I enjoy the me-time which affords me the opportunity to think about many things going on in Christendom. Days ago I began to question myself why many believers are unsure if they would go to heaven.

What actually inspired this question was that, I've had conversations with many men of God and most often the issue has been: "we cannot miss heaven after all this labour."

Will you believe that even men of God are very careful about their personal salvation? What if I die and God told me: "I never knew you." The situation is not with just men of God, but also other Christians who attend service daily. Although they are always in church, many are not sure if they are fit enough to enter into God's rest.

After that reflection, a popular Methodist hymn came to mind:

"Will your anchor hold in the storm of life,

When the clouds unfold their wings of strife,

When the strong tide lift, and the cable strain,

Will your anchor drift or firm remain?"

Incontinently, Matthew 7:25 also lifted my spirit. The scripture reads, "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock."

This is a popular parable about the kingdom of God which was narrated by Jesus Christ. Many of us might have read or heard it being preached on the pulpit and the usual understanding is that when you build your life on the word of God, you will have a very firm foundation. And that is very true. But let's go deeper into this parable for our common benefit.

This particular parable teaches one thing: Endurance.

We endure something for an unseen but revealed glory. No one has seen heaven but it has been revealed in us and we believe we will get there if and only if we have faith in Christ Jesus. The word of God says, everything will pass away except the word which is Himself. So as believers we need to endure to remain in the word that we may be saved. The rock is your faith in Jesus Christ, thus the revealed and spoken word of God in your spirit, and the house is your own life. Your life is saved, if your faith in Christ Jesus is sustained. You must at all cost fulfil His word to have a place in the kingdom of heaven.

The depth of the word in your heart determines the strength of the foundation of your life. For the word to have impact in your life, it takes persistence practice and endurance to walk by the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Just meditate on this scripture, 2 Timothy 2:12, "if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, He also will deny us."

Considering the world of money, sex and lust, your walk with Christ, is like a two hundred pound woman, jogging every morning until she attains a fifty pound weight that she may qualify for a modelling carrier. It will take endurance to do this but you are victorious through the Holy Ghost. The Holy Spirit is there to help us to endure to the very end.

Let's also consider this scripture too, 2 Timothy 4:7, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."

Brethren, there is a battle to fight, a race to run and a faith to keep. We are not just called to sit aloof and watch as spectators on this battlefield. The storm blowing is economic hardship so will you also decide to be corrupt as everyone is or remain truthful to the word? The wind blowing is sexual immorality, materialism and the rest, will you fall to it or remain truthful to the word? Our walk with Christ will not be a smooth ride, it's an everyday alert that the world is opposing our course. And it's an everyday reminder, that heaven is a prize to be won.

HOW DO YOU ENDURE?

1. Be firm, rooted and grounded in Christ Jesus. Colossians 2:6-7, "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." You can only do this by constant meditation on the word.

2. Be rooted and grounded in love. Ephesians 3:17 "so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,". You can be rooted and grounded in love for God by just hating sin and for man by developing the habit of trying to be of help to everyone you meet. Separate yourself from politics, ethnicity, denominationalism, religiosity and every element of segregation. Just see the world as two groups of people, the Believer and the worldly man. You have a duty to win the world for Christ and also to support your fellow Christians even when they are falling.

3. Be sober-minded and pray. 1 Peter 5:8-9 "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world." You need to stay alert always, he battles us in our mind. Resist the world with the word and keep your feet in the fire through prayer.

4. Avoid complacency.  1 Corinthians 10:12 "Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall." Don't over emphasise your holiness. Don't be a braggart, blowing the horn of your righteousness. Let men commend you for your good. Take heed, and pray for the ability to stand.

5. Do not condemn people. Plug out the log in your own eyes. Matthew 7:4-5 "Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." Concentrate much on yourself than making other people your talking point. Appreciate the good people and pray that they may be strengthened in their weaknesses. Don't condemn and judge people. When you do that you open a door for the enemy to attack you.

6. Consciously discipline yourself. 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 "So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." This is the scripture that scares many pastors. Jesus did not die for anyone to remain a fool. He took that pain that we may walk as the wise. Bring your body under subjection and endure the temptation to the end.

Salvation is a treasure to behold carefully, lest it slips and fall out of your hands. Walk in a manner worthy of your calling, pressing on to the end. Endure the hardship, the betrayals and the many pains the world may bring on your way as you decide to stick to Christ.

When money is not in your pocket, endure, for the Apostle Paul said, "I have learned to abase and abound". When you are sick, endure, for the Apostle Paul said, "I will glory in my weakness that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

When the world rejects you, endure, for Christ said, "the world will hate you just as they hated me". When your family rejects you, endure, for Christ again said, "if you want to follow me you need to deny your mother, your father and siblings".

May be you were a Muslim and has converted to Christianity, it's not going to be an easy path but endure. The family may reject you and may even try to take your life, but still endure.

The scripture in 2 Corinthians 4:17 said: "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

What you are facing now are light afflictions and they will not be permanent. The crown of glory is eternal and weightier than our afflictions here on earth. Don't grow weak in faith, be strengthened everyday in your inner man.

PRAYER

May an extraordinary divine zeal be ignited in your Spirit man to be able to stand even to the end of time, May no ensnarement have any hold on you. May your faith be strengthened to fulfil your divine assignment. I decree that you shall never miss your crowns. Remain a conqueror and a victor all the days of your life. Amen

Remain blessed!!

Rev Eugene Gyakari

Contact me on:

Email: eogyakari@gmail.com

WhatsApp: +233(0)244185357