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Hold
It Fast
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Jesus
said that fruit is produced in the lives of those who
hear the Word in a good heart, and hold it fast,
with perseverance (Luke 8:15). The writer of Hebrews
said that "we have become partakers of Christ, if we
hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until
the end (Hebrews 3:14 NAS).
In
Corinth, Paul preached the gospel--"that Christ died for
our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was
buried, and that He was raised on the third day
according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared" to
His disciples (I Corinthians 15:3-5 NAS). Concerning
this message, Paul said of the Corinthian believers that
they received it, stood in it, and were saved by it, "If
you hold fast the word which I preached to you"
(I Corinthians 15:1-2 NAS).
The
gospel is the power of God to those who are being saved
(I Corinthians 1:18). It performs its work in those who
receive and believe it (I Thessalonians 2:13). When it
is implanted, it is able to save the soul (James 1:21).
But
sometimes believers lose their grip on the Word. They
fail to keep firm possession of it. Through distraction
or forgetfulness, or for reasons of being buffeted or
attacked, they cease to embrace the Word tightly but get
disconnected from it. Some even turn from it or reject
it.
Central
to our purpose in Word Based Counseling is the objective
of restoring people's hold on the promises of God's
word. We desire to direct, encourage, and strengthen
people to keep the Word fastened in their hand and
heart, to embrace it and not let it go. This is the way
to life, fruitfulness, and victory.
May we
all consistently "hold fast the confession of our
hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful"
(Hebrews 10:23).
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