“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, 'In just a little while he who is coming will come and will not delay.”

“I know your deeds, love, faithfulness, service, and endurance. Your labors greatly increase in quality as you travel along this journey.” (Rev. 2:19)

Over and over in the first part of Revelation as Jesus addresses the churches, he speaks of “patent endurance.” To patiently endure means to suffer difficulties and tribulations with an accepting attitude that trusts and overcomes. Perseverance, diligence, tolerance and understanding are all associated words.

It is Strongs # 5281 “hypomonḗ (from 5259 /hypó, "under" and 3306 /ménō, "remain, endure") – properly, remaining under, endurance; steadfastness, especially as God enables the believer to "remain (endure) under" the challenges He allots in life.” [1]

It means being patient, waiting for God to act. The Enhanced Strong's Lexicon notes about hupomone, “Patience is the quality that does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial; it is the opposite of despondency and is associated with hope.” It consists of being steadfast, consistent and enduring. In the New Testament, it is “the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings.” [2]

Some examples are:

1 Thessalonians 1:3,
“Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.”

Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

It is closely related to patient endurance, Strongs #5278, hupomeno, means to abide under, be patient, and suffer, not receding or fleeing but persevering unto the end, bearing bravely ill treatments. [3]

James 1:12 says, "Blessed are those who persevere under trial, because when they have stood the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. "

Revelation is a book that speaks about tribulation, persecution and suffering. There is a season where the suffering, brokenness and difficulties increase and seem to continually come without end in site. During a season such as this, what God calls His church to first of all is to not lose hope and patiently endure. He is the One who gives them what they need to do this.

The opposite of patiently enduring is to flee, grow cold, no longer wait for God to act and abandon Him. This is the temptation in this season of tribulation. Jesus says about the end times in Matthew 24:11, "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.…”

What the people needed first of all was encouragement. Jesus over and over said, I am the One who is coming... His church needed to know there was an end in sight to all the suffering they were enduring. They were to hold fast , “conquer through faithfulness even unto death” and know there were rewards coming.

Jesus made it clear to the churches that He saw the faithfulness of His people and was there to strengthen them through it. He was with them in it.

Ever been in a difficult situation and just needed to know that God was with you in it and would see you through it. It makes all the difference. I recently woke up feeling overwhelmed about a situation and, broken about it, told God I just didn't see how I could endure and do it. I heard Him speak clearly, “I will do it with you.” Tears streamed down my eyes and this made all the difference to know it wasn't me and my capacities I was relying upon to make it through.

Jesus also did not leave the churches in their falling away, but confronted them. Jesus was rebuking the church where they lacked endurance. He told the church at Ephesus they abandoned their first love. The church at Pergamum were following false teaching, the church at Thyatira tolerated immorality. The church at Sardis has fallen into a death-sleep in going through the motions and the church at Laodicea had become lukewarm. He called them out of this and back to a place of faithfulness.

Sometimes it is in our greatest difficulties where God meets us most clearly. It was in this place of tribulations that He came as blazing fire that was standing in the midst of the candlesticks (his church) setting them ablaze. Amidst all their failures, falling asleep, becoming mediocre, and not challenging sin, He brought them back to their first love.

Lord, we long to be those who “conquer through faithfulness even unto death.” Grow us in patient endurance. Where we (speaking of me hear) have grown mediocre, lukewarm, or gone of track, call us to repent and turn back. Be the Living Flame among us that sets our hearts ablaze for you once again.

1.  Strong's Concordance. Bible Hub.  Located at: http://biblehub.com/greek/5281.htm.  Last Accessed: 4/29/15.

2.  Strong, J. (1996). The exhaustive concordance of the Bible : Showing every word of the text of the common English version of the canonical books, and every occurrence of each word in regular order. (electronic ed.) (G5281). Ontario: Woodside Bible Fellowship.