Introduction
For the few moments that are mine and as the Lord shall guide, I would like to use as a sermonic theme, “Don’t Give Up, Hold On To Your Confidence, Because It’s Only A Test.”
After looking at the theme several times, the Holy Spirit kept leading me to the trials and the tribulations of the Christian family.
More and more Christians are speaking of giving up, throwing in the towel, wanting to go back into this mean and evil world, walking around saying I just can’t take it no more. Does that sound familiar? Well anyone that chooses to turn his back on Christ and go back into this mean and evil world will have some severe consequences.
Development
As I was studying and researching the text, there were six points to preach on by I’m only touching on two. I won’t be too long this morning, unless the Holy Spirit extends me.
Point Number One: Encouragement For Tomorrow Comes From
Yesterday’s Strength
As I read Hebrews 10:35, it said “So do not throw away your confidence, it will be richly rewarded.” I was a little perplexed because I began to say what is this really saying to me? In the NIV Bible it says “Do not throw away your confidence, and the Max Lucado Study Bible says, So do not lose your courage, and the KJV says, Cast not away therefore your confidence.
Webster’s Dictionary defines confidence as a trust or faith in a person or thing. It also defines courage as the state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face danger, fear, or vicissitudes (the quality or state of being changeable) with self-possession, confidence, and resolution; or bravery.
Sometimes when you’re trying to exergise a scripture, you have to either read several verses or chapters prior to that scripture or sometimes you must read ahead several verses or chapters.
But as the Holy Spirit took me back to the 32nd verse of the 10th chapter of Hebrews, it (the Holy Spirit) began to illuminate my mind of the understanding.
This is an appeal to the Christians who want to turn back because of hard times. I call them drifters. Drifters are those who want to turn back. God does not favor drifters. He hates drifters and if they don’t repent He has a special punishment for them.
We can get our encouragement from yesterday’s strength. I know you’re sitting there wondering what in the world am I talking about. Just walk with me for a moment.
When I went back and read verses 32-34 it helped me, along with the Holy Spirit for understanding.
Lets look at our former Christian experience. Remember your first spiritual illumination. This was the time when the Spirit of God moved upon your heart for the very first time and confirmed the truth of Jesus Christ to and in you.
For the first time in your life you saw like never before what the Lord had done for you. You saw Jesus Christ as that savior who sacrificed His life for your sins to save you.
That was when you would be walking around the street singing that song by Donnie McClurkin, “Just for me…Just for me…Jesus came and He did it just for me…. And you couldn’t wait to testify about what the Lord had done for you.
Let somebody talk about your Lord and Savior in the wrong way. You had your sleeves rolled up and ready to fight. What happened? Where’s that fire?
Remember your endurance? Remember when your back was up against the wall. There was no way out. But God, with all of His infinite wisdom and power came and rescued you.
Remember when your rent was due and bills were pilled up to the yang-yang? But out of nowhere things starting happening that you couldn’t explain. It was no body but God. Am I on your street yet? Just keep riding because I’m on my way back down “memory lane.”
Remember when you were trying to buy a house and your credit was lumpy and bumpy? While you were at home wondering and praying if the bank would accept your application. Behind closed doors God in his wisdom was working it out. In a couple of days you got a phone call from the realtor, and the realtor said that your credit had been approved and all you had to do was to write a letter of explanation about some of your debts.
Looking back to when I was approved for my first house makes me want to shout right now because God did not have to show mercy on a sinner like me but it was all because of his GRACE!
That’s why our encouragement comes from yesterday’s strength. We look at past triumphs through Jesus Christ as strengths. The folks use to sing a song “How I Got Over.”
Remember when you were sick, and the doctors had given you up, but God told death no. Death had to back up. God told death not yet, I’m giving him/her a little more time. Oh you know I’m right because you know the story about Hezekiah.
The Lord revealed to Isaiah that Hezekiah was going to die. Hezekiah got frantic. He faced the wall and began to pray. He prayed like he had never prayed before. God heard his cry for mercy, and God gave him 15 more years to live.
What has happened to you? Where is the fire!!!!!!!!!!!
Point Number Two: Rejoice!!! Rejoice!!! Pay Day Is On The Way!
If we look at the scripture it says in Hebrews 10:35, “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.” It says richly rewarded. Preacher just what are you talking about, “richly rewarded?”
Well God’s Word is infallible and that is without error. And since it is without error it has to be true. God cannot lie. He couldn’t even if He wanted to because He is the perfect one. He is the Creator. He is the Great I Am. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. He is the one who can just think it, and it shall happen.
His word says that you will be richly rewarded. But with this reward, there first must come patience.
The Greek word for patience is Hupomones (who – poe – moe – knees). Why do we need this patience? Patience hooks up with this thing called faith, and faith hooks up with endurance. You know what faith is.
Faith, according to Hebrews 11:1 (NIV) it says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
**King James says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
A part of the sermonic theme in Romans 1:17 says, “For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
We have to have faith from the beginning to the very end. This thing of faith is continuous; we must walk this thing day by day. It’s a daily walk. We just don’t become super faithful over night, no don’t fool yourself. It’s a growing process. This thing is only a test. After the test, comes the reward.
That’s why the songwriter wrote the song, “Lead Me Guide Me Along The Way. Oh If you Lead Me I Will Not Stray. Oh Let Me Walk Each Day With Thee. Lead Me Oh Lord….Lead Me!” It’s only a test. Pay day is on the way. After the test comes the reward.
Let me take it just a step further, the Bible says in Romans 8:18, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. It’s only a test. Pay day is on the way. As the exercise trainers use to say, …”No pain no gain.” You have to go through to get to.
I can even go a little further, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 1:17 – “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. As I read a little farther in 2 Corinthians, down to the 18th verse, it said, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Pay day is on the way and it’s not to far off!
Conclusion:
Before I take my seat, I just have one more scripture I think is appropriate for this occasion: 1 Corinthians 15:58 - “”.Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
And when I think about that scripture, I think about the pain and suffering of my Savior. My mind kindles up these words.. “Must Jesus bare the cross alone and all the world goes free? No… there’s a cross for everyone and there’s a cross for me. No Cross..No Crown..No Pain, No Gain.
You all will have to excuse me. I get so Holy Ghost happy when I start thinking about the goodness of Jesus…and all he’s done for me. My soul cries out…. Hallelujah.
But when I think about the goodness of Jesus and how he set me free. My soul cries out…. Hallelujah………………
