Will you please turn to 2 Timothy 4:7-8?
I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the course,
I have kept the faith:
henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness,
which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give to me at that day;
and not to me only, but also to all them that have loved His appearing.
Will you please turn to Revelation 1:9?
I John, your brother and partaker with you in the tribulation and kingdom and patience which are in Jesus, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.
Let’s have a word of prayer.
Dear Lord, we do want to thank Thee for bringing us to this last session. We recognize Thee as the beginning and the end. We thank Thee for beginning this conference, and now we trust that Thou wilt be the end of this conference.
Lord, if Thou hast anything that Thou wantest to say to us this morning, any unfinished word, we look to Thee that Thou wilt speak to us. We do long to know Thee. We do long to be those who have the testimony of Jesus.
We thank Thee for giving this desire in our hearts. Now, Lord, lead us into it, that we may truly be those who have the testimony of Jesus, to the praise of Thy glory. We ask in Thy precious name. Amen.
Well, dear brothers and sisters, we thank the Lord for bringing us to this point. We believe that it is His will to gather us together at this time.
In view of His soon return, He wants to raise up a people who have the testimony of Jesus. Through the testimony of Jesus, the way of His return is opened.
That is the reason why we gather here at this time. We want to consider together the way of recovering the testimony of Jesus, because the testimony of Jesus is the eternal will of God.
God wants His Son to be known. He wants the earth to know His Son as He knows Him Himself. His salvation is so full. It is not His will simply to deliver us out of hell and bring us into heaven.
He calls us according to His glory and virtue. He wants those who believe in Him to know His Son in such a way that, through their lives, they will manifest His Son. They will be able to bring His Son into this world.
So that is the reason why we are here.
I suppose, brothers and sisters, if I should mention it again, it may seem too redundant. There are two passages that we have read again and again. The first one is 2 Timothy 4:7-8, and the second one is Revelation 1:9.
I hope, brothers and sisters, that these two passages have really been impressed upon your hearts, that we will ponder over them—not because the conference is over, and therefore everything is over.
As a matter of fact, the conference is the beginning of something. Do not think that because of the conference, you get it all. As a matter of fact, the conference is to start you on something important.
We need to continue to ponder over these two passages until the Holy Spirit really makes these two passages our possession.
We must be like Mary. Whenever she heard something, she pondered over it.
I hope this is not the end, but the beginning. We need to enter into the reality of these two passages. Then the purpose of God is fulfilled.
We have considered together Revelation 1:9. The apostle John said, “I am your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and patience in Jesus.” He was on the island of Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus.
He was exiled to Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. The reason was that he had the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. He was a partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and patience in Christ.
In other words, if we have the testimony of Jesus, we have to be partakers in the tribulation and kingdom and patience in Jesus. Or, if you want to put it negatively, if we are not partakers in the tribulation and kingdom and patience in Jesus, then we do not have the testimony of Jesus.
The testimony of Jesus is a reality. It is not a teaching; it is not a doctrine. It is something real and living. So, in order to have the testimony of Jesus, we must be partakers of the tribulation and kingdom and patience in Jesus.
The question that we should ask ourselves is simply this: Are we partakers of the tribulation in Jesus? Are we partakers of the kingdom in Jesus? Are we partakers of the patience in Jesus? This is something we need to ask ourselves.
We find here tribulation, kingdom, and patience. When you think of tribulation, you think of something very negative. But when you think of kingdom, you think of something most positive. And when you think of patience, it is something that we do want to have.
But strangely, you find in the Word of God that there is only one article before these three items. It does not say, “the tribulation, the kingdom, and the patience.” You find, “the tribulation and kingdom and patience.”
In other words, these three things are actually one. You cannot have tribulation without the kingdom. You cannot have patience without tribulation and kingdom. These three things go together, and we find that this is the way to the recovery of the testimony of Jesus.
But there is another thing we need to notice. John said, “tribulation and kingdom and patience, in Jesus.”
If we know tribulation as just tribulation, we will look at it as something very negative. We want to avoid it because it troubles us. But if you can look at tribulation in Jesus, there is a completely different concept.
We find that tribulation in Jesus is to restore the testimony of Jesus. If you go through tribulation in Jesus, then you will find the testimony of Jesus constituted into your life.
Tribulation may come from the enemy, from temptation, or it may come from the Lord Himself as His testing. But if we take it as being in the Lord, we will find Christ in us.
The same thing is true with the kingdom. If you just hear the teaching of the kingdom, you may think that it is far beyond us. But if you can see the kingdom in Jesus, then you come into the kingdom not because you can, but because Christ is in you. Then you will come into the testimony of Jesus.
Now we have talked about these two things during the past sessions. This morning, we would like to come into this matter of patience in Jesus.
