“By your endurance [KJV: patience], you will save your life [KJV: possess ye your souls].” [Luke 21:19 (GW)]. So whatever problems or circumstances you have, use endurance, go through them, and hold on until the end of it. Do not complain or give up! You are in the right place to learn how to endure!

Revised: Saturday, October 21, 2023

Endurance: You Can Go Through Whatever You’re Going Through

STM Bible Lesson

Lesson focus: Colossians 1:11. Bible lesson background Colossians 1:9-18: Paul was in prison when he wrote to the saints in Colossae. In this section of the letter, he prays for them and tells them what Christ has done.

Colossians 1:11 [read Colossians 1:9-18 (11)]: [We also pray that] God will strengthen you […being strengthened] with his own great power [all power according to his glorious might] so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient. (EXB); KJV: Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering^G3115 with joyfulness;
Makrothumia – longsuffering: G3115 μακροθυμία makrothumia (mak-roth-oo-mee’-ah) – {Strong’s}; 1) patience, endurance, constancy, steadfastness, perseverance.
Definitions – endurance: The Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary 1828 – a bearing or suffering; a continuing under pain or distress without resistance, or without sinking or yielding to the pressure; sufferance; patience’.
My definition – the ability to patiently continue, to go through, and to suffer without giving up under all conditions or in any situation.

Patiently not giving up

God gave us the skill, patience (longsuffering), to endure every test, trial, heartache, and hardship that life brings. I remind you, child of God, that when you received the Holy Spirit, you received patience! As a result, you will not give up, but hold on and go through when troubles or hardships come.
Galatians 5:22 [read Galatians 5:6-26 (22)]: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (RKJNT); KJV: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

The apostles endured much

2 Corinthians 6:3 [read 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 (3)]: Do not offend or give anyone a reason to criticize the things you do. (CEB); KJV: Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:; 2 Corinthians 6:3 contains a fascinating truth that all of God’s children, but especially preachers, should be aware of. The apostles’ experiences in 2 Corinthians 6:4, 5, 8, and 10 show endurance.

But they never gave up

2 Corinthians 6:4-5 [read 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 (4-5)]: But in every way we show that we are servants of God. We never give up, even though we face troubles, difficulties, and problems of every kind. 5 We are beaten and thrown into prison. People get upset at us and fight against us. We work hard, and sometimes we get no sleep or food. 2 Corinthians 6:4-5 (ERV); KJV: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;

You can go through it!

2 Corinthians 6:9-10 [read 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 (9-10)]: The world ignores us, but we are known to God; we live close to death, but here we are, still very much alive. We have been injured but kept from death. 10 Our hearts ache, but at the same time we have the joy of the Lord. We are poor, but we give rich spiritual gifts to others. We own nothing, and yet we enjoy everything. (TLB); KJV: As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10 As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Other endurance synonyms

strength – The quality or state of being strong; ability to do or to bear; capacity for exertion or endurance, whether physical, intellectual, or moral; force; vigor; power; as, strength of body or of the arm; strength of mind, of memory, or of judgment.
sufferance – The state of suffering; the bearing of pain; endurance. Patient endurance especially of pain or distress.
stamina, staying power, toughness – Whatever constitutes the principal strength or support of anything; power of endurance; backbone; vigor; as, the stamina of a constitution or of life; the stamina of a State. Enduring strength and energy.
tolerance – The endurance of the presence or actions of objectionable persons, or of the expression of offensive opinions; toleration. The power or capacity of an organism to tolerate unfavorable environmental conditions.
forbearance – The exercise of patience; long suffering; indulgence towards those who injure us; lenity; delay of resentment or punishment.
steadfastness – Firmness of mind or purpose; fixedness in principle; constancy; resolution; as the stedfastness of faith. He adhered to his opinions with steadfastness.
perseverance – The act of persevering; persistence in anything undertaken; continued pursuit or prosecution of any business, or enterprise begun. (Theological) Continuance in a state of grace until it is succeeded by a state of glory; sometimes called final perseverance, and the perseverance of the saints.

