Life In The Steadfast Lane | Nathanael Wood | Hillsong Church Online

i want to speak to you on a character quality a character quality excuse me that i personally admire in others to be honest it's a personal character quality that challenges me in others and not only in faith but also in life in general so we're going to play guess the preaching sermon topic this morning so wherever you are and they're in the chat why don't you play along because i'm going to give you a whole number of hints i want you to see if you can guess the topic that i'm going to be speaking about this morning so the first hint is this it's used in the bible to describe god's love it's used in the bible to describe god's love it's a character trait that we love in a friend or expect in an ally and might i say how good is a rock-solid loyal friend in good times and in bad you know the next hint is it's a common descriptive word used in many nation-shaping speeches i know at this time we're remembering all those who perished in the terror attacks in 9 11 and we're thinking about all those who are affected and impacted by that we're especially remembering all those who laid down their life in the service of others but i do remember uh george w bush um basically at that time responding and you can only imagine as a leader of that nation and influence around the world what was i guess on his shoulders in that responsibility but he in an address the day after talk specifically about this let me read it to you it'll give you a number of hints he said the deliberate and deadly attacks which were carried out yesterday against our country referring to the united states were more than acts of terror they were acts of war he said this he said this will require require our country to unite in steadfast determination and resolve freedom and democracy are under attack so there's a couple of hints there so i can see people already putting in the chat what they think the topic of the sermon is today and now another hint is this it's a valued attribute that others can depend on and most certainly can build with the next hint is it's to your personal advantage in times of adversity what about it's a particular word that's not used all that much so you probably don't hear it all that often the next hint is our church is filled with people who have displayed it through various seasons over the decades of our church uh the next hint is it's very difficult to build anything significant without it whether it be a business a ministry a relationship or just your own life you're always one decision away from becoming it or demonstrating it one decision away it's defined as resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering so i can see a whole bunch of people i can see some right answers in the chat but i'd like to speak this morning on the topic of being steadfast the topic of being steadfast and i've called this message and you can write it in your notes write it in the chat the title is called life in the steadfast lane life in the stead fast lane my first memory of this word steadfast was when i was a young kid in boys brigade many of you would know boys brigade if you don't it's almost like the christian version of scouts and i was in boys brigade i had my uniform but the motto of boys brigade was shaw and steadfast that was the motto of boys brigade sure and steadfast and i'll never forget those two words sure and steadfast now we know in hebrews chapter 6 verses 19 and 20 those two words are referred to it says this this hope we have as an anchor of the soul and who knows right at this time we need an anchor for our soul in times of uncertainty in moments of adversity we need a hope that anchors our soul this hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast so we have a hope that anchors our soul that is our emotions that is our feelings that is everything going on on the inside this hope we have as an anchor for the soul both sure and steadfast i said and i mentioned as a hint that the definition of steadfast is resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering that's the english definition of steadfast that word resolute the english definition of that is admirably purposeful determined and unwavering i love all those words there's such strength to all those words and when you see it demonstrated in family or demonstrated in community in a nation all those things are so strong see the word steadfast is actually made up of two different english words stead and fast stead means to place something and fast means to be immovable therefore when the bible tells us to be steadfast it's telling us to stand firmly in place now i've mentioned that i have a small boat and i bought this boat basically as a just a vessel had no motor had no nothing and i'd love to say that i restored it but that would be giving myself too much credit let's just say i turned it into a water worthy vessel and the one thing i can't work out and it's hit and miss for me and maybe i need to do it a whole lot more which means i need to take it out a whole lot more and that is anchoring i i see other people anchor and it's almost like they get at the first go i'm the type of person that throws in the anchor and basically the boat just drifts because the anchor hasn't taken and i don't know what the secret is to how to best anchor a boat but i definitely need to learn it there was one time where we went away with a bunch of people and they camped at a campsite here in sydney and i basically stayed in my boat and when i say stayed in my boat i'm pretty much as tall as my boat but i was going to stay there instead of in a tent but i remember fastening to a public boy a public anchor point and worrying as i went to sleep if i was going to basically basically wake up after having drifted down the river someway and but i remember waking up and noticing that i was still where i anchored because it was a good anchoring point the manly fairy uh ferry the manly ferry here in sydney for those around the world it's a it's a it's a transportation ferry between the city to one of our sydney beaches called manly and pulling in to the wharf you see these giant oversized ropes that grab hold of anchoring points so that this big large vessel can stop as all the people get on and get off and i think about that and i think about what it means to be steadfast what it means to be sure and steadfast firm