When you read different translations, sometimes they use the word patience. Some other versions say endurance. Actually, it is the same word. Sometimes you find the two words used interchangeably.
If you really want to distinguish these two English words, what is patience and what is endurance? You may say that patience applies to persons. You are patient toward certain people. Endurance refers to things—the surroundings, the events, and the things that happen—and you are able to endure them.
This word simply means to abide under, to carry through victoriously. If pressure comes upon you, and the pressure is ten pounds, and you are able to bear more than ten pounds, then you have endurance; you have patience.
When people begin to test you and attack you to a certain point, but you are able to endure it victoriously, then you have patience.
So, brothers and sisters, this matter of patience or endurance is a character. Some people are born more patient, and some people are more impatient. Some people seem able to endure quite a lot, but other people do not seem able to bear very much.
But whatever you are naturally, when you come to spiritual things, it is a different story. Our natural patience and endurance are very limited. They cannot endure spiritual pressure, whether it comes from people or from circumstances.
The problem is that we often think we have patience, not knowing that when we come to spiritual life, we find that the enemy of God knows how limited we are. Not only does the enemy know how limited we are; the Lord knows how limited we are.
So we are often tempted beyond our endurance. Oftentimes, God allows us to have relationships with people that go beyond our patience, in order that we may really learn what patience and endurance are.
The patience or endurance here does not refer to our natural patience or endurance. It refers to the character of God. God suffers long. God is patient.
If you look at our Lord Jesus, when our Lord was on earth, His natural brothers did not understand Him. Not only did His brothers fail to understand Him; even His disciples did not understand Him.
Yet you see how patient our Lord Jesus was. How patient He was toward His brothers in the flesh, and how patient He was toward His disciples. He did not give them up quickly. You find how He endured their misunderstanding and continued to work among them.
The Jews at that time did not understand Him. They rejected Him because He did not fit their concept of the Messiah. But these things did not change our Lord Jesus. He remained the same yesterday, today, and forever.
When our Lord was tempted by Satan, how He had endurance and patience to overcome all these temptations. While He was doing the will of God, so far as His human nature was concerned, He suffered.
Our Lord Jesus had a body and a soul, just like we do. When He was incarnated, He became a real man. He had His thoughts and His feelings. But our Lord Jesus never lived according to His human feelings.
Instead, you find that He lived on earth for the will of God. How He suffered for the will of God—not only from the hand of man, but also before His Father. He laid down Himself in order to obey His Father.
On the cross, He cried out, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” In spite of all these things, you find our Lord Jesus endured. Our Lord Jesus was patient.
And the same thing the Lord wants to do in us. As a matter of fact, those who are the Lord’s will have tribulation.
Our Lord Jesus Himself said:
In the world ye have tribulation:
but be of good cheer;
I have overcome the world.
Brothers and sisters, it is because we do not belong to this world, but we are still in this world. We are surrounded by the world, and the world is not getting better. The world is getting worse and worse.
Temptations are becoming greater and greater. Persecutions are becoming greater and greater. Lawlessness prevails over the world. For us who live in this world, these things begin to come upon us.
How are we going to overcome these things? It is a matter of endurance. But thank God, He uses tribulation to build within us a character. He wants His character to be incorporated into our lives.
How can this character of endurance, of patience, become our character? It comes through tribulation.
He will allow the enemy of God to tempt us. You know God never tempts people. That is what we find in James. God never tempts people, but temptation comes from the enemy.
What is temptation? Temptation comes from the enemy and tries to touch the flesh in us. He touches our flesh because our flesh is his ally. When our flesh is tempted and receives the temptation, then sin becomes a reality.
So far as temptation is concerned, do you think you have the strength to overcome all temptations? When the world tempts you with the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, do you think you are able to overcome these temptations?
The enemy knows us more than we know ourselves. He knows our limits, and he tries to go even beyond our limits. But why does God allow us to be tempted? Why does our Lord allow these tribulations to come upon us?
It is because God wants to create within us this character of endurance and patience. If we want to resist temptation by ourselves, sooner or later we will find that we fall into temptation. We cannot trust ourselves.
Then how can we overcome temptation? The only way is Christ in us, who overcomes the world. He has already proved to the world that He has overcome it. Christ in us is our life.
If we depend upon the life of Christ in us to meet temptations, we have the victory. But if we try to defend ourselves, no matter how strong we are, we will fail.
We think of Peter. You remember when our Lord Jesus said to His disciples, “Do you also wish to go away?” Simon Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.”
Peter seemed to have such faith in the Lord Jesus. Then our Lord Jesus began to reveal to His disciples that He would go to Jerusalem, that He would be killed, and that on the third day He would be raised.
He said, “You will all forsake Me.” Simon Peter said, “No. Others may do so, but I cannot. I am willing to die with You.”
