Endurance, the Key to Victory! Never Give Up, Always Surrender!

It has been said that endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes. Therefore, the title for this short sermon: "Endurance: The Key to Victory."

My goal for this message is to encourage us to run the race that Jesus Christ has set before us and to endure to the end. Hebrews 12:1-2 say, "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." Looking onto 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.

Salvation is a process that has a starting point and a finish line, and in between that, a race that needs to be run well. And if you are a follower of Christ, you will find yourself somewhere in this race, maybe closer to the starting point or maybe closer to the finish line. But the important thing is that you are running the race.

We live in a world where so much is instant. We push a button or flip a switch or turn a key, and we have instant results. But salvation is not instant. We can't push a button and be saved or have instant results. We must be willing to be in and complete a process whereby we are being saved. Let's look at three quick points that we find in these verses that will help us in this race. Number one, we need to get rid of every weight and sin so that we have the energy and ability to run. What is in our lives that slows us down or trips us up? I think we all have to answer that question.

But in reading this, I realized the importance of evaluating my heart and life on a daily basis in order to keep myself freed up from these things. Be quick to recognize the little things: habits, thought processes, and attitudes that can easily become big weights or sin if we're not careful to deal with them quickly and thoroughly. 1 Peter 5:8, "Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

So we need to be constantly aware and on our guard for things that the devil tries to put in our way to trip us up or sidetrack us. Also, we need to watch out for each other because we are in this race together. Hebrews 3:13 tells us to exhort one another daily, lest any of you become hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. We desperately need continued fellowship and accountability in the Christian race. We need our brothers and sisters' encouragement and insight. So please take advantage of every opportunity to be together. Number two, run with endurance. Endurance is the ability of an organism to exert itself and remain active for a long period of time, as well as the ability to resist, withstand, recover from, and have immunity to trauma, wounds, or fatigue.

And without endurance, we will not make it to the finish line. There are literally tons of scripture that talk about endurance and patience and perseverance and the need to not grow weary and to be strong and to hold fast and to be faithful. And it is so clear in all these scriptures that we need to learn endurance. Let's look at a few of these verses.

James 1:12, "Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him." Hebrews 10:36, "For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise." Romans 5:3-4, "And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance character and character hope." Revelation 3:10 says, "Because you have kept my command to persevere or endure, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world to test those who dwell on the earth."

Romans 2:6-7, "He will render to each one according to his deeds eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality." In the beginning of the 24th chapter of Matthew, Jesus is talking to his disciples about the end of the age, and he warns them of the tribulation and the false prophets and of lawlessness abounding so that the love of many will grow cold. But then he gives us this promise in verse 13, "But he who endures to the end shall be saved." Let's look at the third point. We need to look to Jesus.

Hebrews 12:24 says, "Looking onto 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. For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself.

Lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin." Jesus didn't just tell us how to run. He showed us how to run. He showed us how to resist sin and temptation and how to live a holy life. He showed us how to endure, and he suffered much more than any of us can ever imagine so that we would even have the opportunity to share in the joy of his kingdom. And as we think about this great cloud of witnesses that have finished the race and are cheering us on, wanting us to finish well, how much more Jesus himself, our king and high priest, wants us to make it to the finish line.

And he's there, ready to forgive us when we repent, ready to give us strength and wisdom when we ask for it. Never take your eyes off of Jesus. Hebrews 4:14-16 say, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

I would like to end with a poem that illustrates the need to keep running and to finish the race. It's called The Race. Whenever I start to hang my head in front of failure's face, my downward fall is broken by the memory of a race, a children's race, young boys, young men, how I remember well, excitement, sure, but also fear. It wasn't hard to tell. They all lined up so full of hope, each thought to win that race or tie for first, or if not that, at least take second place. Their parents watched from off the side, each cheering for their son, and each boy hoped to show his folks that he would be the one.

The whistle blew, and off they flew like chariots of fire to win, to be the hero there was each young boy's desire. One boy in particular, whose dad was in the crowd, was running in the lead and thought, "My dad will be so proud." But as he speeded down the field and crossed a shallow dip, the little boy who thought he'd win lost his step and slipped.

Trying hard to catch himself, his arms flew everywhere, and amidst the laughter of the crowd, he fell flat on his face. As he fell, his hope fell too. He couldn't win it now. Humiliated, he just wished to disappear somehow.

But as he fell, his dad stood up and showed his anxious face, which to the boy so clearly said, "Get up and win that race." He quickly rose, no damage done, behind a bit, that's all, and ran with all his mind and might to make up for his fall. So anxious to restore himself, to catch up and to win, his mind went faster than his legs. He slipped and fell again.

He wished that he had quit before with only one disgrace. "I'm hopeless as a runner now. I shouldn't try to race." But through the laughing crowd, he searched and found his father's face with a steady look that said again, "Get up and win that race." So he jumped up to try again, 10 yards behind the last. "If I'm to gain those yards," he thought, "I've got to run real fast."

Exceeding everything he had, he regained 8, then 10, but trying hard to catch the lead, he slipped and fell again. "Defeat," he lay there silently, a teardrop from his eye. "There's no sense running anymore. Three strikes, I'm out. Why try? I've lost, so what's the use?" He thought. "I'll live with my disgrace."

But then he thought about his dad, who soon he'd have to face. "Get up," an echo sounded low. "You haven't lost at all. For all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall." "Get up," the echo urged him on. "Get up and take your place. You were not meant for failure here. Get up and win that race."

So up he rose to run once more, refusing to forfeit, and he resolved that win or lose, at least he wouldn't quit. So far behind the others now, the most he'd ever been, still he gave it all he had and ran like he could win.

Three times he'd fallen stumbling. Three times he rose again. Too far behind to hope to win, he still ran to the end. They cheered another boy who crossed the line and won first place, head high and proud and happy, no falling, no disgrace. But when the fallen youngster crossed the line in last place, the crowd gave him a greater cheer for finishing the race.

And even though he came in last with head bowed low, unproud, you would have thought he'd won the race to listen to the crowd. And to his dad, he sadly said, "I didn't do so well. To me, you won," his father said. "You rose each time you fell."

And now when things seem dark and bleak and difficult to face, the memory of that little boy helps me in my own race. For all of life is like that race, with ups and downs and all, and all you have to do to win is rise each time you fall.

And when depression and despair shout loudly in my face, another voice within me says, "Get up and win that race."