Learn How to maintain your Joy as a believer in the midst of opposition

1. HOW TO MANTAIN YOUR
LAUGHTER IN THE MIDST OF
OPPOSITION
Persevering Faith
PS T N MAKHUBU

2. How to Maintain Your Laughter in The Midst of Opposition?
Sub Caption: Persevering Faith
Foundational Text: Hebrews 11: 23-28
Definition of Terms
Maintain: ‘To uphold, keep in possession, preserve from capture or loss, sustain, protect’
(Advanced English Dictionary)
Laughter: Laughter always announces the reversal of our anxieties and fears into joy and relief.
God’s laughter overcomes the dangers that threaten God’s rule over our life. It refers to the
transcendence of God’s promise over time (God’s due time over the time of life), the
transcendence or triumph of God’s Word over the natural processes, systems and patterns.
Laughter further speaks of the stepping in of divinity into time and bringing acceleration,
newness of life, growth and fruitfulness in spite of the chronos of life. God becomes the clock or
measurement scale Himself.
NB: The success or failure of God’s promise did not depend on Sarah’s answer that day, but on
the Covenant_ Genesis 18
Opposition: ‘An attempt to check, restrain, or defeat’ (Webster’s Revised Unabridged
Dictionary)
Background
"… Hebrews is an epistle rooted in actual life. It is addressed to a local gathering of men and women
who discovered that they could be penetrated by adverse circumstances over which they exercised no
control. It throbs with an awareness of the privilege and the cost of discipleship. It is a sensitive pastoral
response to the sagging faith of older and tired individuals who were in danger of relinquishing their
Christian commitment. It seeks to strengthen them in the face of a new crisis so that they may stand
firm in their faith. It warns them of the judgment of God they would incur if they were to waver in their
commitment. Exhortations to covenant fidelity and perseverance are grounded in a fresh
understanding of the significance of Jesus and the efficacy of his sacrifice."
Theme: Hebrews 1:1-4
"The comprehensive theme of the Epistle to the Hebrews is that of the absolute supremacy of Christ—a
supremacy which allows no challenge, whether from human or angelic beings."
In this epistle, the writer presented Him as the greatest revelation that God has given humankind.
God's revelation in His Son is superior to all other revelations that He has given, in three respects:
1. It supersedes all other revelations: God's revelation through angels (the Mosaic Law), His
revelation through humans (the prophets), and His revelation through rituals (the Old
Covenant).
2. God's revelation in His Son is sufficient to meet every basic human need: Revealer of God,
Mediator of the New Covenant, Righteous Ruler

3. 3. God's revelation in His Son ensures final victory in every basic sphere of life. The individual (the
human order) attains perfection through the Son. Society (the social order) will experience
perfection through the Son. And the universe (the cosmic order) will reach perfection through
the Son.
Persevering Faith in the Midst of Opposition
Hebrews places great emphasis on the importance of living by faith.
1. Hebrews defines faith. (11:1)
 "Faith" is volitional (Conscious and intentional) surrender and obedience to God,
regardless of appearances (Look, shape, vanishing point_ Advanced English Dictionary)
of things.
 It is not just intellectual conviction. It is the action of the will that expresses
intellectual conviction!
2. Hebrews also illustrates faith. It describes faith as doing, as suffering, and as waiting. Worth
noting is the fact that Faith is not just a noun but a Verb. A Characteristic of faith that works!
Hence the work of the believer in the New Testament is simply to Believe! John 6:29
3. Hebrews vindicates faith. It assures us of the ultimate triumph of faith. People in the past, who
acted in faith, achieved. People who suffered for their faith triumphed. People who waited in
faith received their reward. Even in the midst of opposition, we need to remain unmoved in our
Faith for we have an assurance!!!
Characteristics of Persevering Faith (11:23-28)
 Born & Established-Refuses-Decides-Perceives-Migrates-Endures-Maintains
How to Maintain Your Laughter in the Midst of Opposition?
The writer urged his readers to persevere in faith by using two appeals: one negative (The 5 Warning
Passages), and one positive (A Word of Encouragement passage for each Warning):
1. The first passage (2:1-4): warns of the danger of drifting away from the truth (2:1)
 The first passage (2:1-4) encourages the readers with a reminder of God confirming His
promises with miracles in the apostolic age (2:3-4)
2. The second passage (3:7-19): warns of the danger of disbelief (3:12). Disbelief results in heart-
hardening (3:13). We need to keep on believing, rather than ceasing to believe!
 The second passage (3:7-19): encourages by reminding us of Jesus' example of
faithfulness (3:1-6) and
 our resources as believers (4:12-16):
o Intimacy with the Word in the Midst of Opposition for: The Word
discovers our Condition (v12-13),
o Boldness in the Midst of faults and Failures: Perception of our High
Priest Must be right, that perception will sponsor our boldness before
the throne of grace, the place where mercy (for our faults) and grace
(for our aid) are dispensed/ critically administered! Oh there is a critical
administration of mercy and grace at the Throne! Come boldly!

4. 3. The third passage (5:11—6:12): warns of the danger of immaturity (5:12). When we do not put
truth into practice, we do not just remain in the same spiritual state. We regress. Therefore we
need to keep on growing (2 Pet. 3:18).
 The third passage (5:11—6:12): encourages with a reminder of the readers' past
faithfulness (6:9-12) and God's firm promises (6:13-20).
4. The fourth passage (10:19-39): warns of the danger of willful sinning (10:26-27). If we abandon
confidence in the efficacy of Jesus Christ's sacrifice, there is no other sacrifice that can protect
us from God's judgment on us as believers. We need to keep submitting to God (Rom. 6:16).
 The fourth passage (10:19-39): also encourages with a reminder of the readers' past
perseverance (10:32-39).
5. The fifth passage (12:14-29): warns of the danger of unresponsiveness (12:25). The message of
this letter demands positive response. We need to keep on obeying God! (Titus 3:8)
 The fifth passage (12:14-29): encourages by reminding us of Jesus' example of
perseverance (12:1-2) and the reason for divine discipline (12:3-11).
The End