How Endurance Filled Hope Leads to Powerful Victory James 1:2-4
Endurance isn’t just hanging on—it’s hypomonē: the Bible’s powerhouse word for steadfast, never-quit faith that produces breakthrough. In this Light on Life episode, Emery Horvath unpacks how endurance works with hope to carry you through trials, accelerate spiritual growth, and position you to receive God’s promises—until victory shows up. How Endurance Filled Hope Leads to Powerful Victory; that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.
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You can view a basic transcript of this podcast at the bottom of this section.
Accept the Challenge
Each week’s podcast contains a call to action. The Word of God will not produce in your life unless you put it into operation.This week’s call is:
We need steadfastness, that is perseverance, or endurance to make it though any test or trial. It comes by praying to God for His strength.
Join the Conversation
Testimony is vital to a believer’s life. We overcome by it (Rev. 12:11). Each week’s podcast also contains a question designed to encourage testimony.This week’s question is:
Question: What effect has praying the prayer Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:14-19 had on your life? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
About Emery
Emery committed his life to the Lord Jesus Christ over 48 years ago and has served as both a full-time pastor and an itinerant minister. He and his wife Sharon of 44 years emphasize personal growth and development through the Word of God. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is the focus and the hallmark of their mission. Read more about them here.
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Podcast Notes:
Well again, welcome.
Let’s pray.
Father God thank you for you! For who you are to us — our Father and our God. We give you the glory, the honor and the praise. How marvelous are your works and your ways. Thank you for teaching us your ways today and opening our understanding to the blessedness of endurance. We praise you in the Mighty Name of Jesus, Amen and Amen.
Endurance: Let’s Review
The primary text we’ve been using is from the book of James.
James 1:2–4 (ESV) — 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing
Now, to verse 12.
James 1:12 (ESV) —12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
So, endurance is our focal point today.
Just as the ESV translation uses perseverance, it also uses endurance as a synonym for steadfastness.
To be exact, any of these synonyms are interchangeable in your preferred translation
That’s the part that makes it challenging to study your Bible without using an interlinear Bible or language search tools.
You see, in a previous podcast, we defined the Greek word ‘steadfastness’ or the word ‘hypomonē’ as endurance, constancy, or perseverance.
It also means ‘staying power,’ hang-in there power, or refusing to quit power.
A steadfast attitude is one that holds out, holds on, outlasts, perseveres, never gives up, and refuses to surrender to obstacles.
A word search on the Greek word ‘hypomonē’ shows the Bible uses this word 32 times.
Seven of thirty-two instances are described in Revelation; we studied some of them in the book.
The main idea is that Revelation, with the Tribulation, presents the ultimate test and opportunity for people to ‘count it all joy.’
Endurance in Romans
The book of Romans comes in second place for the most occurrences of the word endurance or ‘hypomonē.’
So, let’s see what we can learn from Paul on endurance.
He would be a great role model to learn from considering all the trials that he went through.
Romans 2:6–8 (ESV) — 6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
The Greek word ‘works’ — ‘He will render to each one according to his works’ — the word works and the word ‘well-doing’ is the same word ‘ergon’ and with that thought, here is the Definition of the Day.
The word ‘ergon’ or work denotes action or active zeal in contrast to idleness or useful activity in contrast to useless busy-ness.[2. Georg Bertram, “Ἔργον, Ἐργάζομαι, Ἐργάτης, Ἐργασία, Ἐνεργής, Ἐνἑργεια, Ἐνεργέω, Ἐνέργημα, Εὐεργεσία, Εὐεργετἑω, Εὐεργέτης,” in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Gerhard Friedrich (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1964–), 635.]
So, we’re not just talking a busy kind of work but a useful, significant active kind of work.
Now, we are to do this kind of significant work in an enduring fashion.
We are to do with ‘hypomonē’ — remaing steadfast, perservering, and refusing to quit.
Refusing to quit what?
Refusing to quit doing the good and significant work despite the test or trial you are dealing with.
When it comes to working for God, we must have hang-in there power no matter the obstacle.
Endurance and Being Wishy-Washy
Can you see what this verse adds to the discussion we have been having on being stedfast, and walking in endurance?
It tells us that ‘hypomonē’ — steadfastness, perseverance, or endurance will keep you steady in the midst of tough sleding.
We are to have this kind of attitude as part of our ever day makeup.
The wishy-washy life is not the Jesus life.
John told us in the book of Revelation, chapter one and verse nine that endurance is IN Jesus.
There are those who are lacking in strength, clarity, and determination.
That’s wishy-washy — that’s not in Jesus.
Jesus is not that way.
And, you are in Jesus, so you don’t have to be that way.
A steadfast, persevering, enduring person is not someone who is indecisive.
