They Run on Another's Legs
Christians persevere in their faith due to an inward principle of fear, faith, and love, which is preserved by God's spiritual power.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes that Christians persevere in their faith not through external pressures but through the inward power and principles given by God. He highlights that true perseverance comes from a new heart and spirit, as promised in Ezekiel, which enables believers to follow God's decrees. Brooks illustrates that believers run on the strength of Christ, drawing from His power to sustain them through challenges, as seen in Isaiah. This reliance on Christ's strength ensures that they do not grow weary or faint in their spiritual journey.
Text
("The Glorious Day of the Saints Appearance")
"I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean;
I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all
your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new
spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone
and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put My Spirit in
you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful
to keep My laws." Ezekiel 36:25-27
The principal reason why Christians persevere in the ways
of God against all discouragements, is because they are
preserved in the ways of God--from spiritual principles,
from a principle of inward life and spiritual power. It is
true, if Christians only persevered from fleshly, carnal,
and external causes--they would soon wheel about, and
turn apostates, and be base, and what not. But they
persevere in the ways of God, from inward principles,
as in Jeremiah 32:40, "I will put My fear in their hearts
--and they shall never depart from Me." Christians
persevere by an inward principle of fear, faith, and love.
Isaiah 40:31, "Those who wait on the Lord shall renew
their strength like the eagle; they shall run and not be
weary," because they run on another's legs--namely,
the Lord Christ's; "and they shall walk and not faint,"
because they walk in the strength of Christ.
Sermon Outline
- The Principal Reason for Christian Perseverance
- The Contrast with Carnal Perseverance
- The Inward Principle of Fear, Faith, and Love
- Running on Another's Legs
- Waiting on the Lord for strength
- Walking in the strength of Christ
Key Quotes
“They run on another's legs--namely, the Lord Christ's; 'and they shall walk and not faint,' because they walk in the strength of Christ.” — Thomas Brooks
“Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength like the eagle; they shall run and not be weary,” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Christians must rely on the strength and power of the Lord Christ, rather than their own strength, to persevere in their faith.
- Waiting on the Lord and relying on His power is essential for renewing one's strength and persevering in faith.
- Persevering in faith through inward principles, such as fear, faith, and love, is crucial for avoiding apostasy and turning away from God.