64_Enduring Under Trials.pdf

Volume XVI, Issue 4

L EGACY

OF D EREK P RINCE

Enduring Under Trials

In Matthew 24 and Mark 13 Jesus gave a prophetic preview of the situation that will exist in the

world immediately prior to His return. Today we are seeing around us many of the conditions He

predicted. But Jesus also gave directions to believers for survival in these situations. The key

requirement can be stated in one word: endurance . Although it is often translated differently in

various translations—“patience,” “longsuffering” ( KJV ), “perseverance” ( NASB ), or “stand firm”

( NIV )—the best single translation is probably “endurance.”

o begin, let’s look at two specific passages. In

each instance, Jesus is speaking of the break-

down of relationships and the widespread

persecution of Christians. First, in Matthew 24:

In order to be saved, we must go all the way to the

end—and that will require endurance on our part. In

Mark 13:12–13, we read a similar prediction and

admonition:

Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many

will grow cold.

v. 12

Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father

his child; and children will rise up against their parents

and cause them to be put to death. And you will be

hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures

to the end shall be saved.

When people become lawless, they also become

loveless. Too often we think of love as free and uninhibited,

requiring no laws or discipline. But that is incorrect. Love

and discipline go hand in hand. When discipline and law

break down, love grows cold. It is significant that the word

for “love” in this passage is agape , which is essentially the

love of Christians. Jesus is not talking about the love of the

world growing cold, but rather the love of Christians

growing cold. That is a much more serious situation.

After foretelling this lack of love, Jesus adds this

admonition in verse 13:

Again, we see a very somber picture: treachery and

disloyalty within family relationships, and Christians being

hated by all men. That is why Jesus said we must endure.

What Endurance Produces

Some Scriptures speak generally about endurance

and the tests we must all face; some offer principles on

how to endure. First in Romans 5:

But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

T HE T EACHING

Volume XVI, Issue 4

Therefore, having been justified

by faith, we have peace with

God through our Lord Jesus

Christ, through whom also we

have access by faith into this

grace in which we stand, and

rejoice in hope of the glory of

God. And not only that, but we

also glory in tribulations, know-

ing that tribulation produces

perseverance [endurance]; per-

severance, character. vv. 1–4

One of the great proving grounds

for our character development is the

close, committed fellowship where

we meet every week with the same

small group of people. As we share

our lives in this context, it often

becomes uncomfortably clear that

there are some areas in our character

that have never been dealt with. If we

fail to expose ourselves to others, we

can deceive ourselves about untested

areas in our character and back off

every time we face a test that would

expose those areas.

Somebody has said that fellow-

ship is “Roof off, walls down.” We

don’t mind getting the roof off

because God sees through the roof

anyhow, but we can get pretty

uncomfortable when we let the walls

down so our fellow Christians can

see in. There is no greater proving

ground for our Christian character

than close, committed fellowship

with believers.

and among thorns, Jesus explains

the type of person represented by

each of these situations.

When anyone hears the word of

the kingdom, and does not

understand it, then the wicked

one comes and snatches away

what was sown in his heart.

This is he who received seed by

the wayside. Matthew 13:19

The seed never gains entrance

into this person’s life at all, but just

lies on the ground until a bird

comes along and picks it up.

Jesus then goes on to describe two

kinds of persons who did receive the

seed and began to produce fruit.

However, the fruit eventually came to

nothing because they failed to pass

the tests to which they were

subjected. The first group were those

who had “stony places”; the second

group were those who had “thorns.”

Endurance produces character

that has stood the test. In essence,

we are talking about the formation

of our character. We can rejoice

(boast, glory and exult) in tribula-

tion because only tribulation pro-

duces endurance. Endurance, in

turn, produces proven character.

In James 1:2 we read, “My

brethren, count it all joy when you

fall into various trials.” We need to

praise God that He counts us

worthy of the trials we go through,

bearing in mind that the trial is

always for our own good. James

goes on to explain how this

seeming paradox works:

But he who received the seed on

stony places, this is he who hears

the word and immediately re-

ceives it with joy; yet he has no

root in himself, but endures only

for a while. For when tribulation

or persecution arises because of

the word, immediately he stum-

bles. Now he who received seed

among the thorns is he who

hears the word, and the cares of

this world and the deceitfulness

of riches choke the word, and he

becomes unfruitful.

