Luke 21:19 Stand firm, and you will win life.
This verse comes from what is commonly known as the Olivet Discourse. That was the sermon Jesus preached from the Mount of Olives shortly before His crucifixion. In it He spoke of the destruction of the Temple (which was fulfilled in AD 70), signs of the end times, and His second coming. Some of the end times signs included natural disasters, global conflicts, persecution of believers, and widespread preaching of the gospel. He also taught them about the future tribulation that would come as well as the rise of false prophets. Knowing this was the context from which our verse comes, we can now explore what it means to us as believers.
Today’s verse is very short but very meaningful. It was a promise from Jesus that standing firm, remaining patient, and holding fast to faith through the hardship and persecution they faced would bring them eternal life. His wording indicated that our faith is ongoing and continuous. He said stand firm and you WILL win life. Present tense, not a one time event.
The King James Version translates the verse as such: “In your patience possess ye your souls.” We see that we must exercise patience if we want to “win” life, as the NIV says. Does that mean that if we persevere and stand firm in the face of persecution and trials we will be rewarded with heaven? Not necessarily. True, we could have that be a true statement, but only if we are believers who have asked for forgiveness for our sins and admitted we need Him to save us.
I encourage you to stand firm in your faith. Continue to seek Him daily and have patience when you face tribulations or setbacks in your life. Know that He has a future glory just waiting for us and we need to wait until He takes us home to experience it. We have all of eternity to enjoy and indulge in His love and grace so hang in there for the time being and trust in His promises.
Prayer: Lord, I eagerly await the future glory You have for me. I am trying to be patient but I long to be with You. Guide me in my life here on earth and walk alongside me until I go home. Amen
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