Enduring Till the End — Zac Poonen

The Marks of True Faith: Conscience, Obedience, and Dependence

We've been thinking the last three Sundays of The marks of true faith if you remember we saw first of all a good conscience. Anyone who has true faith It's kind of faith the Bible talks about will maintain a good conscience before God and Before men always you don't do that.

The Bible says you make shipwreck of your faith. You're on the rocks. The second thing we saw was faith results in obedience. The Bible speaks about the obedience of faith, which is different from Obedience in the Old Testament, which is out of fear or Expecting a reward all that is gone.

So the type of gospel being preached today Where people are asked to trust God in order to get a reward is an Old Testament faith, which is a deception. It's a counterfeit and we've got to be alert to it because it's leading people back to the Old Covenant.

It's like leading people back into the wilderness instead of into Canaan and that's why people who live like that live defeated lives and The third mark of true faith we saw last time was dependence upon God.

We saw the picture of the branch in the vine a Wonderful picture of faith where The branch is helpless can't do anything. You saw the example of Abraham who tried to help God? People who have true faith don't try to help God.

They let God help them. So today we want to look at another mark of faith and that is endurance. Faith brings Endurance or patience. Let me show you a verse in James and chapter 1 and verse 4 It says lend your endurance.

Have its perfect result. So that you may be perfect and complete Lacking in nothing and King James it says patience. Patience endurance is the same thing. That means you you never give up. If you want to be perfect ask God to make you more patient.

We are all impatient people and Impatience has come because of unbelief. We don't believe that God makes everything work for good for my good. I mean if somebody Delays doing something that I asked him to do Which he's supposed to do for me and he doesn't do it.

Or he delays in doing it and I get impatient. I'm at that moment saying this particular thing God is not making work for my good all the other things he is but this particular thing when this in this particular moment.

The devil's taken over. No, sir, the devil never takes over. God runs this universe. And if your life is yielded to God God runs your life. Including The delays that other people made. You never need be Impatient.

Endurance Through Trust in God’s Providence

It all depends on whether you believe Romans 8 28 that all things that most important word in that verses. A-L-L all. And I'll tell you honestly, I have met very few Christians in my whole life who believe that word all.

For most Christians Romans 8 28 says God works most things for our good. Okay, even that most people don't believe. But all be one of those who say all all means all. It's like when the Bible says he forgives all our sins.

What does it mean? Most of our sin. All. So when it says all things work, I believe it's as Complete as God's blotting out. My past sins is 100 I Believe the same Word of God which says all things work together for good.

I have faith in that. It's hundred percent. That's why I'm patient. Think of the story of day of Joseph when he was in jail. He asked Pharaoh's butler after helping him and To get out, you know explaining his dream.

He said when you got to Pharaoh just remember but he didn't. Bible says Genesis 39 the last verse and He completely forgot. Imagine a man who supernaturally explained a dream to you just yesterday or three days ago and You forget about it completely.

It's not normal. I don't think you and I would do it. If somebody Supernaturally explained a dream when you were in prison and you were about to be hanged and three days later that dream is fulfilled and you Get out of prison.

I tell you you'll remember that man for the rest of your life. How did Pharaoh's butler forget? God made him forget. Because Joseph was only 28 years old he had not completed his training in the prison to be ready to be the ruler and God made sure that Pharaoh's butler would forget.

Until he was ready. Should we get upset with Pharaoh's butler from forgetting should you get upset with somebody who promises to do something you for you and Forgets to do it for two years. No, that's faith.

Faith endures patience. It says here. Let patience have its perfect result. So that you can become perfect. I Want to be perfect and it says lacking in nothing so Let's turn to Luke chapter 18. Luke's gospel chapter 18.

Here it says, you know Jesus was Talking about people who pray and then give up. Does that sound familiar? We've all done it. Concerning something or the other we pray and then give up. Even though we may be praying for something.

We are absolutely sure as God's will. I mean if you're praying for something which you're not sure it's God's will. Then it's okay to give up after a while because you're not sure. There are a lot of desires we may have in our heart which are not God's will.

But think if you're praying for something like Lord, I want to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Is that according to God's will or not? I Want to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit. I Want to know what it is to die every day to myself.

