“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). To be steadfast and unmovable is to be spiritually grounded and cannot be “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching” (Ephesians 4:14). An unmovable person can hear false teaching, engage doubters, and defend truth without it shaking his own faith. Steadfastness is:
Exhibited by God in all His purposes and ways:
Numbers 23:19: “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Daniel 6:26; James 1:17);
Commanded:
2 Thessalonians 2:15: “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle” (Philippians 4:1; James 1:6-8);
Necessary for Godliness:
Job 11:13-15: “If you prepare your heart, you will stretch out your hands toward him. 14 If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away, and let not injustice dwell in your tents. 15 Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish; you will be steadfast and will not fear.”
Secured by:
- The power of God. Psalm 55:22: “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved” (Psalm 62:2; 1 Peter 1:5; Jude 24);
- The presence of God. Psalm 16:8: “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”
- Trust in God. Psalm 26:1: “Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.”
- The intercession of Christ. Luke 22:31-32: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: 32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”
A characteristic of saints:
Job 17:9: “The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.” (John 8:31)
Should be manifested:
- In cleaving to God. Deuteronomy 10:20: “Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name” (Acts 11:23)
- In the work of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
- In continuing in the Apostles’ doctrine and fellowship. Acts 2:42: “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.”
- In holding fast our profession. Hebrews 4:14: “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession” (Hebrews 3:6, 14; 10:23; Colossians 2:5; 1 Peter 5:9; 1 Corinthians 16:13)
- In maintaining Christian liberty. Galatians 5:1: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage”
- In striving for the faith of the gospel. Philippians 1:27: “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Jude 3)
- In affliction. Romans 8:35-37: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Psalm 44:17-19; 1 Thessalonians 3:3)
Saints pray for:
Psalm 17:5: “Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.”
Saints praise God for:
Psalm 116:8: “For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.”
The wicked devoid of:
Psalm 78:8: “And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God” (Psalm 78:37)
Those who overcame Satan have:
Revelation 12:11: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”