Matthew 13:20–22

The Tests

What are the tests that we will

have to go through? One very

simple outline is found in Matthew

13, the well-known parable of the

sower who spread the seed. In this

parable, Jesus speaks about the

different kinds of soil, each repre-

sentative of a different kind of

person who hears the Word of God.

Describing how some seed falls

by the wayside and is devoured by

birds before it can enter the ground,

and other seed falls on rocky ground

Knowing that the testing of your

faith produces patience [endur-

ance]. But let patience have its

perfect work, that you may be

perfect and complete, lacking

nothing.

James is saying that if we go

through the test and hold out, it will

shape every area of our character and

personality. It will make us complete,

fully-rounded Christians.

Very simply stated, there are two

kinds of tests: when life is too hard

the teaching legacy of derek prince | dpm archive

James 1:3–4

Volume XVI, Issue 4

and when it is too easy. The first test

is persecution; the second is pros-

perity. Some people cannot stand the

persecution; some cannot stand the

prosperity. Some people can make it

when they are persecuted, but when

God blesses them with a beautiful

home, two cars and a boat, they get

much more wrapped up in the

things of this world than in the

Kingdom of God.

There are others who receive the

Word with joy, speak in tongues,

give their testimony everywhere,

and prophesy—they bask in the

blessings of God. But a few months

later you can’t find them because

the moment opposition came, they

just wilted away.

The truth is, we have to endure

both tests. We will be tested by tribu-

lation and also by success, and we

must hold out through both. Let me

give four suggestions concerning the

biblical way to achieve endurance.

1. A Firm Commitment. The

first one is that we make a

wholehearted commitment to Jesus

Christ without any reservations.

This is the way a normal Christian

walk should begin.

Here are two scriptural exhor-

tations to new converts. The first,

in Acts 11:23, records what Barna-

bas said to a new group of

Christians in the city of Antioch:

The key phrase, “purpose of

heart,” indicates that you must

really make up your mind to stick

with the Lord, regardless. If your

friends don’t, you will. Even if your

family doesn’t, you will. That is the

purpose of heart we need.

Then, in Acts 14:22, we find

Barnabas and Paul exhorting new

converts in a similar way:

necessary to endure these trials.

2. Focusing on the Eternal. The

second principle of endurance is

found in Hebrews 11:27, which

refers to Moses, who grew up in

Egypt destined to inherit the throne

as the son of the Pharaoh’s daughter.

He had education, wealth, social

privilege—in fact, everything the

world could offer. But at the age of

forty he turned his back on it, fled

from Egypt, and spent the next

forty years looking after a few sheep

in the back side of the desert. The

verse says of Moses:

Strengthening the souls of the

disciples, exhorting them to

continue in the faith, and

saying, “We must through

many tribulations enter the

kingdom of God.”

By faith he forsook Egypt, not

fearing the wrath of the king;

for he endured as seeing Him

who is invisible.

New converts need to know there

is no other way into the kingdom of

God except through tribulation. I

understand “the kingdom of God” in

two senses: There is the future

kingdom, which Jesus will bring and

establish; but there is also the king-

dom that we enter and live in now.

And it is through much tribulation

that we come into kingdom living.

We will be subject to pressure in

every area of our lives.

When people come to the Lord,

we owe it to them to warn them

that if they are going to move into

kingdom living, it will be through

tribulation and opposition. It is

unfair to tell new converts that

when they come to Jesus all of

their problems are solved. The fact

is, they will have problems as

Christians that they never before

knew existed. A firm commitment

to the Lord Jesus Christ will be

That is the essence of endurance:

seeing Him who is invisible .

Faith is the faculty that enables

us to see that which is invisible. It

is related to the unseen, “the

conviction of things not seen”

(Hebrews 11:1, NASB ). If we are to

hold out, the unseen world must

be more real to us than the seen.