Take up the cross. Is that in God's will or not to know what it is. I Want to overcome sin, I don't want any sin to rule over my life. I want a pure thought life. Are these things according to God's will sure there's no doubt about it.

Why do we give up? Why do we Lord. I want to get victory over my anger. Why do I give up praying after some time? This parable this parable is for you if you're like that. That applies to almost all of us who are honest.

He told this parable to show that at all times men ought to pray that does not mean that we must be on our knees all the time. Jesus himself was not like that and Don't use that verse to say that we should pray frequently.

Because that's not what it says. We should have long hours of prayer that's not what it says a lot of people. Interpret scripture in different ways. I prefer to take Jesus exactly the way he said it. You got to pray always which means it's not a question of being on our knees.

It's not even a question of speaking to God all the time because we can't do that 24-hour. Jesus himself didn't do it. We got to sleep. We got to work. We've got to eat. We got to drink. We've got to do so many things.

We've got to speak to people so much like I'm doing right now, but Behind it all. There is a constant prayer. The spirit of prayer and that's what he's talking about. That's the only way this verse can be fulfilled.

You cannot fulfill this prayer by you cannot fulfill this verse by praying six hours every day. Six hours is not enough. It's at 24 hours. You pray all night once a week you think you fulfill this verse.

No, sir all times. Now can you think of something that you do all the time without even being conscious of it. Breathing. Well, sometimes we are conscious if you want to take deep breaths a little exercise.

Deep breathing exercises, especially people have lung problems. That is specific times of prayer. People who have spiritual lung problems need to have specific times of prayer and all of us is good to have some breathing exercise.

But that's not that's not the only time you breathe. That's the time you're consciously breathing. Deep taking deep breaths and. But you're breathing all the time most of the time unconsciously and you're doing so many other things while you're breathing.

That's one of the best illustrations of pray at all times. Because if you stop breathing you die. And if you stop praying in this way you'll die. Men are always to pray and never to Lose heart never to get discouraged.

God didn't answer me. Never to give up. I've often thought about that thorn in the flesh that Peter had and that Paul had you know sickness. I every time I get sick, I pray. I Pray Lord heal me every single time.

I Never say Lord. Okay, it's your will keep this sickness. No, I always pray Lord heal me just like Paul prayed. When did Paul stop praying? You see after three times? No. After God gave an answer. It happened to be after three times, but if God hadn't given an answer after 30 times he'd have prayed a 31st time.

That's the point. He prayed until God said I'm not gonna take away that sickness. You're gonna keep it. That's good for you. Because because of this you will be humbled and you'll get grace. Which is better than hell.

That's a lovely passage. That teaches me that grace is better than hell. I Firmly believe it was a thorn in the flesh. It was a sickness Paul had. I have no doubt about it in my mind. But there I see that God's grace is sufficient.

And so he says I'll glory in my weakness. This sickness makes me weak. That's fine. If it's something God has permitted with a purpose. So this is what I pray when I'm sick. I say Lord either give me healing or Or Give me something better than healing something more of your grace.

I would encourage all of you to pray like that for every single sickness and ailment you ever have in their life. Don't give up. Lord heal me. I used to pray like that to my children. Heal them or something better than healing.

So men are always to pray never to give up and Then he told this parable. See the reason why I'm mentioning this is because at the end of this passage I'll mention that first then you'll understand why I'm bringing this parable up in the last sentence in verse 8.

Faith That Endures Until Christ’s Return

See what it says. But when the Son of Man comes Will he find faith? See he's talking about faith on the earth. Will he find what faith. Faith to get money? Oh, you'll find plenty of that. It's not real faith.

Will he find this type of faith. And now I'll explain what this type of faith is. It's endures. Never gives up. It never gets discouraged. Will he find? Such faith and I want to say a lot of people are losing this faith and they're going for that counterfeit faith.

Which is the faith? Of the Old Testament. Trust the Lord and obey him and he will bless you reward you give you all types of things but this is the faith of the New Testament and When he says that before his return the time just before his return this type of faith is going to disappear on the earth.

That's a meaning of will he find. Will he find means will he find a few? Who have this type of faith? I want to be one of those. Don't give up. I've been a believer 50 years and I tell you I'm determined to go on till the end not only go on to the end.

I want to climb higher every year. I don't want to be like these. You know shooting stars that burn for a while and then you see them ten years later. You don't know where they are. I've seen lots of creatures and servants of God like.

