Why Steadfastness Will Win and Make You Strong and Victorious

The Word of God makes much ado about a certain family of words which include patience, steadfastness, and long-suffering. These words are part of a stable of words that are of sublime importance to the Jesus follower. When the scripture encourages us to allow steadfastness to have its full effect, that we may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:4) that should be enough promise to turn anyone’s head. Certain officers once approached Napoleon to recommend a young captain for promotion. Napoleon asked, “Why do you recommend this man?” Their answer was that through courage and cleverness he had recently won a significant victory. “Good,” said Napoleon, “but what did he do the next day and the next day after?” On investigation they found that he had gone back to his usual unzealous and casual manner of life. Napoleon therefore refused to advance the man. He was looking for consistency and steadfastness.¹ God is looking to advance you, so guess what He is looking for? The same traits — consistency and steadfastness. Why Steadfastness Will Win and Make You Strong and Victorious. That’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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Accept the Challenge

Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put it into operation.
This week’s call is:

Steadfastness is staying power. It’s where a believer is inspired by a pious and heroic will to hold firm. Are you going through a test or a trial? Do as the scripture says – Count it all joy!

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Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11). Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony.
This week’s question is:

Question: Share an episode from your life where you had to exercise stedfastness during a trying situation. What happened as a result of your encounter? Please share your story in the comments section below.

Episode Resources:

If you would like to know more about growing in faith, see the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

We are currently teaching on the subject of Divine Healing. You can click on the links below to listen to more podcasts or read blog posts along this line.

About Emery

Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 48 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. He and his wife Sharon of 44 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.

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Prayer

Well again, welcome.
Let’s pray.

Father God, thank you for Jesus. Thank you for His strength and His encouragement to live a life full of steadfastness and patience. Open our eyes today by granting us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of your Word. We thank you for that in Jesus Name, Amen.

Steadfastness: What James Says

So, we are going to start in the book of James today.

James 1:2–4 (ESV) — 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing…

Now, drop to verse 12.

James 1:12 (ESV) —12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

So steadfastness is our focal point today and so with that thought, here is the Definition of the Day.
The Greek word ‘steadfastness’ is the word ‘hypomonē’ and it basically means endurance, constancy, or perseverance.
Operating in steadfastness implies self-mastery.
That is a self-controlled mindset that doesn’t let loose but stays contained.
What’s supposed to be contained by steadfastness? — your thoughts, words, emotions, and actions.

Steadfastness and Hope

When a person exercises Bible steadfastness, he bears, endures, and perseveres, with an expectant waiting on God motivated by hope in Him.²
Steadfastness has absolute ties to hope and waiting on God.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 (ESV) — 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is a noble thing to wait on God to deliver you from trials.

Lamentations 3:24–26 (ESV) — 24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” 25 The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. 26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.

Steadfastness Refuses to Quit

Here’s where steadfastness pays dividends.
Here’s where endurance, constancy and perseverance pays.
While you are waiting, you stay the course despite the difficult circumstances.
You don’t quit.
Instead, you stay contained.
You don’t pull off the track you’re running.
Instead, you remain on course.
The stedfastness, endurance, constancy, and perseverance, of the believer will not be complaining, weary, despondent, or grumbling.
No! — this believer is inspired by a pious and heroic will to hold firm.
Steadfastness is staying power.
It’s refusing to quit power.
Rick Renner defines it as hang-in-there-power.
An attitude that holds out, holds on, outlasts, perseveres, never gives up, and refuses to surrender to obstacles.³
So blessed is that man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life.
But, he will receive more than that — he will receive his deliverance.
So, do you understand the mindset that you should have when dealing with trials of various kinds?

Steadfastness and Joy

Now, with all that being said, we can see a picture of the Jesus follower developing like a Polaroid before our eyes.
In this age of cell-phones and digital cameras, you may not know what a Polaroid is.
A Polaroid is instant film photography.
Take a pic and the camera spits out an ‘instant print’ that develops anywhere from five to fifteen minutes right in front of your eyes.
What you see coming into ‘Polaroid’ focus of this Jesus follower is a picture of what he or she looks like on a calm ‘nothing special’ kind of day.
You’re not always going to be in the trenches dealing with difficult circumstances.
So if a believer is supposed to be steadfast when dealing with negative tests and trials, doesn’t that constancy come from a place of habit?
Doesn’t that perseverance show up because you are that way everyday?
The sun is shinning and you’re steady.
The sun is not shining and you’re still the same way.
You’re not moved.
Right? — that’s James 1:2.

