Standing Strong in Adversity

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” ‭‭Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭

Several things stand out to me from this passage

• -Build yourself up
• -Most Holy Faith
• -Pray in the Holy Spirit
• -Keep yourselves in the love of God
• – Wait for the mercy

Each of this things preaches all on it’s own,; with the scriptures before it becomes instruction for standing strong in adversity. Prior to this scripture the letter warns about things that had crept into the congregation including false teachers. The writer also warns of those who scoff at believers, follow worldly passions, those who cause division and are worldly-operating without the Spirit. Followed by these instructions on staying strong in the faith and not getting deceived.

He starts saying you have to do the work. I can’t expect to rely on others to build, me up. Yes, as believers we should build each other up, but this says I am also responsible for building myself up. I need to know what God says to build myself up. I need to read the Word and commune in pray with Him daily; not just when I realize there is a problem. I cannot just expect to stand strong on the prayers and preaching of my pastor. I have to do the work.

As I think about the most Holy Faith mentioned in this Scripture, I am reminded of the faith available to us. The KJV of the Bible makes a distinct delineation about whose faith we live by versus other versions.

“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” ‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2‬:‭20‬ ‭

It is the faith of The Son of God that is the most Holy Faith. I have His faith available. I have to chose to live by His faith. Otherwise, I will settle for my faith, imperfect faith.

I can tell when my prayers are fueled by Holy Spirit and when I’m just going through the motions. As a child, I learned of Holy Spirit guiding and directing me. I can pray in English in the Spirit. However, as a teenager I was introduced to the baptism in the Spirit. I have a heavenly language I can pray that also stirs up that faith within me. Someone else’s prayers are not anymore effective then mine when I am walking in the faith of the Son of God and praying in the Holy Spirit.

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭26‬-‭27‬

I also have to chose God’s love. The world has polluted and watered down what love was
meant to be. I have to chose agape love. I can because God loves me.

“Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous or conceited or proud; love is not ill-mannered or selfish or irritable; love does not keep a record of wrongs; love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love never gives up; and its faith, hope, and patience never fail.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭‬‬

“We love because God first loved us. If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen. The command that Christ has given us is this: whoever loves God must love others also.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭

My initial thought when I read wait on mercy was “He has already give us mercy.”. Yes and No. We obtain mercy when we go to the throne of grace with confidence. It is there we find what we need.

“Let us, then, hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we have a great High Priest who has gone into the very presence of God—Jesus, the Son of God. Our High Priest is not one who cannot feel sympathy for our weaknesses. On the contrary, we have a High Priest who was tempted in every way that we are, but did not sin. Let us have confidence, then, and approach God’s throne, where there is grace. There we will receive mercy and find grace to help us just when we need it.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭16‬

God warns us to be careful what we allow to influence us. Things creep into the church that don’t belong there, people with ill motives. We can keep ourselves from falling prey to these person but building up the faith of the Son of God within us. We pray in the Holy Spirit. We keep ourselves in the love of Hod and receive His mercy to help us.

Lord, thank you for warning me to keep my eyes open even in fellowship from those that would lead me away from You. Thank You for showing me that Incan take steps to prevent this from happening. It is You within me that makes this possible. Lord I chose You!