3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent.
Therefore, if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. Revelation 3:3-5
Last week we began to look at the path to victory in Jesus, He who overcomes shall not die a second death. Rev. 2:11 This is the reason Jesus said, “… call to mind the lessons you received and heard; continually lay them to heart and obey them, and repent. “Revelation 3:3 (AMP) You read, study, digest and ingest the word of God so you can continually remember it. Because in a moment of distraction (or spiritual amnesia as I called it) the devil can rob you a thousand times. Therefore, Jesus said again “Hold fast and repent”
The path to victory with God is about maintain strong relationship with Him and his word, to the end. Hold fast and repent means stay in shape, abide in me and I in you, Jesus Said. John 15:4
First, hold fast or Keep the faith. To the Thessalonica, Paul wrote “1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Galatians 5:1 (NKJV)” When you constantly remember that you are free from bondage of sin and the lies of the devil; then your journey with Jesus is home bound and victorious. Be[JC2] strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:10-11 (KJV) Apostle Paul to Timothy said, 13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 1:13 Sound words: that whoever believed in Jesus will not perish but have everlasting life, He is the life and light of the world. He is the only mediator between you and God, no one else. He is the way, the truth, and the life, the good shepherd, the bread of life and only Door to God. John 14:6 Furthermore, Jesus is the Christ, the savior of the world, the resurrection, and the life. Believe Him and Hold fast to Him.” … avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless. Titus 3:9 But have faith, hold fast and repent.
Repentance helps you to hold fast or revives your strength. As you constantly connect[JC3] with the word of the Living God; you will remember things you need to hold fast to and things you need to return to. This is the point of intercession between obedience and repentance, before or after you gave your life to Jesus. The word of God is a two-edged sword, so true with the subject of repentance. One way or the other you repent when you first came to Jesus. The Kingdom of God draws near, therefore repent Jesus said. Since you have believed, do you need to repent again? Yes, the call to repentance is to both the unbelievers and the believers alike. Only the believers need to hold fast and repent. If for example, you identify any area of weakness or struggle with the word of God, repent and remain strong. Do not yield to temptation, but even the slightest turn from the truth requires you to repent or return to form. Repentance is to recall your first works and return to it with the full strength. Then hold fast. Jesus also said “Watch and pray” Matt. 26:31 “… if you will not watch, He said, I will come upon you as a thief, Revelation 3:3 (NKJV) And your chance to overcome may be in jeopardy. Jesus added “Pray” to the watch command because the life application of the word, the way, and the will of God is through Prayer. The Christian life is spiritually dead and miserable without active prayer life-this is the reason Paul wrote “pray without ceasing”. 1 Thess. 5:17 The LORD himself prayed before, during and after his work of redemption. Even now, he is praying for you and me. “… who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us? Romans 8:34 (KJV)) Dwight L. Moody wrote “I’d rather be able to pray than to be a great preacher; Jesus Christ never taught his disciples how to preach, but only how to pray.” The short form of prayer is a two-way communication between you and God. In addition, it is through prayer that you meditate, remember, and execute the power needed to overcome. Next week by the grace of God, we will conclude this series with what, who, where, and how about prayer. Meanwhile, if you have never received Jesus, you can do so now, call his name, repent, and believe in Him today. God bless you.