In Patience We Possess Our Souls
Peter and Rohnel, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus gathered with us and those scattered in the world, grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. We thank our Lord for His enduring mercy, which continually opens our eyes to see our sin and to bring correction.
Father, we confess our lack of patience and striving against your work in our lives and ask for strength to overcome and walk as your faithful witnesses. We are the most blessed who delight in your ways, who are prospering, being planted by the rivers of life that are your Commandments.
Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The Lord commands us to be patient in our lives and to look towards and wait upon Him to provide what we need, knowing the Lord works all things for the counsel of His will. The Lord chose us to bear spiritual fruit that remains even in the midst of many temptations to do otherwise. This includes abiding in patience, which is the focus of this study on the Commandment to be patient. Being patient also means being long-suffering and retaining self control or temperance. This study came about as a rebuke and admonition to my impatience, hastiness and lack of self control which kept the fruit of the Spirit from budding forth.
Gal 5:22 NKJV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Impatience is an affection of the flesh; it is not the fruit of the Spirit. Patience is far more important than we realize because without it, we do not bear the downstream fruits of the spirit, and also are not obedient to the Commandments to be gentle and kind.
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
The fruits of the Spirit are the products of our walking in faith and come forth when we obey the one great Commandment to love the Lord with all our heart, mind, and soul. An impatient spirit is not a spirit submitted to what the Lord is working in the moment and is disobedience. In the day of the Lord, our impatience is brought into the light and fire that is the Living Commandments. Progression onward to maturity is stalled, bearing little fruit, when we do not overcome and continue through much patience to show godliness and kindness in all our behavior. Adding to our faith is growing in the faith unto the mature man in Christ. Patience needs to be added to yield godliness in all our behavior.
2Pe 1:5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
2Pe 1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
2Pe 1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Not being patient is one being impatient, and it’s a sign that one is still a beast. Impatience comes forth from the pride of life that is being burned away in the Commandments as we lay down our lives in obedience.
Ecc 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
Ecc 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
If not patient, we are not possessing our souls as the Lord demands. We remain and abide in conflict with what the Lord is doing to reshape and remold us into holy vessels in which He and the Father dwell forever. In our day of the Lord, we suffer great tribulation, and the Lord tells us to patiently endure and wait for Him to finish His work.
Luk 21:19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
If our lives are defined by haste and angst, we are not at rest or being patient. These are signs we are striving against what the Lord is doing at this moment of our lives. This behavior and thought life are kicking against the pricks. The Lord says it is hard to kick against His pricks; we just make our trials worse. Far better to just obey the Lord.
Act 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
Act 9:6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.
Pricks in the natural are known as goads and are designed to keep cattle moving in the direction [in submission] to what the herdsman or shepherd demands. Pricks in the spiritual is the grace of God, our trials, the exact situation we are in that is part of all things the Lord works, to keep us in submission to Christ, the Living Commandments, and do what our Maker demands. The word translated pricks is also translated as stings, as the pricks or stings, being the Lord’s grace, move us towards Christ and His righteousness. If we do not obey, more stings and more pricks follow to bring us into subjection and be content and patient. The Lord does not fail to prosper His Word in His elect. When we push back, resist, and are impatient, more pricks are added until we submit.
Num 33:55 But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes, and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.
Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
We are learning to put down the sword, our carnal mind, and rest in the Living Christ, the Commandments of the Father that live in us. The tribulations and grace continue until our beast is subdued.
Rev 13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
Rev 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Our rebellious actions are futile and do nothing to change the Lord’s heavy arm pressing upon us. Any resistance puts us deeper into torment and distress. Far better to take heed of the Lord and obey His commandments. We rest in peace and learn to be patient.
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
The sacrifices and offerings the Lord desires and accepts are those of a contrite and meek spirit. Impatience and hastiness are the antithesis of a broken spirit, and thus the Lord sends fiery trials in the appointed time to burn this beastly character out of us.
Psa 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
John describes the great tribulation that all brethren endure as being the patience of Jesus Christ. All things we endure require patience to stay the course and walk the narrow road to the end. Paul shares the same message.
Rev 1:9 I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
2Co 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,
Moving through life fast, at the world’s pace, without consideration and forethought, brings out the wrath of man and works not the righteousness of Jesus Christ. We are learning to slow down in life, tarry for others, wait on the Lord to lead us, and not be easily provoked in our flesh.
Jas 1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:
Jas 1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.
In our day of judgment, the Lord frustrates our impatience and our attempts to avoid being patient. We cannot escape the judgment of God and retain our impatience. When we think we have escaped the lion, a bear then meets us, or a serpent bites us. The grace of God is not failing to have its way in the whirlwind of our judgment. The Lord, the Commandments, are passing through us once more to remake all things.
Amo 5:17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the LORD.
Amo 5:18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.
Amo 5:19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God, who accomplishes His will in remaking our heavens and our earth in the appointed time. All our contention is brought into subjection through much tribulation and anguish.
Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
We trust the Lord through our faith, knowing all things work together for the greater good. The example of Job and the blessings that come at the end gives us hope and strength to endure the moment and remain patient, bearing the anguish that is making our spirit of flesh poor.
Jas 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
We learn to glory in our tribulations, knowing that they are teaching us patience, a key fruit of the Spirit that makes us faithful witnesses to the Lord. Learning patience comes with much experience in trials and builds our hope in the Lord and the promises yet to be revealed in us.
Rom 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
Rom 5:4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
We learn contentment in our patience and stop kicking against the pricks.
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Being patient is one of the marks of a true Christian. As the Lord’s witnesses in this world, we are called to be patient and control our fleshly emotions at all times.
Rom 12:10 Be affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;
Rom 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Rom 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Patience is long suffering, which requires endurance, which is also a Commandment. The patient and long-suffering with others define the nature of those marked by Christ.
Eph 4:2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Eph 4:3 Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
We are being made into His likeness and image. Be patient in all circumstances, as that is the nature of our God.
Rom 15:5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:
We are no longer brawlers nor run in the same dissipations as the world, which by nature is impatient and striving with one another. Shepherds of the sheep are patient and follow the many examples of the Apostles.
1Ti 3:3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
Tit 2:2 That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.
2Ti 3:10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
Be patient in the hope of the Lord Jesus Christ and in our dealings with all men. We are lights unto the world and are commanded to run our race with patience.
1Th 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
Heb 6:12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Entering the Kingdom of God is only done through many tribulations. These trials require great patience to endure, grow in maturity, and overcome our sin. We are keeping the Commandment to be patient at the forefront of our thoughts and minds every day as we endure the fiery trials in our day of the Lord.
2Th 1:4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
The Lord is our helper in our trials with impatience and all the Commandments. Seek Him, the Commandments, and we shall live in His sight.