Build yourself up! – Persevere (Jude vr.

20-21)

Intro:

We as Christians should protect the faith and spread it, nevertheless resist false teaching. Jude gives us
four aspects how to go about spreading the word and resisting false teaching.

Body:

1. Building ourselves up in the most holy faith.

- This holy faith is the revelation of the NT, given by Christ and through the apostles (vr.3)- “dear
friends although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to
write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints”
- This building up requires the study of the word of God, and a willing effort to know the word
and the teachings of the scripture.
o Acts 2:42 “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship to
the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
We see that they were, devoting to the teachings of the apostles, daily.
 Acts 20:27 “For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God”
 The will of God is well proclaimed by the word and it’s been fully proclaimed.
o Hebrew 5:12 “In fact, by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach
you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again.”

When we don’t build ourselves up with the word or we don’t grow in the word we are still
children and when we get to the level of teaching others we ourselves need to be thought.

o II Tim. 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who
does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

When we don’t study the word of God, we most likely will not get the job done (trials, in our
business, in our offerings, etc); we will struggle and will be ashamed of the type of finishing
work we bring to God. We need to handle correctly the word of God

2. Praying in the Holy Spirit

- Our Prayers should be in the power of the Holy Spirit, meaning, letting the Holy Spirit reveal to
us.., guide us, inspire us, transform us, that we might win every battle in the spiritual world.
o Rom 8:26 “In the same way, the spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what
we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words
cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because
the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will”

As we hope in the things that we don’t see, the heavens, but we wait patiently; in the same
manner the spirit helps us in our weakness. He intercedes for us, he shows us and teaches
us what to pray.
 o Gal. 4:6 “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit
who calls out ‘Abba, Father.’

We have the spirit of God put in us, because we are sons through Jesus Christ who made us
part of God. We can call out to god, Father!, because we are sons.

o Ef. 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.
With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

We have to let the Spirit of God who knows everything to guide us in our prayers for those
in need. Because, if we start praying for someone who might go through trouble, but we
don’t know about it, however the spirit does, and when two or more gather in unity, even in
prayer through the spirit God comes in the mists and brings victory.

- Prayer in the Holy Spirit includes the prayer with mind and the prayer with the spirit.
o I Cor. 14:15 “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what
shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my
spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.”

Paul teaches us the importance of praying in the spirit but with our minds. And he gives very
good examples of why we ought to pray in with our minds but let the Holy Spirit guide us.

3. Keeping ourselves in the sphere of ‘God’s love for us’.

- This implies a total surrender in obeying Gods word.
o John 15:9-10 “So the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If
you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s
commands and remain in his love.”

To remain in God’s sphere of love, we have to accept His way, His work, His Love, and to
accept his will which is good, pleasing, and perfect. (Rom. 12:2)

Someone once said, “The flesh will always want something now that you don’t want in the
future”. Always ask yourself, will this thing, act or decision or word, benefit me in the
future? And then you will know if it’s the flesh speaking or the spirit, because if it’s the spirit
He always has a plan which is good, pleasing and perfect for your future. Satan only has
plans for today, for right now, Satan will always say do it now, don’t worry about tomorrow.
And you might say well that’s what the bible says to not worry about tomorrow. But this is
what the devil does take the word and deceives people. The bible tells us to not worry about
food and clothing, and also in the sense of putting our trust in God, not in the sense of
taking decision. Every time when you take a decision and do not care about the effect that
will have tomorrow or in the future then it’s most likely one hundred percent from the flesh.

Why do we need to do all this building up?

4. Waiting upon the coming of Jesus Christ.

 - Our main focus and desire on this earth is to strive toward the coming of Jesus, being with him
in the eternal glory.
o John 14:2 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my
Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so. I would have told you. I am going
there to prepare a place for you.”

Conclusion:

This building up or this life’s training is for a purpose and this purpose is eternal, with God. In order to
overcome life’s oppositions we need to have a strong fain in the word, a sensitive mind and heart to the
spirit and love of God. To be transformed in a new creation for eternity in heaven.

Applications:

1. Make time for devotions in the morning to study the word

2. Make time and listen to the spirit guiding you
3. Respond to God’s love by obeying and practicing the word and His teachings.

Make a commitment today to do something in the area you are lacking guidance, or understanding the
word, or in the area you are lacking obedience, or in the area where your focus is not heaven. Do
something about it. Make a plan, have a future, don’t live blindfolded by the world and see where
you’re going.