True Virtue – When You Feel Like Giving Up

Opening

• 1 Timothy 4:16 (NIV) | Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
• Doctrine: what you know and what you show as God helps you grow.

Perseverance

• Greek (ἐπιμένω) Meaning: to stay on; I remain, tarry, (b) I remain in, persist in
• Note the personalization with ‘I’

Hebrews 10:35-37 (NLT) | ³⁵ So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! ³⁶ Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. ³⁷ “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay.

Discouragement means a loss of confidence

Why do we give up?

• Our perspective is often limited
• Progress isn’t always obvious
• Progress helps us trust the process

Joshua 6:1-5 (NLT) | ¹ Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. ² But the Lord said to Joshua, “I have given you Jericho, its king, and all its strong warriors. ³ You and your fighting men should march around the town once a day for six days. ⁴ Seven priests will walk ahead of the Ark, each carrying a ram’s horn. On the seventh day you are to march around the town seven times, with the priests blowing the horns. ⁵ When you hear the priests give one long blast on the rams’ horns, have all the people shout as loud as they can. Then the walls of the town will collapse, and the people can charge straight into the town.”

• Don’t quit on 6 – the breakthrough could be on your very next step!
• God often does something in you before He does something for you.

Reflection Questions

1. When did you last experience difficulties that left you disoriented, discouraged?
2. What did God show you so you could grow closer to Him and others?
3. What is unique about how the biblical Greek depicts perseverance?
4. How did Pastor Mark discuss discouragement? Where should we place our confidence?
5. When are you most inclined to quit? Why? How might this week’s message help you hold on when you might otherwise feel inclined to let go?