Faith & Patience

But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: …be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.  Titus 2:1-2

These verses tell us to be sound or developed in faith and patience. 

The power of patience is a working power. When faith begins to waver, patience helps it to stand strong. Almost everywhere you find faith in the Bible you find patience. Together faith and patience will produce God results.

Be Consistent

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.  2 Peter 3:9

Patience means to be consistent or being the same way all the time.

As Christians no matter what comes our way we need to respond the same way – with the Word of God. We are to act on whatever the Word of God says is true, regardless of what our senses are telling us. 

Don’t allow impatience or doubt to steal God’s greatest blessings from you.

Stand strong in faith and be patient. God’s Promises are true!

Extraordinarily Patient

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  Galatians 5:22 – 23

God didn’t give you just any kind of patience (longsuffering).  Patience is part of God’s character and He has equipped you with His own patience.  He is extraordinarily patient.  God has what it takes to get through hard times and he has given you that power too!

Perfect & Complete

But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.  James 1:4

Patience is the ability to stand on what the Bible says even when your victory takes a while to come. 

Patience is like having a set of weights. They wont make you strong hiding under your bed.  You have to use them! When you work on your patience by trusting in and relying on God you’ll end up perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Don’t give up!

That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.  Hebrews 6:12

This verse tells us to be followers of those who have inherited God’s promises through Faith and Patience. The Bible is FULL of past Believers who believed God and then patiently endured while the promises they were believing for came to pass in their lives. 

Don’t give up! Continue to put God’s Word first, with patience and you will receive His promises to you.

Endurance Is Worth It!

Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.  For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.  Hebrews 10:35-36

This verse says that we have NEED of patience. 

Why do we need it? We need Patience because as we begin to understand who we are In Christ and begin to understand his promises we may be tempted to want it working RIGHT NOW. 

Evidence

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Luke 8:15

As believers we are to put the Word of God inside of us. As the Word grows on the inside we begin to have “fruit” or evidence of that transforming Word in our lives. While we are growing and maturing in areas we will have need of patience so we will continue in the Word at all times. 

Get Dressed!

As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourself with… patience.  Colossians 3:12

Patience is one of the characteristics God has put in you, but you need to let it operate in your life. When you became a child of God, in your spirit you are identical to Jesus. Jesus operated in complete patience. As we renew our mind and CHOOSE to operate in patience we are clothing ourselves with the God nature on the inside of us!

What is patience?

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus. Romans 15:5 

What is patience? Patience is persevering, or enduring without complaining.

This verse tells us that God is a God of patience. 

Now what would God have to be patient about? Well, for starters, he had to wait all through history for the time of Jesus to come to the earth and make a way for us to have relationship with Him… I'm Sure THAT took patience! 

Because we serve a God of patience, and He lives inside of us, then we too can operate in patience.