James 1:2 (ESV) — 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

The word count means to reckon, or to determine, and it depicts a choice to determine one’s course of action. It importantly, pictures of decision, not left to emotions or circumstances. ⁴
If you are to count a situation as joy, when you are facing a joyless situation, if you’re remaining steadfast while dealing with something that inherently is no fun, why wouldn’t you be full of joy when you are not dealing with that kind of a trial?
Both hang-in-there power and joy are part of your baseline.
Jesus followers are happy folk.
They should be.
You have a reason to be happy all the time.
Jesus is your Lord.
Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords and that means you are on the winning side.
Winning is always a cause for celebration.

Steadfastness and Long-Suffering: What’s the Difference?

Let’s get this next piece established because it will help you with studying your Bible.
We said that the Greek word ‘steadfastness’ used in James one, verse four, our main text,’ is the Greek word ‘hypomonē.’
But, there’s another Greek word that is similar to ‘hypomonē’ and that is the word ‘makrothumeo.’
‘Makrothumeo’ means long-suffering.
We will talk some more in detail about this word in a little bit.
The problem you will run into when you read your favorite Bible translation is that in certain places both of these words ‘hypomonē’ — steadfastness and ‘makrothumeo’ — long-suffering, are both translated in your favorite Bible translation as ‘patience.’
The reason is because both steadfastness and long-suffering share that trait.
Now, they are not interchangeable words — there’s a difference between the too, and it’s an important distinction.
Steadfastness or ‘hypomonē’ deals with situations like trials.
Long-suffering or ‘makrothumeo’ deals with people.
You need patience to deal with trials and you need patience to deal with people.
So, here you are, you are reading your Bible, right and come upon the word patience.
From a study standpoint, you should stop and see which Greek word is being used.
Is it the Greek word ‘hypomonē’ — steadfastness or ‘makrothumeo’ — long-suffering?

Steadfastness and Long-Suffering: Do Some Study

Be encouraged to look a bit deeper in your Bible study.
I mean that’s what the Word of God says.

2 Timothy 2:15 (ESV) — 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

Now, nothing worth doing comes easy.
That’s why it’s called Bible study not just Bible reading.
You haven’t studied unless you do some digging.
Studying is a form of work that requires conscious effort, focus, and time in order to understand.
Study your Bible.
When you study along the lines of steadfastness and long-suffering, you will become aware of how your translation handles these two words.

Steadfastness and Long-Suffering: Different Translations

You should start by knowing what kind of translation you are reading.
There are three different translation methods.
First, there is the word-by-word translation or what’s called a literal translation.
We are talking an Interlinear Bible, King James Version, New American Standard Version, and the English Standard Version or the ESV.
Word-by-word translations take the Greek or Hebrew word and translate it directly into its English counterpart even keeping the same word order if possible.
These bibles, most closely follow the copies of the original manuscripts.
Another method of translation is called a thought-for-thought translation.
Instead of focusing on translating word-for-word to English, a thought-for-thought translation examines the whole sentence and arranges the order of the words so that it makes the most sense in English.
Thought-for-thought translations go for the meaning, not the exact wording.
The potential problem you should be aware of is that to create a thought-for-thought translation from the original, some interpretation must occur.
Now, mind you, I am a little biased because I like to get at the definitions of the individual words in scripture and allow that to do the translating.
Thought-for-thought translations include the New International Version, Good News Bible, and the New Living Translation.
Lastly, we have the paraphrases.
A paraphrase is a restatement of the meaning of a text or passage using other words not in the original text.
The Message Translation, The Passion Translation, are examples of these.
These translations are good for devotions or devotional work but not for serious Bible study.
Understand this statement: the Bible you choose to use as your main Bible is a very important decision you need to make as a Jesus follower.
And with that thought, here is the Quote of the Day.

Having the correct knowledge of God and your spiritual well-being are strongly dependent upon the accuracy of the Bible that you read and study.⁵

I use a word-for-word translation.
I use the ESV.
So, to keep things straight, and I like to do that, you must know which word is being used in the particular scripture you’re looking at.

Steadfastness and Long-Suffering: The Patience Part

Earlier we said that both the word ‘hypomonē’ — stedfastness or ‘makrothumeo’ — long-suffering is translated as ‘patience’ in certain verses in your translation.
Here’s an example.

