bible verses on perseverance
The Bible is filled with examples of individuals who persevered. Jesus is of course the perfect example. Others include:
• Joseph (the Book of Genesis)
• Job
• The Apostle Paul
In addition, you’ll find a number of other individual Bible verses on perseverance.
What is Perseverance?
Perseverance is steady persistence in a course of action in spite of adversity.
EXAMPLE OF PERSEVERANCE
Before sharing 10 Bible verses on perseverance, I’d like to share this example from a football game I saw. Even if you aren’t familiar with football, the concept is easily understandable.
Actually, I watched a college football game between the University of Iowa and University of Indiana. Iowa’s quarterback, Ricky Stanzi at the time threw interception after interception in that game.
The third quarter is especially rough. In this home game, the quarterback was getting booed and the team, one of the top in the country was losing. Just about everything that could go wrong went wrong. You can imagine how the quarterback, team and coach felt in those moments.
Do you give up? Some may have thrown in the towel. Or do you, like Stanzi in this game move on and finish the game strong?
The fourth quarter started. Iowa arrived at the point where they had their first lead of the game. Iowa’s quarterback passes to Marvin McNutt for a 92-yard touchdown. He ended up with a total of 158 yards in two touchdowns and a career-high 337 yards overall. Iowa came back to beat Indiana, and as a result, they were undefeated for the first time in school history.
The announcers stressed the perseverance of the quarterback.
Some Christians are ready to give up in the race. Indeed, times are tough. As a Christian, you might experience rejection from the crowd. The coach in sports teams builds up the players—toughens them up and encourages them. So it is with God in our lives as He pushes and strengthens us to finish the race.
Right now, you may feel like you are in the “third quarter” of a particular situation in your life. That brings us to the question:
How do we Persevere in the Christian Journey?
The general ways a Christian tries to find strength and persevere in the faith journey is by implementing these three major actions:
• Prayer
• Reading and Meditating on Passages in the Bible
• Fellowship
As you apply those three points, you might wonder what the Bible’s instructions are regarding perseverance.
10
Specific Bible Verses/passages on Perseverance
James 1:2-4: Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
The theme of the Book of James is this: Enduring or persevering under trial with God’s wisdom leads to maturity. In James 1:5 and following, the passage shifts to the theme of wisdom and how generous God
Romans 5:3-5: Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.is in giving that gift to those who ask Him.
Galatians 6:9: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Hebrews 12:2: Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Philippians 3:13-14: Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 6:12: Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and for which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses (NASB)
Revelation
3:10-11: Because you
have kept My word of
perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of the testing,
that hour which is about to come upon the whole world,
to test those
who live on the earth. I am coming quickly; hold firmly to what you
have, so that no one will take your crown.
Matthew 24:13: ...but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Ephesians 6:18: With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints (NASB)
Three steps on how to persevere in the christian journey
Based on the above passages, I'd like to suggest the following three steps on how to persevere:
Step # 1: Start a daily pattern of meditating on Jesus and the cross.
This step is based on Hebrews 12:2: "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith..." In each situation that comes our way, look to Jesus. This earth and everything in it are temporary, while our relationship with Jesus is eternal.
Step # 2: Commit to continual prayer.
Prayer should involve giving thanks and not just offering up petitions. James 1:2 says, count it all joy when going through trials of many kinds. Joy implies a positive approach that includes gratitude. See Philippians 4:4-7. Also, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Finally, Ephesians 6:18 emphasizes prayer "at all times." The theme of the Ephesians 6 passage is spiritual warfare. Prayer is an important part of those battles we face.
Step # 3: Live a life characterized by good works.
Such works involve helping those in need. As Galatians 6:9 says, we will reap rewards, but we must stay the course when it comes to acts of benevolence.
I hope the above Bible verses on perseverance, suggestions, and other info on this page help as you "run the race" in such a way as to get the prize--Jesus (1 Cor. 9:24)!
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For lists of virtues in the Bible and more on what perseverance entails, see my page on Christian virtues: