Stand Firm | English Devotion | NHFCSG

 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

Stand Firm

 

Paul writes a wonderful passage of comfort and assurance after describing the terrible conditions which will befall the world under the antichrist at the end of the age.

He is about to shift from the bad news to the good news as he says that no matter how bad things become in the world, Christians are expected to be different.

He says that the process of standing firm in the midst of a troubled world begins with the love of God for mankind.

We are so conscious of our own failure that, although we hide from others the mess we have made of our lives, we know we have not even measured up to our own hopes and dreams, let alone God's, thus, we have a hard time believing that God could love us.

But Scripture says in John 3:16 that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

How amazing to know that God loves us even though he knows everything about us! He knows our likes and dislikes, the wrong things we have done and the evil thoughts that we have, yet he still loves us. 

Jesus put it very plainly when he said, "No one can come to me except my Father draw him!" (John 6:44), these words express the fact of God's call.

Paul says, God called us for salvation and it includes conversion and regeneration, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and other changes that happen to us.

Paul is speaking of apostolic truth, by saying hold fast the traditions you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.

A church that begins to forsake apostolic truth soon falls into error and weakness, but God expects his people to stand firm because they hold fast the traditions of the truth.

Nothing takes the place of the Scriptures, in John 5:39 Jesus said to the Pharisees, search the Scriptures for in them you think you will find eternal life, but they are what gives testimony to me.

Paul is underlining that the great resource of the believer is God himself.

When you are in trouble, expect God, who is your defense, to supply strength so that you may hold steady and watch him as he works to unfold a solution to your difficulty.

You have the power to do it! God will establish, strengthen, and support you to enable you to do so.

 

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your faithful promises to strengthen, establish, and protect us, even when our faith falters .Use us as an instrument of Your grace and keep us from all evil, so that we may grow in grace and in the knowledge of You, in Jesus' precious name we pray. Amen