He is not a person who is unable to make a clear decision about his place in God.
An person operating in ‘hypomonē’ endurance is not a flip-floppy kind of person, up one day and down the next.
This individual does not live a vague life.
This uncertainty runs counter to the word ‘hypomonē.’
A person who functions by perservernace looks tests in th eface and keeps doing what it always has been doing in serving God.
Practicing Endurance
Did you know don’t have to wait for a trying situation to have an endurance mindset?
An endurance attitude is not just for dealing with the difficulties of life.
No, you can apply a ‘refusing to quit’ mentality to any area where consistency is needed.
Just remember Ephesians 3:14–19.
Especially pay attention to the part about praying unto God for strength.
Ephesians 3:14–17 (ESV) — 14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,
Now hook this together with the prayer Paul prayed in Colossians one starting in verse nine.
Colossians 1:9–11 (ESV) — 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;
The strength to operate in endurance does not come from personal discipline or self acquired tenacity.
It comes from God.
Every good thing comes down from the Father of Lights James tells.
Endurance is a good God thing.
Jehovah-Jireh is the source.
Continually ask God and look to Him for strength.
And then, step out in faith in any of the areas that challenge your consistency.
Could endurance bolster your spiritual disciplines, for example?
Could you could you take on the challenge of maintaining a routine of daily Bible reading and talking to God in prayer?
Practice refusing to quit in these areas.
Engage in staying power when you are tempted to lay aside your routine because of the challenges to your schedule.
Treat these challenges like a test to your faith.
You can look at any area where you feel more consistency is needed and apply an endurance/hypomonē mindset.
Do you know that you should be eating healthier?
What about exercise? Is that a challenge?
How about — fill-in-the-blank — whatever it is.
Now, don’t just head out trying to operate in endurance with ‘will power.’
Instead hook-up by tapping God’s strength in prayer [as we mentioned already in the verses in Ephesians and Colossians].
“Father God, I thank you for the strength to stay steady — I look to you for hang-in-there power — for refusing to quit power.”
“I look to you for the ability to rise above my challenges.”
Perseverance and the Work of God
Now, this verse came up in my spirit this week.
You’ll see as we get into this verse that the Lord was trying to help me.
The verse is First Corinthians 15:58.
1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV) — 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
When this came up in my spirit, I was expecting to find the same Greek word we’ve been studying the past couple of podcasts.
I was expecting to see the word ‘hypomonē’ — steadfastness, endurance, perseverance, staying power, refusing to quit power — that’s what I though I was going to find.
But, it’s not what I found.
I found a different Greek word that means steadfastness as well.
It’s the word ‘heridos.’
It’s a different Greek word but with the same kind of meaningful message.
Be steadfast.
Operate in perseverance.
The nunace is that this word ‘heridos’ — ‘steadfast’ pertains to being firmly established in one’s position or opinions—‘firm, steadfast, unwavering.[5. Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 376.]
It’s like my daughter once told me — ‘Dad, I’m not stubborn. I’m just devoted to my opinion.’
Now, Rick Renner weighs in on this word in a ‘Sparkling Gems’ entry.
This is what he said about this word.
First, it means to be stationary, such as something that sits in one place for a long, long time. It also describes something that is firm and steady; thus, this word was frequently used in connection with foundations in buildings. Furthermore, it describes something that is strong, unbendable, unbreakable, and permanent, such as a strong column that holds up a roof. Therefore, when the Holy Spirit through Paul urges us to be “steadfast,” He is calling on you and me to be totally reliable — not shaky or undependable. We should be stationary in the roles where God has called us to serve.[5. Renner - Sparkling Gems 2 - 1528]
Now, isn’t that similar to the word ‘hypomonē?’
Remember that ‘hypomonē’ means steadfastness and deals with test and trials while ‘makrothuemo’ means long-suffering and deals with people — both of those words are translated as ‘patience’ in some of your translations.
Hedrios deals with opinions.
Practice a peresevering mindset.
Be convincined of what you believe,
Have an opinion about it and stick to it until — that is until the Lord shows you otherwise.
Be a bear about resisting the simple stuff of life that’s trying to knock you off what you say you believe.
So with each of these three words, ‘hypomonē,’ makrothumeo, and now hedrios, there is something that’s appyling pressure to your life.
In one case, it’s a test.
In another case, it’s a person.
In yet another case, it’s an argument or a debate.
I mean, these come to try and knock your head off.
So aren’t you glad that the Holy Spirit knows Greek?
I know that’s funny to say.
But, that floated up inside me just as plain as day.
So, we are talking about challenges to your steadiness.
We’re talking distractions that make you want to quit.
We’re talking discussions that put pressure on you to give up your belief system.
Resist it.
Stay steady.
Engage endurance.
