Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries |
The new racial and spiritual species originate from a form of death.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Grace Bible Church
Pastor-Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Friday,
January 25, 2008
Success in becoming a winner believer that will be a witness for the prosecution in the Church-age depends on the believer having endurance while undergoing various forms of suffering.
“Endurance” - noun hupomone = to dwell under, a patient steadfast waiting for, patient endurance, sustaining.
The believer must abide under the pressure of the Angelic Conflict and not try to escape it.
Especially after we fail, it is so much easier to quit than to get back up on our feet and start running again. But don’t quit. Abide under the pressure; do not try to escape it.
“Be concentrating” - pres-act-part - aforao = to turn the eyes away from other things and to fix them on something. (Joseph Thayer)
You need to turn the eyes of your soul away from all human solutions to suffering and fix them on the spiritual life of our Lord Jesus Christ.
ROM 8:6
For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
“Consider” - aor-mid-imp - analogizomai, = to think over, ponder, consider. With the accusative of the person “to consider by weighing, comparing”
(Thayer)
The defense mechanisms of the flesh only end up in the arrogance and emotional complex of sins.
Christ was able to fulfill the prototype plan of God because He learned endurance through dependence upon His own spiritual life in submission to the Father’s will.
Endurance is needed in the intensified stage of the angelic conflict (rebuttal phase) because the advancing believer will be under attack, much like the OT witnesses, and most of all like TLJC.
Endurance is produced through application of doctrine to life’s circumstances under the power of God the Holy Spirit.
When endurance is matured it will even produce the happiness of God in the believer’s life while he is in the midst of suffering.
Perfect and complete means to be spiritually mature with the result that you are prepared with the capacity for taking the witness stand under evidence testing.
Capacity for the happiness of God in the midst of adversity and suffering is the life of the mature believer in the Church-age. This is the mark of endurance.
COL 3:3
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When you are tempted to quit, consider Him who has endured all temptations and realize you have the same power and assets as He did, and remember that it is for His glory that you are alive.
EPH 6:11
Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
EPH 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
EPH 6:13
Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.