and secure see in 1 corinthians 15 58 1 corinthians 15 58 it's been in the forefront of my thinking it's been my heartfelt prayer for you and for us collectively as a church and it says this it says therefore my beloved brethren be steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the lord knowing that your labor is not in vain in the lord the niv version says stand firm let nothing move you the message translation says stand your ground and don't hold back well i think that is good advice for you and i in this season that we be steadfast that we be immovable and understand that there's still the work of the lord that needs to go forward let's not be immovable in regards to not seeing the work of the lord go forward let's be personally immovable ensuring that the work of the lord abounds in jesus name so steadfastness it's such an admirable quality it really is so let's remain steadfast let's remain standing firmly in place ephesians chapter six it says therefore put on the full armor of god so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your ground and after you have done everything to stand see the full armor of god helps us to be steadfast the armor of god helps us to be sure and secure in our standing verse 14 tells us to stand firm in the full armor of god so let's be unwavering let's be unwavering unwavering and fulfilling your god-given destiny unwavering in what god has called you to do unwavering in pursuing the promises of god for your life unwavering in the important part that we play that you play in fulfilling the vision of our church ultimately unwavering in our personal faith in the passionate outworking of it let me say that one more time ultimately unwavering in our personal faith and the passionate outworking of it because it makes a significant difference not only to your life but to the life of this community to the life of our church to the vision of our church moving forwards what you add and what you contribute actually makes a difference never underestimate what you do because when you add up what everyone does that is how our church moves forward into all that god has for us so many of us can be stubborn at times now i've been called stubborn once or twice in my life i don't know whether you have maybe you want to dub someone in who you know to be just a little stubborn many of us can be stubborn at times but can i ask you a question are you righteously stubborn are you righteously stubborn so for the duration of this message when you hear me say steadfast i want you to hear me saying righteously stubborn righteously stubborn why don't you underline or highlight that word righteously in your notes because that's the context righteously stubborn yes i understand i really do that the word stubborn has a negative connotation god even told and spoke about the children of israel as being stiff-necked being rebellious being stubborn so i understand it's got negative connotation you know stubbornness to be stubborn as a mule stiff-necked or pig-headed but stubborn is simply defined as this it's having or showing determination not to change one's attitude or position on something i love determination there's just something about determination that inspires me and i pray that we would be the type of people that not only would give others reason to be inspired but we would look to others and be stirred and spurred on by their determination so would you allow me to wholeheartedly encourage you at this critical time to encourage you at this critical time in an increasingly upside down world as pastor brian mentioned when speaking to us in this increasingly upside down world to be even more righteously stubborn or even more righteously stubborn let's determine not to change our attitude or position towards life-giving biblical truths let's be determined not to change our attitude or position on spiritual disciplines good healthy spiritual disciplines let's not change our attitude or position on godly convictions ungodly convictions word-based bible-based godly convictions let's be righteously stubborn turn to the person next to you right in the chat nathanael's telling me to be righteously stubborn let's be righteously stubborn and not drift or even casually turn away from the very things that will cause us to personally prosper and experience good success in our life some people have a problem with christians experiencing success but good success as joshua chapter 1 verse 709 references let's remember for a moment god's instructions to joshua let me read it to you verse 7 of joshua chapter 1 only be strong and very courageous that you may observe to do according to all the law which moses my servant commanded you do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left that you may prosper wherever you go the book of the law shall not depart from your mouth but you shall meditate in it day and night that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it notice this for then you will make your way prosperous and you will have good success righteously stubborn let's be righteously stubborn let no one change your attitude or change your position that jesus is the way the truth and the life i'm happy to be righteously stubborn on the truths of god's word on bible-based convictions on healthy spiritual disciplines let's be righteously stubborn in jesus name see we're blessed to know a god we really are we're blessed to know a god who is steadfast in number one his love and number two steadfast in his word let's turn to psalm 118 verse one and two in the english standard version it says this oh give thanks to the lord for he is good that's for someone this morning i just felt prompted into my spirit to remind someone that god is good that god is good no matter what you're going through let me remind you he is good he is faithful he continues to say his love endures forever let israel say his steadfast love endures forever his steadfast love and number two his word psalm 119 verse 89 it says your word lord is eternal it stands firm or is steadfast in the heavens your word is steadfast it's firm and secure it's sure and steadfast so we're blessed to know a god whose word and love is steadfast but you know what we're blessed as a church with thousands of people who are steadfast in their faith those who are even becoming even more steadfast in their faith in these times and they have been through various seasons