A Sure Pathway To Living An Overcoming Christian Life.
Bible Passages – Matthew 7:15-23 | Luke 3:1-9 | Galatians 5:16-23 | Revelations 1:7b, 11b, 17b | Revelations 21:8
Introduction
The Fruit of the Spirit – Long Suffering | Gal 5:22-23
What is Longsuffering?
Patient Endurance
What is it to be patient?
It is to be able to accept or tolerate delays, problems, or suffering without becoming annoyed or anxious.
a. Bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint
b. Manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain
c. Not hasty or impetuous
d. Steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity
e. Able or willing to bear —used with of
Why do they refer to sick people in hospital as sick but patients? This may give us a better understanding of the fruit of the Spirit, Long-Suffering. Remember they get paid for such care of patients in the hospitals.
A patient is an individual awaiting or under medical care and treatment. This is how you long-suffer in treating and relating with all. They are patients under care that Christ may be formed in them as He is formed in you through long-suffering. Christ can become formed in you as you allow Him to be formed in other through you.
What then is Endurance?
The ability to endure an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.
The capacity of something to last or to withstand wear and tear.
The ability to continue to do a thing for a longtime.
Remember, an endurance trek or walk. There loads of hazards and dangers on the way. So there are rules, guidelines, regulations and conditions. Apart from this mess are are medics and ambulances on the standby.
Longsuffering is patient endurance to bear long with frailties of others.– Jesus and the disciples; David and his vagabonds;
Longsuffering is patient endurance to bear long with offences of others.- David and Joab his nephew – 2 Samuel 3:39
Longsuffering is patient endurance to bear long with injuries inflicted of others. – David and King Saul – 1 Samuel 26:17-20
LongSuffering is patient endurance to bear long with provocations of others. Remember Hannah and her mate wife in 1 Samuel 1: 6
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These LongSuffering are with conditions attached for it to be LongSuffering. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
1. Number one condition is that it is done without murmuring – a subdued or private expression of discontent or dissatisfaction.
2. Number two condition is that it is done without — feeling sad or complaining
3. Number three condition is that it is done without resentment – a mixture of disappointment, disgust, anger, and fear Moses also adding David and Joseph apart from the Lord Jesus is a classic case of the fruit of the Spirit, Longsuffering.
a. His story of Moses – conceived, birth, weaned, survived and raised in long suffering Exodus 1-2
b. Personal traits of Moses in Egypt – Exodus 2;3
4. The Moses at 80 that became a deliverer – Exodus 3
5. Moses described as the meekest man – Numbers 12:3
6. Trials and travails of Moses with Israel – Numbers 14:3-4
7. How Moses failed to enter the promised land because of the fruit of the spirit – longsuffering – Deuteronomy 32:49-52
8. Travails of David with his men – 1 Samuel 30:6
9. Travails of Joseph’s destiny was overcome with long suffering – the jealousy of his brothers, travails in Portiphar’s house, challenges with the wife, in prison and also meeting his brothers again. Here is understanding, outlook and overcoming strength – Genesis 50:20
10. How about many characters that failed in longsuffering as represented by – Sarah in the birthing of Ishmael – Genesis 16; Lot and his family – Genesis 19 and 20;
11. Concerning Jesus – Isaiah 53:7 – He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Acts 8:32 – The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth.
CONCLUSION
The Lord is looking at you to release yourself to the Holy Spirit to help you live a life of long suffering and he is not looking at those around you for your failure but as people that will help you.
Get this wisdom and live in it beloved. There is danger of not finishing well and strong without the fruit of the Spirit – Long-suffering.