Think of the example of people like Paul and Peter. They just kept climbing never ended every year was they were more glorious than the previous. Make that your aim. There is a come back to Luke 18. I want to show you a verse before I go and get there and that is Hebrews 13.

Hebrews in chapter 13. There's a lovely verse here About whose faith we should imitate. Don't imitate the faith of certain type of people. Hebrews 13 7. Remember those who led you who led by example? Who spoke the word of God to you.

Consider the result of their conduct. Conduct is life how they behave. Look at their behavior and if you see their behavior is Christlike imitate their faith, but if you see a man talks a lot about faith and he gets upset easily and It doesn't mingle with poor ordinary people only with big shots or great Christian leaders or something like that.

I don't want to imitate their faith. I want to see the result of their conduct. I say what type of conduct has his this guy's faith produced in him. What is his attitude to money? You want to see that?

I don't want to just blindly imitate some preacher who Impresses me with his eloquence in the platform. Consider the result of their conduct and Then imitate their faith. If only Christians had obeyed that simple verse.

We wouldn't have so much of deception among millions of Christians today consider their conduct. What is the result of their conduct. And another translation says see how they ended their lives? See how what is the end result of their life.

In other words, I mean we don't have to necessarily wait till a person dies. Paul said even when he was alive follow me as I follow Christ. But he wrote that when he had already been a Christian for maybe 25 -30 years.

So he was pretty much along the way and if you see that a man 25 -30 years is climbing. It's a good person to follow and you find every year. He's going higher a good person to follow. He's going the right direction.

So then you know how he's going to end. The tragedy today is so many people I Believe is a very important verse for today so many people who Start so well and get a lot of fame with their preaching ability and eloquence and a few churches they Are able to build.

All of a sudden it's discovered that there's some secret sin in there. But I'll tell you what surprises me what surprises me not how that great preacher fell. What surprises me is how these dumb? 10 ,000 people in this church couldn't see that 15 years before it happened.

That's what's the price. And you got the slightest bit of discernment. You'll be able to see when a man speaks whether he's speaking from his life or from his head. Something we must develop in the last days consider The end of their conduct, where is it going?

Then imitate their faith. Otherwise don't imitate it. I don't follow every Tom, Dick and Harry who calls himself a believer or a preacher. I'd have destroyed myself long ago if I had done that. I remember when I was a young Christian the Lord told me If you can find someone who's following me.

Follow him. And if you can't find anyone who following me look at me just follow me. That has been the most helpful advice I ever got from the Lord in my younger days. If you find someone who's really following in Jesus in his life follow him.

But if you can't find someone like that and they're very rare then follow me. Paul said follow me as I follow Christ. He said in Philippians 3 17 and also look at other people who walk like I do. So, let's get back now to Luke 18.

We're talking about faith. Remember what we read in Hebrews 37 imitate their faith. I have met a number of people who want to preach like I preach and I say don't don't waste your time. God wants only one Zach Bonin in the church.

He doesn't want another. Yeah, I even tell my children you're not supposed to be like me. You're not supposed to preach like me. Not at all. You must be yourself. See how these fingers God made all five fingers different all different.

That's God's wisdom. You see ten trees planted down a road all ten trees may be the same seed grow up different. You see ten buildings apartments blocks that man is made down the road. They're all alike.

Man's work is like that. It's cloning. Exactly make something exactly like somebody else. No. Imitate their faith. Not that preaching ability. No, I Remember, you know when we are young we sort of tend to want to preach like somebody else usually for honor.

You don't get much honor by imitating somebody's faith because that just changes your life. And I've discovered through the years and I remember as I was growing up and I said Lord I never want to preach like anybody else in the world.

I don't want to preach like the Indian preachers. I've heard the American preachers. I've heard I want to study the life of Jesus and try and preach like he preached. Try a picture. How did he speak? What is the way the method of his speaking.

And in each of us. Different aspects may come out. So dear brothers and sisters seek to imitate a person's life and faith. Now, let's get back to Luke 18. Jesus told the story of a judge. Who was man was not a God-fearing man and a widow.

The Church as a Helpless but Powerful Widow

The point here is the widow. Notice how in The Gospels whenever Jesus spoke about the church and here the church is the widow. The church is not the judge. The church is the widow. Jesus always pictured the church as something some as Our believers as people who are very weak.

