We must line up our statements of faith with God's Word. God has spoken to us in the universal written Word, and sometimes speaks to us privately in a personal word. We are to hold fast our confidence concerning what the written Word says and also what has been spoken to us in a personal word. If we do we will receive God's answer. This is how we overcome the accuser by the word of our testimony—our testimony to the truthfulness and faithfulness of God's Word.

If we are to be victorious we must love not our life to the death. If there is any part of our personality or experience we are clutching desperately, whether it be a relationship, our health, our physical life, our money, our home, or whatever else is important to us, the accuser will hammer away at this point until we collapse.

We are to yield to God all we are and possess. We are to give joyously to the Lord all He requests. We must place every person, every possession, every hope on the altar of God. We may not receive the answer to our prayer if we do not give all to God.

If we are to exercise faith we must trust in the blood of the Lamb.

If we are to exercise faith we must testify that God speaks only truth, that His Word is unchangeable.

If we are to exercise faith we must relinquish everything to God, counting ourselves as crucified to the world and the world to us.

Until we take action in these areas we cannot enter the realm of Divine faith.

We must hold fast our confidence.

We must live by the blood of the Lamb.

We must hold fast the word of our testimony.

We must love not our life to the point of death.

These are things we are to do. God will help us if we ask Him but He will not do them for us. If we are faithful in doing what the Scriptures command, God will honor His promise to do whatever we ask in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Patience, Endurance, Perseverance.

For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:36).

Patient endurance is one of the major virtues of the members of the Kingdom of God.

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. (Luke 8:15)

In your patience possess ye your souls. (Luke 21:19)

To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: (Romans 2:7)

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:25)

There are many such passages in the New Testament.

Patience is associated with the Kingdom of God.

I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 1:9)

When we think of the patriarchs we think of patience. Abraham's patience while waiting for the promised Seed is one of the great lessons of the Bible. Job had to wait patiently for deliverance. Joseph was patient in prison. Anna and Simeon waited patiently for Christ.

To be continued.