Have you ever wondered how men like Paul and Peter stood firm in their faith even in the face of percussion and death?

We live in a world where people don’t see the value in keeping the faith when the going gets tough. God seems like an option when we get uncomfortable and we find it so easy to take the next door out.

Some even pride themselves in saying they used to be fervent and burning for the Lord but then life happened.

Matthew 13:1-7

King James Version

1The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

Lets look at:

Ephesians 4:11 

King James Version

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

Here Jesus paints a picture for us in a parable of people’s hearts and responses to the Word. Let’s focus on verses 5 and 6. The Bible says the Word fell on stony places and sprung up but was scorched because it had no root. He interpreted it in verses 20 and 21.

Matthew 13:20-21

King James Version

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

He said that such people received the Word with joy but when the Word was tested they got offended and eventually the Word never yielded. This should teach you something. As a believer you must have depth to stand the test of time. If your walk is shallow you cant say like Paul in:

2 Timothy 4:7-8

New King James Version

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing

This should be the testimony of every believer that at the trump or at the end of our lives we can say with confidence that we have “kept the faith”.

Dear believer, as you read this devotional, I want you to reflect on these questions: Do you truly understand what following Christ entails? Are you ready to stand no matter what comes your way?

Many believers are eager to passionately serve God immediately after their salvation experience. They are excited about their newfound purpose and ready to dive in, sometimes without fully understanding the sacrifices involved.

While this enthusiasm for God’s work is commendable and necessary, it is crucial to build and grow depth that would stand the test of time. It won’t always be easy, but it would be worth it to stand firm.

John 16:33

New King James Version

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

Jesus ensured the disciples understood what following Him would entail, but he also encouraged them, assuring that although they would face tribulations, they should be of good cheer, for He has overcome the world. And because He did, you too can.

Hence when you envision your life, view serving the Lord as a lifelong commitment, extending even beyond this lifetime. Never find yourself among those who reminisce, saying, “I remember in my youth I was so fervent.” Being passionate for the Lord, and zealously pursuing His work, should characterize your life even as you grow older.

Matthew 7:24-26

New King James Version

24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:

25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

26 “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:

In this teaching, Jesus likened the faith of a believer to the construction of a house. Just as the choice of materials determines whether a house will endure or crumble, the same applies to the faith of a Believer.

For a Believer to endure, their faith must be built on something solid, something that can withstand the pressures of the world. However, in this context, it is not “something” that enables the believer to stand the test of time. Instead, it is someone.

Ephesians 1:13

New King James Version

1 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,

Upon believing in Christ, not only are you saved, you are also sealed with the Holy Spirit, who will abide with you forever. The Spirit is there to help you navigate through this world and its tribulations, enabling you to stand firm and remain established even in hard times.

If you have tried to remain steadfast and passionate through your efforts, I want to show you a more excellent way: the Spirit of God.

Ezekiel 36:27

New King James Version

27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

This is God’s design, you no longer need to struggle to follow external regulations. Instead, He has placed a regulator within you. Now, because of the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God, you can do the will of God and walk in His ways.

You can remain steadfast for years to come because you are relying on someone solid. The Spirit not only enables you to walk in God’s statutes but also empowers you.

Acts 1:8

New King James Version

8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

The power they received enabled them to stand boldly, proclaiming Jesus as Lord. In Acts 2, a man like Peter, who had previously been afraid and denied Jesus, stood before a multitude of people boldly declaring the truth about Christ.

This is what the Spirit does in the believer: He empowers you for the mandate you have received in Christ—to reconcile people back to God. Like the apostles, you no longer need to fear or be shaken by opposition, for you know that in this journey of faith, there is no path too difficult to handle because you have the Spirit.

Ephesians 1:3 tells us something very interesting; it says

Ephesians 1:3

New King James Version

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

The Greek word for “spiritual” is “Pneumatikos,” which means benefits related to salvation and other blessings available to you through the Spirit.

It further states that you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing, meaning everything necessary for you to remain fervent and established in the things of God for years to come has been given to you in the Spirit.

Therefore, you lack nothing to sustain you on this journey. Glory to God!

While the Spirit enables us to walk in God’s statutes and empowers us to do all that God would have us do, remaining established in the Word of God is equally as important.

Mark 4:1

New Living Translation

1 Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore

Throughout the scriptures, Jesus emphasized teaching people the Word of God. His ministry was not solely about being expressive in the Spirit or performing miracles. Almost every time Jesus faced questions, opposition, or temptations, His response would be rooted in the Word of God.

Matthew 4:1-4

New Living Translation

1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil.

2 For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry

3 During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”

4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”

His response to temptation was rooted in scripture; for Him, resisting temptation was not about demonstrating power, but fundamentally about the Word. The scriptures served as His anchor, helping Him to stand firm.

Similarly, David deeply treasured the word of God, evident in many parts of scripture (Psalm 119:11, 105). He understood the importance of knowledge for his faith, for him to stand firm, and to be established. And this knowledge can only be obtained from the Word of God.

1 Timothy 1:19

New Living Translation

19 Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.

Paul urged Timothy to cling to his faith, which is founded on the Word of God. So, one way to cling to our faith is to hold fast to the word of God. By doing so, even amidst the storms of life, we can endure.

In conclusion, the Christian faith is indeed a long journey. However, dear believer, everything necessary for you to endure until the very end and be established has been provided to you in His word and by His Spirit. So, do not fear or be discouraged.

Prayer Point:

Father, I declare that I run this race till the very end, I do not fall by the wayside. Even in the face of oppositions and tribulations, my faith waxes strong and I stand firm in my faith.