Plow through with perseverance.
Here’s a thought for you — let’s call it the Quote of the Day.
Mark this thought down, don’t lety it get away from you.
The secret to your success is in your daily routine.
Your daily routine is a great place to practice endurance.
Endurance and Refusing to Faint
Proverbs gives us some wisdom along this line.
Proverbs 24:10 (ESV) — 10 If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small.
Why did this individual faint?
Well, what does faint mean?
The word ‘faint’ in Hebrew means to sink, relax, sink down, let drop, be disheartened. It means to abate or withdraw. How about abandon, refrain, forsake, or to let go.[3. James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995).]
People relax — it’s no big deal to skip out on my routine.
It’s no dig deal if we don’t read our Bible, we tell ourselves.
We sink, we let it drop, we let it go and it’s no big deal.
There were no lightning bolts — no handwritten message in the sky from God and we convince ourselves that everything is okay.
And everything is okay — there is no condemnation.
But that doesn’t mean you didn’t miss an opportunity.
I’m going to say it again — the secret to your success is in your daily routine.
Practice clinging to perseverance in your daily routine.
Endurance and the Glorified Body
Let’s go back and finish up talking about ‘hypomonē endurance.
Romans 8:22–25 (ESV) — 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
Underline the word ‘wait.’
24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?
Underline the word ‘hope’ — it appears 4x in verse 24.
25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Now, underline, hope, wait, and patience.
The word translated patience is, once again, the word ‘hypomonē.’
The companions of ‘hypomonē’ endurance, of staying power, of refusing to quit power — these words all mean the same thing, are waiting on God and hoping in God.
So, in this passage we just read, what are we hoping for and waiting on?
We are hoping for our glorified body.
We are waiting for our glorified body.
And, how are we hoping and waiting?
And we are tapping into endurance to hope and wait.
We are doing that because in this area, we are playing the long game.
Receiving our glorified body is out in the future.
It’s not something that will be available today, that is unless the Rapture of the Church takes place today.
If it’s not available in the ‘now,’ then this promise is out in the future.
That’s the long game.
Do you understand that, in the absence of the Rapture, the long game will include your entire life span on Planet Earth?
With that thought, here is the Question of the Day.
Are you looking forward to having a glorified body or does it not even matter to you?
I believe it should matter to you because you should desire what God desires for you.
He wants you to have it.
Second Corinthians five has something to say about this.
2 Corinthians 5:1–3 (ESV) — 1 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked.
Here’s a passage in Philippians three.
Philippians 3:20–21 (ESV) — 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
The main passage is in First Corinthians 15:35–58.
That’s a lot of verses — so I won’t read it here but do take the time yourself.
I’ve read this passage many times but I just reread it.
I mean just because I ate a steak for dinner several weeks ago doesn’t mean I won’t eat one in the future.
Just because you’ve read a set of verses one time doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feed on them again!
The glorified body is not an insignificant topic in the Nedw Testament.
God values the body — God values your body.
What do we see Jesus doing during His three-and-one-half years of ministry after the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus in the Jordan as He was being baptized by John?
We see Him healing the bodies of people.
Healing sick bodies, fever-ridden bodies, paralyzed bodies, deaf, dumb, and blind bodies — Jesus was concerned about the body
The fact that God wants to give you a new one — one that has not impacted by the ravages of sin, should be no surprise.
The scripture encourages us to hope for this body, to wait for this body, and to do it with ‘hypomonē’ perseverance.
We know some things about the kind of body this will be.’
We understand that it will be like the Lord’s resurrected body.
That’s what we just read in Philippians 3:20–21.
who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body.
1 John 3:2–3 (ESV) — 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
There’s that word ‘hope’ again.
Romans 8:25 (ESV) — 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Once again, it’s great to know that we are playing the ‘long game’ with perseverance at our side.
So have a persevering mindset about everything.
Refuse to quit about anything.
Do not allow yourself to compromise on any point.
That’s the mindset of a Jesus follower.
Philippians 2:5 (ESV) — 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
Weymouth’s Translation has this as: ‘Let the same disposition be in you which was in Christ Jesus.[4. Richard Francis Weymouth, The New Testament in Modern Speech: An Idiomatic Translation into Everyday English from the Text of “The Resultant Greek Testament,”]
Now Father God thank you for this Jesus mindset. We know Jesus enured the cross and despised the shame. I thank you so much for His life and His example. And I pray for strength right now, not just for myself but for all those who are listening to this podcast. We pray that the endurance of God may rise up within them and that your people may relaize strength, boldness, and a refusing to quit courage. I thank you for that in Jesus Name, Amen.
How Endurance Filled Hope Leads to Powerful Victory.
You guys have a great God week and we will see you next time for another edition of Light on Life.
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