Lasting through it all

2 Corinthians 1:6 [read 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (6)]: But if we are troubled (afflicted and distressed), it is for your comfort (consolation and encouragement) and [for your] salvation; and if we are comforted (consoled and encouraged), it is for your comfort (consolation and encouragement), which works [in you] when you patiently endure the same evils (misfortunes and calamities) that we also suffer and undergo. (AMPC); KJV: And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.; ὑπομονή hupomone (hoop-om-on-ay’) 5281 – cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy {Mickelson}; remaining faithful to God and His purpose for you ( through trials and sufferings; Thayer’s definition – a patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance; in the NT the characteristic of a person who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings.

Endure unto the end…

Some people are unaware that salvation is conditional, meaning that to receive it we must satisfy specific conditions. Accordingly, in this lesson, we focus on endurance (perseverance; patience). Jesus helps us understand this condition in Matthew 10:22 as He tells us to “endure unto the end“. What does that mean? Let’s look at a few translations to get a better understanding:

(CEB), (NCB), (NIV), and (NIVUK) – ‘stands firm‘.
(CJB), (GNT), and (NTFE) – ‘holds out‘.
(CEV), (ERV), and (NIRV) – ‘remains faithful‘.

Matthew 10:22 [read Matthew 10:16-26 (22)]: And you will be hated by everyone for being loyal to me. But the person who endures [this persecution by remaining faithful] to the end [of his life] is the one who will be saved [i.e., from spiritual and physical destruction]. (AUV); KJV: And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

People won’t want the truth

2 Timothy 4:3-4 [read 1-5 (3-4)]: The time will come when people will not listen to the truth. They will look for teachers who will tell them only what they want to hear. 4 They will not listen to the truth. Instead, they will listen to stories made up by men. (NLV); KJV: For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Please take a moment to consider this warning compiled from various translations using 2 Timothy 4:3-4. The time is coming when people will not listen to {tolerate; put up with; endure} the truth {sound; healthy; wholesome teaching / instructions²}.

Instead, they will look for teachers who will say what they want to hear to support their desires {please them; pacify, gratify and encourage the way they want to live}. They will no longer listen to the truth, but will follow and listen to those who will tell them made-up or sugar-coated stories {tales designed to hold their interest and encourage their financial support}.

You Can Go Through Whatever You’re Going Through

1 Corinthians 10:11-13 [read 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (11-13)]: These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age. 12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (NLT); KJV: Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Warning

Let the experiences of the children of Israel be an example. Because they did not endure unto the end of their journey to the promised land. Never become self-righteous or too comfortable because God is using you. God picked Moses* and Aaron** to lead His people, however, He did not allow them to enter the “promised land***”.

Numbers 20:12 [read Numbers 20:6-12 (12)]: But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you have not believed (trusted) Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, you therefore shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” (AMP); KJV: And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
Foot note:: *Moses: see Exodus 3:4-10. **Aaron, his brother: see Exodus 4:14-17. ***See (Numbers 20:6-12 (12); Deuteronomy 3:23-29; 31:1-8, 14-30).

Do not make the same mistake

1 Corinthians 10:5 [read 1 Corinthians 10:5 (5)]: But God was not pleased with most of them [the children of Israel]. They died in the desert. (ICB); KJV: But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.; 1 Corinthians 10:6-10 summarizes the reasons for the Lord’s displeasure:

First of all, they grumbled, murmured, and complained about the desert, lack of water, food (i.e., manna), etc. Read Numbers 21:4-9 (4-6); Numbers 14:1-38 (2-3 and 27-37).
Next, they had illicit sex with the Moabite woman and worshiped idols {Baal of Peor} (Numbers 9:1-3). Twenty-four thousand died (Numbers 25:9). {read Numbers 13-14 (14:26-45); Deuteronomy 9:6-29; Numbers 26:5-11}

Whatever obstacles, issues, or situations you encounter, you can go through anything if you apply both patience and endurance. Just keep going. So do not be like the children of Israel; do not complain or give up; go through it. Thank you for taking the time to read this Bible lesson. I urge you to make full use of it. Blessings to you and your loved ones—♥ Tim. ☺