over the decades they're spiritually grounded there's just something so admirable about someone who is spiritually grounded doesn't take much sometimes for a little bit of turbulence or a little bit of turmoil a little bit of trouble for people to run to the hills well probably a bad way of putting it but come on let's be the type of people who are spiritually grounded determined and unwavering in the things of god and towards the vision of our church we're blessed over the years so many so many so many people i remember growing up in our church and to this point and can still point out people who have been that are that and becoming that we're so blessed in our character someone said is often revealed in the highs and lows be humble at the mountaintops be steadfast in the valleys be faithful in between humble on the mountaintops steadfast in the valleys and faithful in between how awesome is that be steadfast in the valleys be steadfast in the valley see i understand i really do the wrestle that many of us have right now i understand that with many of our routines our normal routines are being interrupted and then when it comes to things of faith the spirit is willing but the flesh can be weak in the last 18 months the last 18 months may have given us some attractive options some attractive options and some justifiable alternatives to the things that we value the things that we prioritize and the things we know to be important and maybe the last 18 months and the things you've entertained may have even surprised you but things are or they seem to be changing so quickly i don't know if that's your experience but watching the news and watching dialogue and watching people run towards certain ideologies or thinking or behaviors or lifestyles or whatever it is our world's changing so quickly it's changing in some ways in a really positive way but also on the flip side in very negative ways but let's be righteously stubborn with our convictions let's be righteously stubborn with our convictions with our attitudes and with our positions on certain things see the times they may be uncertain but not my personal support the times may be uncertain but not my commitment the times may be uncertain but not my personal giving the times may be uncertain but not my devotion not my personal engagement the times may be uncertain but not my personal faith i intend to be righteously stubborn and even more so i pray i really do that this message would get in your spirit and no matter where you are at this time that something on the inside of you would leap that you would get an indignation on the inside to be righteously stubborn as a believer of the lord jesus christ part of the household of faith the community of believers standing on the promises of god's word worshiping a savior that we would get something on the inside to be righteously stubborn at these times see 1 peter chapter 5 verse 8 and 10 says be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour notice this verse 9 resist him be steadfast in faith be steadfast in faith it goes on and says knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood the sisterhood in the world but may the god of all grace who called us to his eternal glory by christ jesus after you have suffered for a while after you have suffered for a while perfect established strengthen and settle you christ jesus will establish you strengthen you and settle you in 2 corinthians chapter 2 the apostle paul warns us not to be ignorant of the devil's devices but can i also say let's not also be ignorant of the desires of the flesh let's not be ignorant of the deceptions offered by this world or the spirit of this world let's be steadfast let's be righteously stubborn in jesus name let's refuse to allow the spirit of this world to change our attitude or our position when it comes to the word of god the promises of god or just the things of god in general yes sometimes it can seem unpopular or definitely not in vogue to believe the things that the bible encourages us to believe but let's take the instructions that god gave to joshua let's not turn to the left let's not turn to the right but let's adhere let's follow let's apply all that god is encouraging us in his word to do so steadfast you might go well it's easy for me or it's easy for that person and i want to give you three that i think it will make it a little easier to be steadfast remember i said it's one decision away from being steadfast one decision the first one is a personal conviction based on the truth of god's word we'll make it a little easier to be steadfast ephesians 4 verse 14 talks about that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting see a personal conviction leads to living with a personal sense of duty a personal sense of responsibility like this is what i'm a part of the the lord needs me to be a part of what he is doing on the face of the earth not leaving it up to others but having a personal sense of duty that comes from a personal conviction that come from the word of god and the truth of god's word see the apostle paul he was steadfast in faith he was committed to his god assignment despite all the adversity that he experienced he was steadfast in faith despite the list of things that he went through he was steadfast because he had a personal conviction number two what i think makes it easy to be steadfast is a trusting in the lord now i'm not saying trusting is all that easy but when we make a decision to trust the lord our trust grows psalm 112 verse 7. it says they will fear no they will fear no bad news their hearts are established trusting in the lord there's nothing like a heart that's steadfast a soul that's anchored because we trust in the lord we know that he has everything under control and sometimes we want to take that control back but let's trust in the lord let's put our lives the lives of our loved ones in his hands the lives of our community our nation in his hands that's why it's so important that we are praying fervently and passionately at this time that god would have his way that his will would be done on earth as it is in heaven isaiah 26 verse 3 says you will keep him or you will keep in perfect peace those whose mind are steadfast why because they trust in you some versions say stayed others thoughts are fixed and if i could just remind you of that manly fairy coming in to dock in the wharf those giant