|
Title: Patience Text: Gal 5:22 Date: 10-15-06 INTRODUCTION: How many of you have a problem with patience? I read a story about a little boy in a department store. He was standing at the end of the escalator and kept staring at the rail as it went around. Finally a store manager who thought maybe he was lost came up to him and asked: “are you lost son?” “Oh no,” the boy replied, “I’m just waiting for my bubble gum to come back.”… That’s patience! There are two Greek words translated patience in the New Testament hupomone (hoop-om-on-ay'); makrothumia (mak-roth-oo-mee'-ah);
Both are vital in the life of a believer but only one is a characteristic of the fruit of the Spirit. The one is probably most associated with our understanding of patience: James 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. (KJV) James 5:11Behold, we count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord's dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and {is} merciful.(NAS) James 5:11As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (NIV) James 5:11Behold, we call those happy who were steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. (RSV) However, patience as used in Galatians 5:22 implies endurance and forbearance (longsuffering) in the midst of provocation and injury from others. It also implies constancy, steadfastness, perseverance forbearance, longsuffering, and self restraint in avenging wrongs. A more Literal translation might be being slow to ANGER and even slower to WRATH. Wrath is putting anger into action. You get an understanding of this in James 1:19 This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; (NAS) It is the character of a person who is able to avenge his/herself but doesn’t. As with the other aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, Patience refers to relationships; to our dealings with other people rather than with situations. Both relational and situational patience are important, but how we respond to others is vital for the Christian walk. As a fruit of the Spirit, Patience means we are to handle our anger with people slowly. It is the capacity to tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without allowing anger to control our emotions and/or responses. Why is Patience important? Patience is a Characteristic of the SPIRIT -FILLED life. Patience makes a believer BELIEVABLE. Patience in relationships brings credibility to our calling as Christians and our relationship with Jesus. In Eph 4:1-3, Paul wrote: 1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Eph 4:1-3 (NAS) in Colossians 1.9-12, Paul also wrote about how patience in our lives demonstrates the believability of our relationship with Christ: 9 For this reason also, since the day we heard {of it} we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please {Him} in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Col 1:9-12 (NAS) This passage shows the importance patience has in living a life worthy of the Lord. Paul shares with us what it takes to experience this kind of patience: we must be strengthened with all power according to his glorious might. Patience is a matter of our will and His power. If we want to have a believable witness in the world, we have to be patient with the people around us. Someone wrote: Your temper is one of your most valuable possessions. Be careful, don’t lose it. Some of you have probably read the story on the internet about a lady got cut off by another driver and she shook her fist out the window at a driver and ranted and raved a police officer who was behind her and witnessed her tantrum pulled her over, cuffed and frisked her. Checked out her identity on the computer only to apologize, saying they had made a mistake: “I saw your road rage, and then noticed the bumper sticker on your car that said “I love Jesus” I just figured this must be a stolen car.” One of the easiest and quickest ways to ruin your witness is to be impatient with other people . . . lose your cool, blow your top, get upset and allow anger to rule the situation. There is nothing like uncontrolled anger to destroy our witness, our ministry, our leadership, our integrity and our credibility! What steps can we take to be more patient and demonstrate patience in our lives? Five ways to demonstrate patience in our lives: 1. Be committed to managing our anger (Proverbs 16:32). And, anger can be managed. Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city. - Proverbs 16.32 You might think I can’t help myself; I just blow up.” But that’s the old nature and you are able to overcome the old nature because of the Spirit within you. But, you can control your anger. 2. Understand the cost of unmanaged anger (Proverbs 11:29; 14:17,29; 15:18; 29:22). Remember anger is only one letter away from DANGER The Bible is very specific about the damage that uncontrolled anger causes. a) Unmanaged anger causes ARGUMENTS: A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger pacifies contention. Prov 15:18 (NAS) b)Unmanaged anger leads to doing things we later REGRET: A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated. Prov 14:17 (NAS) c) Unmanaged anger always makes the problem WORSE: For the churning of milk produces butter, and pressing the nose brings forth blood; so the churning of anger produces strife. Prov 30:33 (NAS) d)Unmanaged anger becomes HABITUAL: A man of great anger shall bear the penalty, for if you rescue {him,} you will only have to do it again. Prov 19:19 (NAS) e)Unmanaged anger is SINFUL: An angry man stirs up strife, and a hot-tempered man abounds in transgression. Prov 29:22 (NAS) Unmanaged anger damages if not destroys relationships. Eventually, no one will trust a person who can’t control the anger. 3. Transform your mind (Romans 12.2). Be transformed by the renewing of your mind. -Romans 12:2 Your beliefs will control your behavior. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he (Proverbs 23.7). We become so used to believing that we are what we are that we can’t change. We wrongly believe our lack of patience, our uncontrolled anger are somehow beyond the ability of God’s transforming power. Whether we actually admit we believe that or not. We see the worldly way of dealing with anger through TV and movies and music. You strike back, you swear, you get revenge, you let it rip. I think about a scene from Kindergarten Cop where Arnold Swartzanegger hits a father who has been physically abusing his son. He’s called into the office and the principle he thinks is going to reprimand him then after she talks to him she wants to know how it felt to give him what he deserved. And we are right there with her saying let him have it. But the Bible says. . . Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12.2). We have to end, once and for all, the belief that this is just the way I am, and nothing can change me. The Holy Spirit has the power! 4. Practice Mercy and forgiveness Col 3:12-13 12 And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. (NAS) Matt 6:12 12 'And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. (NAS) Matt 6:14-15 14 "For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 "But if you do not forgive men, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. (NAS) Mark 11:25-26 25 "And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your transgressions. 26 ["But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions."] (NAS) To build strong relationships we need sometimes need to delay what we say, refuse to retaliate, refuse to vent our anger. Last but certainly not least: 5. Rely, by faith, on the power of God’s Spirit (Colossians 1:11; Galatians 5:24 -25). Determine to be yielded to the Spirit of God in our lives. Col 1:9-11 9 For this reason also, since the day we heard {of it} we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please {Him} in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience;. . .(NAS) Gal 5:24-25 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. (NAS) We can have patience, even when we are by nature impatient. Patience is a characteristic of God’s Spirit alive and at work within us. Patience is a matter of our will and His power. We must resolve to allow the Lord to have His own way in our lives. |