Back to the Basics + “Stand Fast. Hold Fast.”
“Stand Fast. Hold Fast.”
Happy Friday!!!! Ok. This morning is one of those times where random thoughts and Blue Letter Bible and the Word of God have just blown my mind. It went a little something like this:
I got to church and began to think about fasting, which I’ve had several conversations about this week. I decided to look up “fast,” “fasts,” “fasted,” “fasting,” and “fastings” in the concordance. As soon as I sat down, I did.
My brain immediately noticed something as I searched “fast.” STAND FAST! HOLD FAST!
I finished searching all the original words I’d intended, and then went back to “fast.”
HOLD FAST or HOLDING FAST =
used 10x in the N.T.
STAND FAST =
used 6x in the N.T.
I looked up a lot of them, and without a super deep dive, there is one Greek word for “stand fast” and at least 4 Greek words for “hold fast”. The Meg definition goes like this:
1. STAND FAST — stay your ground. don’t move. persevere to maintain your place.
2. HOLD FAST — cling to. clutch a particular thing firmly with a white-knuckle grasp and faithfully
We are told to STAND FAST.
1. “…in the faith.” (I Corinthians 16:13)
2. “…in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free.” (Galatians 5:1)
3. “…stand fast in one spirit (unity), with one mind striving together for faith of the Gospel…” (Philippians 1:27)
4. “…in the LORD…” (Philippians 4:1/1 Thessalonians 3:8)
5. “…in the traditions (apostle’s doctrine) which you have been taught whether by word, or by our epistle.” (II Thessalonians 2:15)
We are told to HOLD FAST.
1. “…to that which is good…” (I Thes 5:21)
2. “…the form of sound words which you have heard of me (Paul to Timothy - 2 Timothy 1:13)
3. “…the faithful word taught, that by sound doctrine you can exhort and convince gainsayers…” (Titus 1:9)
4. “…hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of the hope unto the end.” (Hebrews 3:6)
5. “…our “profession.” (Heb 4:14)
6. “…the profession of our faith.” (Heb 10:23)
7. Church in Pergamos commended for “holding fast Jesus’ Name” (Rev 2:13)
8. “…remember what you have received & heard, and hold fast, and repent.” (Rev 3:3)
9. “…just simply, “hold fast” til I come.”
10. “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.”
I have been sitting here for over an hour, mind-boggled over the Word of God. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE when the Lord shows me a little theme or pattern or takes me on a little “journey” in the Word that I did not expect in any way, shape, or form.
WHAT A WORD. That’s my “manna” for today!
Stand fast.
Hold fast.
My brain goes about a million directions from there. Paul and John wouldn’t have used these phrases so many times if Christians were not going to need brutally tenacious endurance! Stand your ground! Stand firm. Don’t give up your place. Don’t let the enemy push you out of your spot. A bit like “king on the mountain” which we played as kids. Stand fast. Hold fast. Cling. Clutch. hold on for dear life. Sink your fingernails in. Hold on like you’re on a bucking bronco. Like you hold your seat mates’ hand on Raging Bull. Hold onto good, your confidence, your faith, the Apostle’s doctrine, and truth like they are the most priceless treasure you possess. Because they are. Hold fast until He comes!
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Revelation 3:11
Stand fast.
Hold fast.
That was a “word”! Thank You, Jesus!
And, in the middle of that “word,” I found a treasure for Overflow!
“But Christ is a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of hope firm unto the end…” Heb 3:6
This brings to mind “By and By,” by Carlton Pearson, where he shares the story of a “little old church mother, Mother Sherman” who always asked the question, “Son, you yet holdin’ on?”
I close out this Bible study journey with a profession of faith….
Oh, yes! I’m yet holdin’ on!
XO ! 🖤Meg
“Then you just keep on keepin’ on, baby!” —Mother Sherman
Thank you for joining me for this journey!
Go grab your Bible and your journal!
I look forward to the power of this habit in your life. This is Unedited.