One of the many great and wonderful things about being believers in the Lord Jesus Christ is that we are citizens of heaven and also members of the house or household of God (Ephesians 2:19).
The Bible says, “But Christ is faithful over God’s house as a Son. And we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope” (Hebrews 3:6).
God’s house means all Christians who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior. Hence, the text says “we are his house if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.” Salvation comes into view here, which is solely by the finished work of Jesus on the Cross for the sins of mankind.
Hold fast means to be determined, remain strong and unyielding; irrespective of the circumstances. This is exactly how Christians ought to live in this topsy-turvy world where right is wrong and wrong is right. Holding fast is the evidence we are God’s house.
There is so much confusion and uncertainty these days. Believers have no option but to remain strong, steadfast, and fully committed to God’s will and purpose. When our adversary, the devil, is allowed to get the upper hand in our lives, he alone gets the victory.
First Peter 5:8 exhorts and alerts us, “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” And here’s how to react: “Resist him, firm in your faith” (1 Peter 5:9). Remaining firm in our faith helps us to stand strong—neither giving in nor giving up.
James also cautions us “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Submitting ourselves to God means not relying on our own strength. God gives the necessary courage and strength to resist the devil’s lies and temptations.
In a recent blog, I wrote about some Christians who “did run well,” but failed to remain steadfast and unmovable in their faith. Instead, they have been “tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14). The devil is active in these situations.
It’s interesting that Scripture likens the devil to “a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
A lion is called “king of beasts” because of its enormous power and strength in the jungle. A roaring lion wants to be recognized for this capability. It uses instinct to intimidate and scare its prey into submission. The devil also “roars” in his attempt to persuade a believer to yield to his temptation.
The devil uses craftiness and trickery in tempting believers to commit sin. The temptation of Eve is an example. God specifically told Adam and Eve not to eat the “forbidden” fruit. God said,“for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Satan contradicted God’s instructions by telling Eve, “You will not surely die.” And Eve fell for that blatant lie. (Genesis 3:1-5).
Holding fast our confidence also means “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22). Pray for discernment to test everything according to God’s will.
Every believer in Christ is in-dwelt by the Holy Spirit. That is, the Christian’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, He is with us all the time—wherever we go or whatever we do. The Holy Spirit is a divine Person; the third person of the God-head. And “by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30).
We quench the Spirit by our disobedience. The proper attitude toward the Spirit is to be completely yielded to His way (change where change is needed) in our lives and service for God. Allow the Holy Spirit to put away “all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” (Ephesians 4:31).
It is impossible to live a righteous and committed life without the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. He guides us into all the truth (John 16:13). Truth here means the Holy Scriptures, which God uses to teach us how to live a godly life.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, hope in God. Continue to hold fast our confidence and boasting in our hope, remembering “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience” (Romans 8:24,25).