Otherwise, we will fall in love with

the world system and turn our

back on the unseen realities of

God’s kingdom.

In 2 Corinthians 4:17–18, we read:

For our light affliction, which is

but for a moment, is working

for us a far more exceeding and

eternal weight of glory, while

we do not look at the things

which are seen, but at the things

which are not seen. For the

When he came and had seen

the grace of God, he was glad,

and encouraged them all that

with purpose of heart they

should continue with the Lord.

the teaching legacy of derek prince | dpm archive

Volume XVI, Issue 4

things which are seen are

temporary, but the things which

are not seen are eternal.

Testament who fell, too. His name

was Peter. Jesus spoke to Peter,

knowing that he was going to deny

Him three times:

Finally, there is laid up for me

the crown of righteousness,

which the Lord, the righteous

Judge, will give me on that Day.

2 Timothy 4:8

It is important to see that affliction

only works out God’s purpose for us

while we keep our eyes on the

unseen. The unseen is the eternal and

does not change. Spend time with

your Bible. Read it, meditate on it,

live in it, believe it, ask the Holy

Spirit to make it real to you. Soon it

will become so real to you that

nothing in this world could tempt

you to be disloyal to Jesus Christ.

3. Not Giving Up. In addition to

the need for a firm commitment to

the Lord and keeping our eyes on

the unseen, there is a third princi-

ple: if you fail, don’t give up. One of

the devil’s cleverest tricks is to say,

“You are a failure. You might as well

give up, because God has given up

on you.” Don’t believe him—he is a

liar. In Psalm 37 David wrote:

And the Lord said, “Simon,

Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked

for you, that he may sift you as

wheat. But I have prayed for

you, that your faith should not

fail.”

Luke 22:31–32

Paul was awaiting trial and

probable execution at the hands of

a very unjust ruler. But he said,

“That is not the last word. There is

going to be another judgment

day—a prize-giving day—and the

Judge will be absolutely just.”

Some of us will be rather

surprised to see who gets the gold

medal. It will not be based on the

speed at which we ran, but rather

the faithfulness and steadfastness

with which we served. If we will

stand the test, we will come out

like gold refined by fire.

Jesus did not pray that Peter

would not deny Him, but that his

faith would not fail. Jesus was saying

to Peter, “Even though you deny Me,

your faith will not fail. You will fall,

but you will get up again.” In the

same way, if you fall, just stretch out

your hand by faith, and let the Lord

pick you up. Don’t give up; the Lord

has not given up on you.

4. An Eye on the Prize. The

fourth principle is: remember the

prize-giving. Not all the issues of

life are settled now. There are some

things that remain for the future.

Paul writes his testimony of

faith from his jail cell: “I have

fought the good fight, I have

finished the race, I have kept the

faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). Those three

things go together. If you are going

to keep the faith, you must fight

the fight. Faith is a fight. You

cannot escape the fight and keep

the faith. You must fight the fight

to finish your race. Paul did all

three: he fought the fight, he

finished the race, and he kept the

faith. From then on, he was

waiting for the prize-giving.

Adapted from a New Wine article,

“Enduring Under Trials,” May 1980.

For further study, we recom-

mend Derek Prince’s CD:

Endurance

We are making this material available to

you at no charge. Just use the enclosed

reply slip to request your copy.

Reproduction of articles from

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tribution is permitted. To

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The steps of a good man are

ordered by the L ORD , and He

delights in his way. Though he

fall, he shall not be utterly cast

down; for the L ORD upholds him

with His hand.

Remember that if you fall, you

will not be utterly cast down

because the Lord has your hand.

David knew that. Even though he

had fallen terribly and tragically in

the matter of Bathsheba, God

forgave and restored him. He could

say, “Even when you fall, don’t give

up. God will pick you back up.”

There was a man in the New

Derek Prince Ministries

P.O. Box 19501

Charlotte, NC 28219

704.357.3556

www.derekprince.org

TL084

the teaching legacy of derek prince | dpm archive

vv. 23–24

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