Luke 8:15 (ESV) — 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Which word for patience is this?
The word here for patience is ‘hypomonē’ or stedfastness.
So, in the Parable of the Sower, the sower sows the Word.
But, only a certain type bears fruit from that seed — that Word of God sown in the heart.
One must hold that Word fast in their heart.
The Greek word for ‘hold it fast’ means to heed, to listen, hear, or pay close attention to, and usually respond in conformity.
So first, you hear the Word, then you pay close attention to it by conforming to it — by doing it — by making adjustments to do it.
Then comes the patience part.
We must remain steadfast.
Stedfast means staying power.
It means hang-in there power.
Refusing to quit power.
A steadfast attitude is one that holds out, holds on, outlasts, perseveres, never gives up, and refuses to surrender to obstacles.
Implying that you’re dealing with some type of pressure to pull you off of what you have heard — to pull you off the Word sown in your heart.
Despite the pressure, you hang-in-there and remain constant for it is in this frame of mind that you bear fruit.
Bearing fruit is a result of the Word of God, which is the seed, coming to pass in your life.
Are you beginning to see how critical ‘steadfastness’ is?
Let’s look at another verse along this line.

Hebrew 6:11–12 (ESV) — And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

So, now we have another verse that has the word ‘patience.’
We ask the same question that we asked when we looked at Luke 8:15.
Is the word ‘patience’ here the word ‘makrothumeo,’ that is, long-suffering or ‘hypomonē’ — ‘steadfastness.’
Long-suffering means the state of remaining tranquil while awaiting an outcome.⁶
This word ‘long-suffering’ is two words made of ‘long’ and ‘suffer.’
In the Greek, it’s one word but it’s a compound word, in other words two Greek words melted together to make one word.
It’s like flour and water coming together to make gravy.
‘Makrothumeo’ is the Greek word we’ve been talking about and the two words that make it up are ‘makros’ and ‘thumeo.’
The word ‘makros’ depicts something that is long, and ‘thumeo’ is the word for anger.
Put the two words together and you have ‘long-anger’ and it is a picture of the long restraint of anger and the reason it is often translated as patience or long-suffering.⁷
This word ‘makrothumeo’ is the word for patience used here in Hebrews 6:12.
It is not ‘hypomonē’ or ‘steadfastness’ as in Luke 8:15.
Knowing that reread Hebrews 6:12.

Steadfastness deals with circumstances — things like tests and trials.
Long-suffering deals with people.
Since long-suffering means being slow to get angry – or having a long restraint from anger, who is this directed at?
Why would you have to be ‘slow to get angry’ when you are trying to obtain Bible promises?
Because the process of inheritance is a slow process.
In the area of inheriting the promises, you must exercise patience — you must exercise long-suffering but not just with a process but with a person.
Well, who is the person who is responsible for the process of you inheriting the promises?
God is that person.
You have to suffer long with God!
So long-suffering, or patience with God, choosing to remain tranquil, refusing to get anger — suffering long while the Father God works the promises out in your life is what is being communicated here.
Isn’t that intriguing?
People get impatient with the process of receiving from God.
They get mad, become frustrated, and they start looking for alternatives rather than remaining tranquil.
People just don’t have patience with God.
They just snap their fingers and want stuff to happen on their schedule.
Now put these two verses, Luke 8:15 and Hebrews 6:12 together.
I’m going to read them back to back for you with the right Greek words substituted for patience.

Luke 8:15 (ESV) — 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfastness [with hanging in there power — with staying power.]

So you see, you need both qualities working in your life to receive from God.
To receive healing, you need steadfastness and long-suffering.
Do you see this now?

Steadfastness Takes Time to Develop

Going back to our starting text in James one.

The testing of your faith produces the very thing you need to develop.
You see you don’t have a deposit of it at the new birth like so many other things.

Galatians 5:22–23 (ESV) — 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Did you hear the word patience? — the fruit of the recreated born-again human spirit is love, joy, peace, patience?
Which word is the word for patience here?
Can you guess?
Is the word ‘patience’ here the word ‘makrothumeo,’ that is, long-suffering or ‘hypomonē’ — ‘steadfastness?’
If you guessed ‘makrothumeo,’ or long-suffering, you would be right!
Why because ‘makrothumeo’ or long-suffering, deals with people.
The Fruit of the Spirit is the fruit of your spirit and that deals with people.
The first fruit in this list is the mother of all fruits and that’s love.
And walking in love is all about other people — it’s all about how you treat other people.
All of these fruits of the spirit are deposited in you, via the new birth, as a fruit that’s growable when you gave your heart to Jesus.
But, steadfastness, staying power, refusing to quit power is not a fruit of the spirit.
So, how do you get it?
Well, latch on to these two verses.
First, in Ephesians three is a recorded prayer that Paul prayed.

