Paul once admonished us to be steadfast and immovable (1 Corinthians 15:58). He was aware of the tactics of the devil and his efforts to cause Christians to give up on God. The devil has not changed much over the years. He still wants us to quit, and he has had much success over the years.
2 Timothy 4:10 (ESV)
10 For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia.
Demas, who was once a friend and companion of an apostle (Colossians 4:14), left the faith because of his love for this world. What an opportunity he had to die in Christ and ultimately go heaven, but he failed to continue in the Lord. He stopped being steadfast and unmovable.
Do you understand how important it is to continue in the Lord? There are several areas where we must determine to continue. It will be challenging at time because Satan will fight us every step of the way, but we must diligently strive to continue.
We Must Continue in the Word of God
John 8:31 (KJV)
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
The word of God is our road map to heaven. As long as we follow it precisely, we will be on the right track toward our heavenly home. It teaches us how to live in such a way to please God (Titus 2:11-12), and even warns us about things we must avoid. It warns us to beware of covetousness (Luke 12:5), flee fornication (1 Corinthians 6:18), and avoid those who would lead us to ungodliness (1 Timothy 6:20). Our responsibility is to listen and make an application (James 1:19-22).
We Must Continue in the Grace of God
Acts 13:43 (ESV)
43 And after the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who, as they spoke with them, urged them to continue in the grace of God.
Never take the grace of God for granted. It is by the grace of God that we are, not only saved, but able to maintain our salvation. We continue in the grace of God by living according to the gospel. As long as we do this, we are in favor with Him.
A part of being saved by grace is being under a law (the gospel of Christ) that makes provision for our sins. That provision is the blood of God’s Son which continues to cleanse us after we obey the gospel if we repent of the sins we commit. This provision also includes having a Mediator who makes intercession for us when we sin. It is a blessed privilege to have access to the blood of Christ and to have a Savior like Jesus to help us in times of need (Hebrews 4:16; 1 John 2:1).
The grace that allows us to maintain our fellowship with God is not automatic. In other words, we cannot rely on God’s grace to save us if we live in a way that is contrary to His will. We must continue to walk in the light (1 John 1:7). Walking in the light is the only way that we can continue in the grace that saves us. If we decide instead to live in sin, we fall from grace.
We Must Continue in Prayer
Colossians 4:2 (ESV)
2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Do not try to defeat the devil by yourself. We needed God’s help to escape the bondage of Satan in the first place, and we need His help to remain free. God helps us in many ways, but none better than the gift of prayer. It is by prayer, Paul wrote, that we remain watchful.
Prayer can deliver us from temptation; strengthen us when we become weak; give us the courage to meet the challenges of life; and, draw us closer to God. Before your busy day gets started, and your time becomes occupied with the duties and demands of life, spend a few minutes in prayer. It will make your day better and help equip you for the tasks ahead. Most importantly, it will give you the strength to overcome assaults the devil might throw your way.
There are other things we should continue in as well. For example, we should continue in God’s love (John 15:9), continue in the faith (Acts 14:22), and continue in holiness and self-control (1 Timothy 2:15). Let us all remember the importance of continuing.