Endurance

The definition for the word "endurance" is:

1. The fact or power of enduring or bearing pain, hardships, etc.
2. The ability or strength to continue to last, especially despite fatigue, stress or other adverse conditions; stamina.
3. Lasting quality, duration, “goes the distance.”
4. Something endured as a hardship, trial. 

When I read these definitions, I thought of a marathon runner. Can a person run a marathon if he has never ran before? Of course not! Why? They are not in shape. They couldn't last the whole distance of the race. It takes months of training your body; building your muscles, heart and lungs to be able to endure that kind of a race.

Just like a runner needs physical endurance to run a race, so likewise we need spiritual and emotional stamina or endurance to go through any trial or hardship. We can build our spiritual and emotional muscles through standing and contending for the promises of God while we are going through the trials. The Lord can surely deliver us but most of the time He allows us to go through them. This is where endurance is developed in our character. We become stronger while we are using our faith in His promises, and also, that purification process is at work taking away those things in us that no longer need to be there.

Hupmone is Greek for endurance. It means steadfastness, and constant endurance. It’s the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose or destiny and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings; to have perseverance.

If I had never experienced the hardships in my life that I experienced, then I would not have had the opportunity to build the steadfastness or endurance within my character. The Lord allowed me to go through many years of trying times. I thought I would have lost my mind at times, but I held onto Him and was determined not to let go. As a result, I am now beginning to reap the long awaited promises that were given to me over the years. I had to go the distance.

We don’t just start out this way. It takes exercising your spiritual muscles through the “trying of your faith” experiences that build these muscles and produces the endurance that we need to keep us moving to even greater heights that the Lord wants to take each one of us to in Him.

Now in comparison with spiritual endurance, I thought about muscular endurance.

Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to sustain repeated contractions against a resistance (trial or suffering) for an extended period. +

To improve muscular endurance you have to add more muscle mass to your body. We grow muscles by exercising certain muscle groups and eating junk food. No! We have to eat foods that are high in nutrients. For example, a boxer or a runner has to prepare before a fight or a race by rigorously putting his body through special training and nutrition programs. He has to endure the pain and suffering to be able to win the prize; the fight or the race.

Whenever you put your hands together and push you can feel the resistance of your hands pushing against each other. You also begin to feel the discomfort of the contractions of the muscles in your arms and chest areas. When you continue to push against your hands for a while, you are actually causing the muscles to grow stronger and build muscle mass in those areas. How will this help you physically? You should be able to pick up heavier objects or perform other tasks that you were not able to do with the use of your arms and upper body. You have gained muscular endurance.

Spiritual endurance is the same. We have to exercise those spiritual muscles to be able to stand against anything that the enemy may throw at us. If you don’t exercise your spiritual muscles, then when you are in the middle of a trial, you’ll give out and give in. You will lack the strength or endurance to get past that point. This is why you (I mean me too!) must continue to apply resistance against the hardships that come your way. This actually builds the stamina or endurance within our character. It changes us for the better! It prepares us to go through even harder circumstances that come with the next level in our walk with the Lord.

Here are some great Scripture verses where the word “endure” or “endurance” is used.

Romans 15:4-5 "…so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity…"

II Corinthians 6: 4-10 reads, "Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."

I can clearly see after reading these scriptures that Paul endured much more than what I have ever gone through. I’ve been through some horrific times, but I’ve never been beaten or shipwrecked or put into prison for my faith. Through all of these hardships, Paul still came out saying, “that he is always rejoicing and yet poor he possesses everything.” Paul didn’t just go through all of those experiences at once, but over a period of several years. He learned to rely on the Lord and not give up. He continued to exercise his spiritual muscles which increased his stamina or endurance every time he had to stand against those difficult situations.

Colossians 1:11-12 "…being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light."

We are never alone no matter what we face or have to walk through. Remember, the Lord told Paul, “My grace is sufficient, for My power or strength is made perfect in your weakness.” II Corinthians 12:9

Just like Paul, He gives us His grace to endure the difficult times that we face in our lives also.

I was amazed to find many more references just in the New Testament alone that talk about endurance. The Lord wants us to become stronger by allowing endurance to grow in our character as we stand against whatever resistance or trail we are going through.

Endurance is a vital part in winning our ultimate race!



Excerpt from from the book, The Training of a General: Kingdom Strategies for End-Time Generals.