Ephesians 3:14–16 (ESV) — 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being…

Now over in Colossians one, you have another recorded prayer that Paul prayed for the saints.

Colossians 1:9 (ESV) — 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;

Now since, you have already read Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians, you can understand where this strength comes from.
It comes from Him.
It comes in answer to prayer.
What are the results of this prayer — what does praying to be strengthened by His Spirit in the inner man produce?
Endurance and patience with joy!
Now because we are good students of the Word, we know to look up these two words and lo and behold, what do we find?
The word for ‘endurance’ is the word ‘hypomonē’ which we know to be ‘steadfastness.’
The word ‘patience’ here is the word ‘makrothumeo,’ that is, long-suffering.

So, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,… 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all steadfastness and longsuffering with joy;

So, pray this prayer for yourself.
The testing of your faith produces steadfastness — that’s James one.

Steadfastness and Tests and Trials

Now, one more time James 1:3.

3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

The word ‘produces’ means to work down from the top to the bottom.
It depicts a person who has been supernaturally energized when that believer makes the decision to push back against the enemies attack.
When that stand is taken, that prayer for strength that you have praying all along, ‘Lord strengthen me with might by your Spirit in my inner man’ gets answered.
And that divine strengthening hits you from the top of your head right down to your feet.
Glory to God, Hallelujah.

Steadfastness Call to Action

I encourage you today to pray for strength Ephesians 3:16 style.
I encourage to finish studying out the word ‘hypomonē’ by searching every occurrence of the word out in the New Testament.
You can do an online search.
I put an exact link in the podcast notes to help you — https://biblehub.com/greek/5281.htm.

Now Father God, thank you. We pray right now for this divine strengthening — strength that translates to steadfastness. Strengthen us with might by your Spirit in our inner man in Jesus mighty Name, Amen.

Why Steadfastness Will Win and Make You Strong and Victorious.
You guys have a great God week and we will see you next time for another edition of Light on Life.

Why God’s Love and Direction Are a Match Made in Heaven

__________
References:

Roy B. Zuck, The Speaker’s Quote Book: Over 4,500 Illustrations and Quotations for All Occasions (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 1997), 146. ↩
Ceslas Spicq and James D. Ernest, Theological Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 1994), 417. ↩
Rick Reiner, RIV, James pp. 23 ↩
Trump, Rick Renner ↩
https://www.chapter3min.org/bible-translations-comparison-charts/ ↩
William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 612. ↩
Sparkling Gems 2 – Rick Reiner pp. 1574 Kindle ↩

emeryhorvath.com

Equipping people to pursue God's glory

Why Steadfastness Will Win and Make You Strong and Victorious

Podcast: Light on Life Season Twelve Episode Sixteen

by Emery Horvath

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Read the Notes

Accept the Challenge

Join the Conversation

Episode Resources:

If you would like to know more about growing in faith, see the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

We are currently teaching on the subject of Divine Healing. You can click on the links below to listen to more podcasts or read blog posts along this line.

About Emery

Subscribe to the Podcast

Share the Love

Prayer

Steadfastness: What James Says

Steadfastness and Hope

Steadfastness Refuses to Quit

Steadfastness and Joy

Steadfastness and Long-Suffering: What’s the Difference?

Steadfastness and Long-Suffering: Do Some Study

Steadfastness and Long-Suffering: Different Translations

Steadfastness and Long-Suffering: The Patience Part

Steadfastness Takes Time to Develop

Steadfastness and Tests and Trials

Steadfastness Call to Action

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Listen to the Audio

Click to Listen | Right Click to Download |Subscribe to PlayerFM

Read the Notes

Accept the Challenge

Join the Conversation

Episode Resources:

If you would like to know more about growing in faith, see the links below to listen to some of these podcasts.

We are currently teaching on the subject of Divine Healing. You can click on the links below to listen to more podcasts or read blog posts along this line.

About Emery

Subscribe to the Podcast

Share the Love

Prayer

Steadfastness: What James Says

Steadfastness and Hope

Steadfastness Refuses to Quit

Steadfastness and Joy

Steadfastness and Long-Suffering: What’s the Difference?

Steadfastness and Long-Suffering: Do Some Study

Steadfastness and Long-Suffering: Different Translations

Steadfastness and Long-Suffering: The Patience Part

Steadfastness Takes Time to Develop

Steadfastness and Tests and Trials

Steadfastness Call to Action

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