oversized ropes just grabbing a hold of peers that are grounded in the seabed not moving that's exactly how our life can be when we trust in the lord our mind the things that rage at times on the inside can be very easily handed to him cast your cares on the lord why because he cares for you number three so number one was a personal conviction based on god's word number two a trusting in the lord which anchors our soul and number three friends who share similar desires you know the influences of our life is so important so important in daniel chapter 3 verse 16 and 18 it says shadrach meshach and abednego well as i always like to say as my dad taught me shake the bed make the bed and in the bed you go shadrach meshach and abednego answered and said to the king i just got to give a moment because i'm sure everyone is laughing so much right now especially my family and my kids the three hebrew guys they said oh nebuchadnezzar we have no need to answer you in this matter if that is the case our god whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace and he will deliver us from your hand o king but if not let it be known to you o king that we do not serve your gods righteously stubborn righteously stubborn everyone else bowed but these three hebrew boys stood standing firm in their place righteously stubborn we do not serve your gods nor we will will we worship the gold image which you have set up see the three hebrew boys they kept standing it's a great picture of being steadfast let's also be righteously stubborn in the face of intimidation opposition insult threats pressure of all different kinds see the things that are likely to take the edge off your faith really are a lack of conviction or a firmly held belief or consistent company that don't share your personal faith it's definitely not the testing of your faith or the challenges to your faith that takes the edge off it so when your faith is active even adversity is powerless james 1 2 3 says count it all joy my brothers when you have trials of various kinds for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness life in the steadfast lane 1 peter 5 verse 10 it says in the god of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in christ after you have suffered a little while will himself restore you and make you strong firm and steadfast david baxter um i don't know who david is but this is what he said what to do when adversity strikes there is only one thing to do stands i just bit my tongue stand steady and see it through stay steadfast constant and true the real tragedy in the whirlwinds of life comes only when we allow them to blow us off our true course blow us off our true course james 1 verse 2 says in the amplified version blessed happy spiritually prosperous favored by god pastor bryan did a great message last week that you need to see on e on youtube if you haven't yet um seen it about the parentheses of matthew chapter five but he says blessed happy spiritually prosperous favored by god is the man or woman who is steadfast under trial and perseveres when tempted for when he has passed the test and been approved he will receive the victor's crown of life which the lord has promised to those who love him so let's remain steadfast in the whirlwinds of life see a tested faith is a steadfast faith a steadfast faith is not impersonal or obligatory it's not inherited not that it can be it's not convenient it's not a seasonal faith no it's a personal faith that is contagious authentic and robust so it's not the testing of your faith due to adversity it's not any of that that takes the edge off our faith see i think it tends to be the small and subtle things the seemingly harmless things it's the things that we easily adjust justify the re that we reason away or even convince ourselves are only temporary maybe you know exactly what i'm talking about it's likely to be the small and subtle things that we simply accept without challenging or thinking them through and that's understandable that's life but i would simply encourage you i wouldn't simply encourage all of us not to easily accept things and find yourself being dislocated or disconnected from being in the middle of god's will let's refuse to drift at this time or at any time let's remain steadfast righteously stubborn in jesus name let's apply proverbs 3 4 26 to each of our everyday lives says give careful thought to the paths of your feet and be steadfast in all your ways let's be steadfast immovable righteously stubborn and let's decide let's decide that we're going to live our life in the steadfast lane in jesus name would you pray with me father i thank you for every single person who's currently listening or watching this and lord all those in future who will listen and watch this message father you know where they're at and what they're going through father i thank you lord that your love for us is steadfast that your word is steadfast lord that the hope we have anchors our soul that it's both sure and steadfast and i pray in jesus name lord that your people that we as a church we as a household of faith or a company of believers would be righteously stubborn about all that you have for us in jesus name i'm going to pray a prayer for people who have never invited the lord jesus christ into their heart never asked for forgiveness never stepped into all the plans and purposes that he has for your life and maybe you have drifted maybe you have wandered away and you're watching and being a part of the service for the first time for a long time and you know you need to make a decision to come back to the lord jesus christ so come on let's pray this prayer together and let's really believe for people to make decisions for jesus this morning come on pray with me dear heavenly father i ask that you would forgive me that you would come into my life thank you for dying on the cross and making the difference with your life that you willingly laid down i ask in jesus name that you would help me to live for you all the days of my life in jesus name amen amen hey a big congratulations to every single person who prayed that prayer for the first time or you recommitted your life what a powerful moment that is

Channel: Hillsong Church

Views: 13,618

Rating: 4.9256506 out of 5

Keywords: church, hillsong, jesus, live, online, praise, worship

Id: UrAZ_7TgFIg

Length: 35min 17sec (2117 seconds)

Published: Sat Sep 11 2021