Here's a widow who has no male member in her house. Because if she had a son the son would have gone to the judge and she probably doesn't even have a daughter. Because the daughter would have gone to the judge.

She has to go herself. Why does this 70 year old widow have to go herself? Because she was childless perhaps and the husband has died and This is the picture of the church helpless. Do you ever feel disappointed?

Oh, I don't have influence in this world and I don't have so much money brother. You're qualified to be a part of the church. Think of Jesus said about the church like sheep in the midst of wolves. Which is the church.

The wolves are the sheep machine? The helpless ones that's the church the widow. That's the church. The branch the helpless branch. That's the church. Always Jesus took pictures like that take salt for example, you see the other salt of the earth.

How much salt is there in a plate of? Food. Have you seen these big banquets? So many. Big big dishes of chicken and meat and rice and chapatis and all that small little teeny weeny bit of salt. That's the church.

Always weak helpless, but boy. What a powerful effect that salt can have as soon as you put a little bit in your mouth. You know whether there's salt in it or not. That's the part of the church weak helpless.

Small despised by others but powerful. Because we are in contact with God and the others are not so this widow Goes to the judge and notice what she asks for. Give me protection from my enemy verse 3 so What am I now?

Remember at the end Jesus said will you will I find this type of faith in the earth? Faith for what? It's not faith for money. It's not faith even for healing. It's faith for protection from my enemy.

Deliver me from evil. That's what Jesus taught us in our prayer. Protection from my enemy. My enemy is the devil and he's trying to encroach into my life in different areas. He's already encroached so many areas.

I've got to get it back from him and I get the picture of a widow Who's got maybe her husband bought a bit of land in house and she's living there and our husband is dead and this greedy neighbor a wicked man.

Feels ah this widows husband is dead. There's no God no children. I can little by little occupy her property and Moves the fence more and more and moves his fence more and more and more and this widow sees That guy's fence coming more and more into her property and she's she can't fight with this powerful Mafia man who lives next door to Her she goes to the judge Give me protection.

I mean if she could handle it herself, why should she go to the judge? If she could have gone and bashed him up herself. She can't. The church can't go and bash up the devil. Sorry. We got to go to God and say Lord Give us protection against our enemy.

It's not only the devil. It's our flesh. I hope you know that the flesh is also much stronger than you are. This thing which the Bible calls the flesh our nature which we've inherited from Adam. It's more powerful and when you try to fight with it, it's like a widow fighting with some mafia dog.

You can't you won't succeed. But if God helps you you can handle 10 ,000 enemies like that. That's the picture here going to God say Lord protect me against my enemy. I'm not going to God and say Lord.

Give me more property or give me a better car. I'm saying protect me against my enemy. Will the Son of Man find faith like this when he comes to the earth. Will he find people whose primary prayer is Lord protect me from my enemy.

That my heart is not defiled. That I'll keep my heart pure. He won't find it. Very rare to find it in India very rare to find it around the world and it says here now. Remember this judge is not a picture of God.

Jesus is trying to contrast if an evil corrupt judge Does something for this widow how much more a perfect Heavenly Father will do for you? That's the contrast so remember that and So she keeps on going, you know, she keeps going and banging his House is the door in his house and he opens it.

What do you want? I want protection against my enemy get away. I don't have time for you. She comes back at 2 o 'clock in the morning bangs and bangs and says what do you want? I want protection my enemy get away.

Don't disturb my sleep. She comes back again next 2 o 'clock in the morning this guy's get fed up, so I better do something and He does and then he says Here we're six here what this unrighteous judge Answered an unrighteous judge.

Was willing to help this widow against her enemy, but you think God a loving father. Will not bring justice were seven for his elect. See it is justice for us to have total victory over the enemy. That's what I see here justice.

We're not asking for any favor. This widow wasn't saying give me more of his property. No, I don't want his property. I want my own. Justice is to ask for your property. Do you know that it is justice to ask the Lord to free you?

100 from the oppression of Satan. 100 from the lust of the flesh. That's justice. It's not a favor. I'm not asking God a favor when he asked him to set me free from lessening with my eyes or from anger or love of Money, it's my right.

