HOLD FAST!
2 Timothy 1:13 Hold fast the form of sound words, which you have heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.
If you must take a fast hold of something, that means that something or someone is trying to get something out of your hands. We are told so many places in scripture to hold fast or take a fast hold. The Lord will never take something from us that He has given us so that leaves the devil and circumstances of this life that are trying to pull something from us that God has given us or told us to do. This scripture says to hold fast to sound words, faith, and love. The words Paul spoke from God give faith, and faith works by love. The enemy is always trying to get us to let go of the Word of God so he can keep God’s promises from manifesting in our lives.
Proverbs 4:4 (AMPC) says, “He taught me and said to me, let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live.” When we receive the Word of God, we must hold on to it. The best way to hold on to it is to do it. We are also told in Hebrews 10:23 to hold fast to our profession or confession. When we receive God’s Word, confess it, and hold on to our confession, it is then we will receive the promise. Our words must be God’s Word, and we can’t let the devil, people, or circumstances move us off what we believe. Revelation 3:3 is Jesus speaking to the Pastor and the people of the church in Sardis, and I also believe He is speaking to us. Jesus said, “Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore you shall not watch, I will come on you as a thief, and you shall not know what hour I will come upon you.” He also spoke that to the church in Thyatira, “But that which you have already hold fast until I come” (Revelation 2:25). It seems that we will have to continually hold fast to what God has given us. One more scripture, 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to prove all things and to hold fast to that which is good. I think, sometimes, people are shocked when someone who once served God or had revelation of the deeper things of God is suddenly saying, doing, and living different than they used to live. This is because they didn’t hold fast. The devil came, he sent circumstances to move them, and they let go of the precious truths they once walked in. It is a constant battle. We can’t let go.
With this constant tug-of-war with the devil, there is no time for complacency. We have no choice but to hold fast. Our Healing School teacher, Opal Crews, used to do a great illustration on holding fast. She would get a cloth, usually a large prayer cloth, and she would have
someone come up and try and take it from her (I never saw her lose). She would say that this is the kind of thing you must do with the Word of God; you must take a fast hold. Don’t let go of what revelation God has given you, hold on to it. There is so much going on out there, and there is a lot that comes against sound doctrine, but God has never changed. His Word is correctly and divinely recorded. Don’t let anyone talk you out of it. Take a fast hold!