SIFTED LIKE WHEAT

WHAT IS, THE “GOOD FIGHT OF FAITH”???  6

THE STRUGGLE

“Simon, Simon, SATAN HAS ASKED TO SIFT ALL OF YOU AS WHEAT. But I have prayed for you, Simon, THAT YOUR FAITH MAY NOT FAIL. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Luke 22

“Skin for skin!” Satan replied. “A man will give all he has for his own life. But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and HE WILL SURELY CURSE YOU TO YOUR FACE.” Job 2

WE MUST PAY THE MOST CAREFUL ATTENTION, therefore, to what we have heard, SO THAT WE DO NOT DRIFT AWAY. For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, HOW SHALL WE ESCAPE IF WE IGNORE SO GREAT A SALVATION?  Heb. 2

But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, IF INDEED WE HOLD FIRMLY TO OUR CONFIDENCE AND THE HOPE IN WHICH WE GLORY. See to it, brothers and sisters, THAT NONE OF YOU HAS A SINFUL, UNBELIEVING HEART THAT TURNS AWAY FROM THE LIVING GOD. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” SO THAT NONE OF YOU MAY BE HARDENED BY SIN’S DECEITFULNESS. We have come to share in Christ, IF INDEED WE HOLD OUR ORIGINAL CONVICTION FIRMLY TO THE VERY END. As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies perished in the wilderness? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? SO WE SEE THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ENTER, BECAUSE OF THEIR UNBELIEF. Heb. 3

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THOSE who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and WHO HAVE FALLEN AWAY, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. IN THE END IT WILL BE BURNED. Heb. 6

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and WITH THE FULL ASSURANCE THAT FAITH BRINGS, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. LET US HOLD UNSWERVINGLY TO THE HOPE WE PROFESS, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and ALL THE MORE AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING.

Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. SO DO NOT THROW AWAY YOUR CONFIDENCE; IT WILL BE RICHLY REWARDED

YOU NEED TO PERSEVERE so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” And, “But my righteous one WILL LIVE BY FAITH.

AND I TAKE NO PLEASURE IN THE ONE WHO SHRINKS BACK.”

BUT WE DO NOT BELONG TO THOSE WHO SHRINK BACK AND ARE DESTROYED, BUT TO THOSE WHO HAVE FAITH AND ARE SAVED. Heb. 10

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

FOR THIS VERY REASON, MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO ADD TO YOUR FAITH goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, THEY WILL KEEP YOU FROM BEING INEFFECTIVE AND UNPRODUCTIVE IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. BUT WHOEVER DOES NOT HAVE THEM IS NEARSIGHTED AND BLIND, FORGETTING THAT THEY HAVE BEEN CLEANSED FROM THEIR PAST SINS.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO CONFIRM YOUR CALLING AND ELECTION. For if you do these things, YOU WILL NEVER STUMBLE, AND YOU WILL RECEIVE A RICH WELCOME INTO THE ETERNAL KINGDOM OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I THINK IT IS RIGHT TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY AS LONG AS I LIVE IN THE TENT OF THIS BODY, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. (The Apostle Peter)

Then Job replied to the Lord: “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes.”

The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters. The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. And so Job died, an old man and full of years. Job 42

Neither Job nor Peter nor Paul fell into apostasy through unbelief while being “sifted by Satan”!

They ALL “kept the Faith”!

Now it is our turn to “keep the Faith” to the end!

(Next: The Cosmic WWF)