It was purchased for me on Calvary. It's my legal right this property was purchased for me by my Savior. And this is the boundary and I say I've got every right the devil's encroached encroached on all sides.

And made me live in one little corner. I tell you believers are living in one little corner of their property saying. And they sing songs like Jesus saying hold the fort for I'm coming and these guys are struggling there that's not the picture.

Hold the fort for I'm coming. You're being oppressed now. Well, what do we read in? You know this wrong picture we have of the devil oppressing. Yes. I'm all holding on. I hope Christ will come soon. It's not like that.

It's quite the other way around that Jesus said I will build my church and And Listen, this is how most people understand it. I'll say how most people understand it in the wrong way. I will build my church and The gates of the church will somehow survive the onslaughts of the enemy.

Is that what it says? No the gates of hell Will not be able to stand Against the church. Do you know the difference between the gates of the church somehow struggling hold the fort for I'm coming the Lord saying No, the whole the Lord is not saying hold the fort for I'm coming.

I don't sing that song by the way He says take the battle to the enemy gates. The strong man has been has been bound go into his house and spoil his property. Take away the things which belong to him which actually belong to the Lord.

That's a picture I have. I've seen so many believers live in Fear what will the devil do to me? What will the devil do if I do this or if I do that? We don't have to fear. This is justice. I'm asking for father give me what is rightfully mine 100 Victory in my conscious area as the conscious area increases.

I love more and more. Do you think God will not bring about justice? But not for everybody. That's the sad part. Not even for all his elect. I believe many of us sitting here are the elect of God. But God will not do that for you Unless you qualify For his elect who cry to him day and night.

For them he will do it and if anybody is sitting here Who is not only the elect but who elect who cries day and night? God Give me justice against my enemy. Give me my right the devil's encroached into a whole lot of areas in my life.

I want to drive him out completely. He's not gonna rule any area of my life. He's not gonna rule any area of my home. I'm not even gonna lose one of my children To the devil or the world. I'm amazed of so many believers can sit comfortably With their children unconverted and I'm surprised that so many other believers Are sitting Satisfied because their children are converted and baptized.

Oh, thank God My boy my daughter got baptized. Is that enough Jesus said make him disciples. We must not be satisfied about children are baptized in water. That's just coming to the starting line of the race.

We got to make sure they're running the race. I mean if your son managed to get into the Olympics and And managed unlike any Indian to get to the hundred meters final and You're watching this on television my son is there the hundred meters final and There's a gun and the gun is shot and all the others run and he's standing there and saying hi.

You'd be terribly disappointed. Why are you satisfied that your son or daughter Got to the starting line that they got saved they got baptized. I Would never be satisfied. They must run the race. They must be disciples.

This saved and baptized is just for our honor. Oh people in the church will think Oh brother Zach's son is not yet baptized. I couldn't care less what people in the church think. What does God think? Dear brothers and sisters train your children to be not just born again and baptized but disciples of Jesus to serve him To live for him and not One of your children or two all of them Give me justice against my enemy He's Lord the devil's coming and croaks in some area of my property Which Christ purchased for me on the cross it happens to be part of my family.

Give it back and How often should you pray day and night I can give you a written guarantee That God will give you back all the property the devil took away from you In your life or your family, but not if you take a sluggish thing and you're satisfied.

Huh, all the believers in the church think my my children are born again. I Tell you you'll have terrific disappointment when you stand before the Lord. Let's have a faith that endures till the end. Lord, give me back That which belongs to me and here's a promise.

I love this. It's the words of Jesus mouth. Heaven and earth will pass away, but this word will not pass away. I Tell you I like it when Jesus says I tell you this is not that cool Jesus saying I tell you we're safe.

God will bring about justice for them. Hmm speedily quickly. That problem you're facing In your home in your life in your health in any area. Speedily quickly. You think that God is on your side of the devil's side, what do you think.

Even if you're bungled up and messed up things in your life, even if you fail them. I Want to tell you one mark of faith Is to believe that God is on my side even when I fail, you know when Peter was Going to deny Jesus within the next 12 hours that last supper Jesus said to Peter.

You're gonna deny me three times Within the next 12 hours, but I'm not gonna pray. I'm paraphrasing his words. I'm not gonna pray that you shouldn't fall Peter you're such a proud fellow. You need to fall.