You find that Peter had self-confidence. He believed in his own strength. So far as he was concerned, he was sincere, but he did not know himself.
So our Lord said, “Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny Me three times.” Peter said, “I will never do that. Others may do so, but I will not.”
But the Lord allowed the enemy to attack Peter. Satan wanted to get him, but without the permission of God, Satan could not do that.
Why did the Lord allow this temptation to come upon Peter? Because the Lord said, “Satan asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat; but I made supplication for thee, that thy faith fail not: and do thou, when once thou hast turned again, establish thy brethren.”
Brothers and sisters, if we depend upon ourselves, we will not be able to overcome temptation. Oftentimes the Lord allows us to be tempted beyond ourselves, that we may learn the lesson that we cannot depend upon ourselves. We have to look to the Lord and allow His character to be built into us.
Simon Peter thought he loved the Lord. He thought others might fail, but he would never fail. But he did fail. The Lord allowed him to fail, but thank God, the Lord had prayed for him, and the Lord restored him.
When you come to John 21, the Lord, before the other disciples, asked Peter the question, “Lovest thou Me?”
Peter realized that his love was not dependable. He could only say to the Lord, “Lord, Thou knowest that I am attached to Thee.”
The Lord asked him the same question a second time: “Lovest thou Me more than these?” Peter could not boast anymore. He had learned his lesson. He said, “Lord, Thou knowest that I am attached to Thee.”
Then the Lord asked him the third time, “Art thou attached to Me?” Peter was grieved, and he said, “Lord, Thou knowest that I am attached to Thee.” He did not dare to boast of himself anymore.
But brothers and sisters, it was at that time that Peter really loved the Lord.
You find that in our environment, God will allow the enemy to tempt us beyond our ability, in order that we may learn a lesson. Actually, the Lord has already put enough of Himself in us to overcome temptation.
But unfortunately, we do not rely upon the Lord in us; we rely upon ourselves. Thank God, He will use this to teach us a lesson. He will teach us what patience is, and what endurance really is.
In the same way, you find God tests us. Our God never tempts us in the sense that temptation tries to draw out the lust of the flesh within us. Testing is to bring out His life in us.
We thank God that He tests us, that we may know ourselves and that we may know Him. Tribulation can come from two different sources. It can come from the enemy, and it can also come from the Lord.
From the enemy, it is temptation. From the Lord, it is His testing us. He is trying to discipline us and bring us to be sons and daughters.
The same thing is true when you come to this matter of the kingdom. When we hear about the truth of the kingdom, how can we be violent toward ourselves? Everybody loves himself or herself.
We will go through testing. When God’s will comes upon us, we begin to struggle before the Lord. Deep within us, we know that we have to obey the will of God, but in our soul, in ourselves, we cannot take it.
We go through a kind of struggle within us, and these struggles help us to know the patience and endurance of Christ.
So far as the kingdom is concerned, do not think that you have the strength to do it. But thank God, He has already given us His life. The life of Christ within us is a kingdom life, and by that life we are able to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
These two are together. Brothers and sisters, how can we get patience, or endurance?
Once a lady missionary asked our brother Watchman Nee, “I am very impatient. Will you please pray for me that God will give me patience?”
Our brother prayed for her, “Lord, give our sister more crosses.”
The sister said, “I want you to pray for me that I might have patience. I have crosses enough. Do not pray that the Lord will give me more crosses.”
The reason why our brother prayed that way is because it is the cross that constitutes patience. If we have more crosses to bear, the crosses will cross out our flesh and add Christ Jesus, as it were, into us.
So, brothers and sisters, these three things are together. Through tribulation and through kingdom, we learn patience. When we really have that patience as a character built up in us, then you find the testimony of Jesus is a reality in us.
You know, in our Christian life, there are three things that are most important: faith, love, and hope.
When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, they had all these three elements:
Your work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
But when you come to Revelation 2, you find that the church in Ephesus had works, labor, and seemingly endurance. But it was no longer work of faith, labor of love, and endurance of hope.
They had lost the inner spring. All they had was outward things. They had lots of work. They had many labors, and they seemed able to endure quite a lot.
They could endure all the things from outside, but it was not because they had hope in the Lord. They had lost their first love.
We find in Matthew 24:12-13:
Because iniquity shall be multiplied,
the love of the many shall wax cold.
But he that endureth to the end,
the same shall be saved.
Here you find the connection between love and endurance. The world is getting worse. Lawlessness prevails. When lawlessness prevails, if we want to preserve love, it is very difficult. The love of the many has grown cold.
How can we continue to love? We need endurance. If we are able to endure, then we are able to love to the end. Love suffers long. Love is patient.
So, brothers and sisters, we really need that character of patience. With that character, we are able to love to the very end.
