR LORD PUTS GREAT EMPHASIS UPON CHRISTIAN ENDURANCE
  1. "He that endureth unto the end shall be saved": Matt. 24:13
  2. He connects endurance with:
    1. The increase of lawlessness in the last days - Matt. 24:12, 13
    2. The impact of lawlessness upon some of the professed followers of God - Rev. 2:4
    3. Satan will stir great hatred in the hearts of worldlings against the people that keep the commandments of God - Rev. 12:17; Matt. 5:11; 10:22; 24:9
B. CHRISTIAN ENDURANCE
  1. Presupposes difficulties, trials, hardships, and even death; it recognizes Christianity as a conflict between Christ and Satan:
    1. Paul speaks of Christianity as, "Our warfare" - 2 Cor. 10:4
    2. James writes about "wars and fightings among you" - Jas. 4:1
    3. Peter, too, speaks about "fleshly lusts which war against the soul" - 1 Pet. 2:11
  2. But Christian endurance is needed in our war with Satan and his angels:
    1. Paul recognizes this fact in his letter to the Ephesians - Eph. 6:11-18
    2. In Satan we face an experienced antagonist, and we must be well prepared to resist this vile foe - 1 Pet. 5:8, 9
    3. As we near the end of time, Satan will increase his pressure against the people of the Lord because he knows that his time is short - Rev. 12:12, 17
  3. What makes people lose out in their fight against sin and the devil:
    1. Being unwilling to break with the works of darkness - Rom. 13:11-14
    2. Carelessness in their daily lives; too much worldliness - Matt. 24:12
    3. Wholly unprepared for the conflict of a true and experienced Christ - Rev. 3:14-17
C. ARMOR OF BIBLE CHRISTIANS
  1. Negatively:
    1. They do not use carnal weapons - 2 Cor. 10:3, 4
    2. Only they who are carnally minded will use carnal means to fight with - Jas. 4:1, 2
    3. Apostate Christianity, under the leadership of the Papacy, used carnal weapons against God's people during the dark ages.
  2. Positively:
    1. Our weapons are spiritual all the way. The people of the Lord, born of the Spirit will not make use of the weapons that would destroy their own spiritual life.
    2. Here are some of the weapons employed by the saints in their conflict with sin and the devil -
      1. The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God - Eph. 6:17; Heb. 4:12. That is the weapon used by our mighty Captain - Matt. 4:1- 10
      2. The girdle of truth, used by Joseph, Daniel and his friends, and Martin Luther in their fight against the enemy - Gen. 39:1-12; Dan. 1:8; 3:16-18
      3. The shield of faith which assures protection against the fiery darts of the evil one - 1 John 5:4-6. We look, in faith, to Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith - Heb. 12:1-6
      4. The breastplate of righteousness is a must for us to keep our hearts free from the defilements of sin.
      5. Fervent prayer is another must for us in our Christian warfare against sin and the devil. Satan fears kneeling Christians more than any other force. It is said that the weakest saints are the most powerful fighters for the cause of God when they face the enemy on their knees.
  3. Things to remember on the Christian conflict:
    1. We are not alone in this conflict. Our Captain and the holy angels are with and for us - Matt. 28:20; Ps. 34:7
    2. They that are with us are more and mightier than they that are with them - 2 Ki. 6:16


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