It's the last resort To break you. I tried every other way to break you didn't succeed the last which God hates sin. Do you know that God tries to break you through financial difficulties? Through things going wrong circumstances going Wrong and a difficult husband difficult wife difficult children difficult boss difficult neighbor.

He didn't realize through all these things God was trying to break you and you never got broken never got broken. The last thing which God doesn't like to do is to Allow you to sin. Then you're really broken.

Look at these great preachers. They finally fall into adultery then they are broken. You think that's God's will. He tried to break them for 25 years in other ways He would they wouldn't yield. It's sad when God has to break a man through adultery.

It's sad when God has to break Peter through denying Jesus three times. But sometimes pride can be broken. No other way and that happens brothers and sisters. It happens in our life. God has to break us but What the Lord told Peter was what what I am praying for you is that when you do fall when you hit rock bottom?

I Read that verse just a few pages on Luke chapter 22. Verse 31 Simon Simon. Behold Satan has demanded permission that I like that. That God does has to give permission to Satan to sift us. Satan can't sift me.

Sorry, he can't. He's got to get permission from God. Isn't that a comfort to know that? Satan can't tempt you to do something terrible. Without permission from God the Bible says God will not allow us to be tested beyond our ability.

And I believe that verse so it was within it was within Peter's ability to Overcome this temptation but he didn't. He was not faithful otherwise he could have overcome because God never allows us to be tested beyond our ability.

Sometimes you know, we may look at certain circumstances in our life and say oh if only that hadn't happened I wouldn't have failed. Can you think of instances like that? If only that person hadn't done this I wouldn't have failed.

Then I get upset with that person. Don't get upset at that person. Have you read? I don't have time to show it to you. It says in the Gospels That John could enter the high priest's palace. Because he was probably related or more influential.

When Peter came to the high priest's gate The security guard said who are you? I don't know who you are. Get out. Peter had no influence. He was just an ordinary fisherman. John came to the gate and Said he's my friend.

Let him in he came in and denied the Lord three times because John got him into the courtyard. Don't blame John. You can have circumstances like that where Somebody else did something and say oh, if only he hadn't done that I wouldn't have fallen.

No God make you fall to break your pride. Don't blame anybody else and Peter Sam and Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat verse 32, but I have prayed for you. Not that you don't fall. But I prayed for you that your faith May not fail.

So that even when you have fallen and hit rock bottom which is needed to break you Peter because I'm preparing you for a great ministry on the day of Pentecost and You will not be able to handle the pride that swells your head on the day of Pentecost unless you're broken today.

That's why God breaks us. God breaks us because he's got a fantastic ministry out of us and if he doesn't succeed in breaking you he will not be able to give you that ministry. A truly broken man will never be proud no matter how much God uses him.

But if he's not broken a little thing can puff him up. So if you find little things puff you up brother sister. You know the answer you need to be broken more where the praise of men or the praise of believers Doesn't affect you.

So I'm praying that your faith may not fail which teaches me that God even allows a person to fall. But he doesn't want his faith to fail and that means to me Peter when you hit rock bottom. Remember God still loves you.

I love you. That's faith to believe that God loves me. Believe that Jesus still loves me, even though I have messed up my life. I denied the Lord. I did such a terrible thing. Don't give up hope you can come up from there.

Think where Peter came up from rock bottom all the way to be The great apostle on the day of Pentecost you can come to a great ministry from there. Now if you're a leader already in an elder. And then you fall it's a little more serious.

You can be restored to fellowship with the father. But I don't know whether you can be restored to ministry. Depending on how deep you're falling. For example, I wouldn't have much respect for Paul. You know after he wrote all those letters.

He suddenly fell into adultery with some girl. I wouldn't have much respect for his writings. Remember those who led you who spoke the Word of God to you and consider the end result of their life. Then imitate their faith.

We don't judge the others. But I want to follow those who have ended well, I don't want to follow those who start well. The many who start well good. I'm happy for them. It's like, you know, I find a lot of zealous young people.

I've met a number of zealous young people here in this church and I say listen I want to wait till you get married and have a couple of children then I'll Tell you whether you're really zealous or not.

Right now you don't have any responsibilities and you can appear but When you face certain trials, let's see how you both get through them. So the end result of their conduct. I Pray that your faith may not fail.