The same thing is true with faith. We find in Luke 18 that our Lord Jesus used the parable of a widow who pleaded with a judge against her adversary.
That judge was an unjust judge. He did not fear God or regard man. But you find that this widow had faith. She continued to plead her cause, and finally the judge did it for her.
In Luke 18:8, the Lord Jesus said, “When the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” We know that even our faith will be tempted; it will be challenged. How can we maintain our faith to the very end?
The same thing is true with hope. We find in Romans 4 how Abraham hoped against hope. All these three elements of Christian life are connected with endurance or patience.
When you read James 5, you find James speaking of the patience of Job. In James 5:11:
Behold, we call them blessed that endured:
ye have heard of the patience of Job,
and have seen the end of the Lord,
how that the Lord is full of pity, and merciful.
We find that Job was tempted by the enemy. He was a perfect and righteous man. He feared God, and yet Satan tempted him. The Lord allowed Satan to do that.
The Lord knew two things. Number one, He knew that in Job there was still something open to temptation. Satan tempted Job, and the Lord allowed it.
On the other hand, the Lord knew that He had done enough in Job that, when Job was tempted, he would come out pure.
Satan tempted Job. Not only were all his possessions lost and even his children dead, but Satan also attacked his body. Yet God gave him a limit: “You can touch his body, but you cannot put him to death.”
You know the whole book of Job, how he went through this temptation. He could not understand why, and his friends did not understand. The friends came to comfort him, but instead they added more suffering to him.
Because he did not understand why, you find that he said some things. But once in a while, you find light shining.
For instance, in Job 13:15, he said:
Though He slay me, yet will I wait for Him.
God was bringing out something that He had already done in Job’s life.
In Job 19:25, he said:
But as for me I know that my Redeemer liveth,
and at last He will stand up upon the earth.
Brothers and sisters, you find that God allowed temptation to come upon him, and God tested him to the uttermost, in order that God might bless him doubly.
So oftentimes we find the same thing. Brothers and sisters, do remember one thing: in the world we will have tribulation. If you love the Lord, if you follow the Lord, if you are faithful to the Lord, you will have tribulation.
But our Lord has already overcome the world. The life that He has given to us is a victorious life. The Lord uses all kinds of circumstances to draw us out of ourselves and into Himself.
When you read Revelation 3, you find the church in Philadelphia:
Because thou didst keep the word of My patience,
I also will keep thee from the hour of trial,
that hour which is to come upon the whole world,
to try them that dwell upon the earth.
The word of God is the word of His patience. The church in Philadelphia kept the word of His patience. They were willing to go through suffering, trusting in the Lord.
Because they had the word of His patience, the Lord promised them that He would keep them from the hour of trial which is about to come upon the whole habitable world.
What does it refer to? If we understand it rightly, I think it is the great tribulation. One day, the great tribulation will come upon this world. But the Lord promised those who have the word of His patience that, when that hour comes, He will keep them from that hour.
In other words, before the tribulation comes upon this world, the Lord will take them to Himself. That is the rapture that we find in Revelation 12. The man-child was caught up unto God and unto His throne.
Then Satan will be cast down from heaven. When Satan is on the earth, it will be the great tribulation. But the air will be clear for the Lord to come from the throne to the air.
So, brothers and sisters, if we learn the patience of the Lord, there is a precious promise.
That is the reason why we find in 2 Peter 3 that the longsuffering of the Lord is our salvation.
Brothers and sisters, we are saved because of the longsuffering of our Lord. How often we fail. How often we trust in ourselves. But the Lord is patient with us. He never gives up those whom He has called.
Those whom He has called, He has justified; and those whom He has justified, He has glorified. The Lord will never give us up. Once He has called us, He will perfect us.
We may fail many, many times, but He will not fail. His longsuffering is our salvation.
So, dear brothers and sisters, do not try to depend upon yourselves. It is just like the apostle Paul said:
I know Him whom I have believed,
and I am persuaded that He is able to guard that which I have committed unto Him against that day.
How secure we are in Christ. So may we not depend upon ourselves.
We heard about the kingdom. We heard about the testimony of Jesus. Do you think we are able to keep the testimony of Jesus? Do you think that you are able to enter into the kingdom gloriously?
If we trust ourselves, we will fail. But thank God, we need not be discouraged because of the longsuffering of our Lord. He will continue to work in our lives until His full purpose is realized.
Dear Lord, we do confess that we are totally undependable. But Thou art the One who is faithful, the One who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
We thank Thee for Thy longsuffering, that Thou wilt never give us up, but Thou wilt accomplish all that Thou hast purposed for us. May Thou be glorified in us.
We commit one another into Thy loving care, trusting that Thou wilt save us to the uttermost, to the praise of Thy glory. In Thy precious name.