“Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have so that no one may seize your crown.”
– Revelation 3:10–11
Yet again, we see this phrase. You see how it’s repeating over and over again in these initial chapters of Revelation, patient endurance. Jesus says, “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon.” He’s promising them as they patiently endure, “I am on the way, I’m on the way.” So what does he say? He says, “Hold fast what you have.”
This Verse Reminds Us to Hold Fast
This is another phrase we see multiple times, even at the very end of Revelation 2, Jesus said, “Only hold fast what you have until I come.” So hear this word today from Jesus, hold fast what you have. And what do you have? Well, specifically, you’re in Revelation 3:11, Jesus says, “Hold fast what you have so that no one may seize your crown.”
Oh, do you see the picture here? Jesus is saying, “I am coming soon for you. I am coming in all my glory to consummate my kingdom on this earth. But it’s not just my glory, it’s your glory that’s coming. Your crown, your inheritance.” This is the picture we will see all throughout Revelation, that for all who trust in Jesus, we are heirs of a kingdom that is coming.
Revelation 3:10–11 Reminds Us that Jesus is Coming
So hold fast what you have. No matter what you are walking through today, and tomorrow, and the next month or year, the next 10 years, the next 20, 30, 40 years of your life, whatever endurance is needed, hold fast knowing Jesus is coming in all of his glory and he is going to share his glory with you.
He is coming to bring his kingdom and you have an inheritance in this kingdom. Hold fast, hold fast today, hold fast tomorrow, hold fast every day with patient endurance and hope with your eyes fixed on him, that he’s coming for you, and a crown is waiting for you. “Don’t let anybody seize that,” Revelation 3:11 says, “from you. Don’t let this world steal the crown you have coming for you by you letting go of what you have.” “Hold fast to Jesus. Hold fast the faith in him. Hold fast a love for him.” Revelation 2:2–4 like we prayed in that previous podcast episode.
Revelation 3:10–11 Leads Us Fix Our Eyes on Jesus
Oh God, we pray that you would help us to keep your word about patient endurance and to keep our eyes fixed on you Lord Jesus, as the one who’s coming soon. And help us we pray to hold fast what we have. God, we pray that you’d help us to hold fast to your word, and obedience to your word, to your spirit in us, abiding in us, leading us, guiding us.
God, help us to hold fast to faith, especially on days when faith may be hard to come by. Help us not to compromise our faith in this world. God help us to hold fast to love for you with all our hearts, soul, mind, and strength, and to love for others. Help us to hold fast to the gospel, help us to proclaim the gospel fearlessly, and boldly, and compassionately with conviction today in this world. Help us to live for what’s going to matter for the next 10 trillion years.
This Verse Leads Us to Hold Fast to Our Inheritance
Lord, help us to hold fast to the inheritance that you have made possible for us, so that no one may seize our crown, may no one, may nothing seize the crown we have coming when you return, Jesus. We pray this over our lives. We pray for the spread of the good news of your kingdom among all the nations.
God, we pray for the last people of Northeastern Turkey, and Georgia, and scattered into different countries like Germany. God, we pray for the spread of the gospel to the Sunni Muslim people. We pray that they would know you, Jesus, that they would hear about you and disciples we made, and churches planted among last people that they might have that crown. That they might anticipate you’re coming. That they might be around your throne on that day, experiencing the inheritance that is possible in Jesus alone. Oh God, we love your word. We love Revelation 3:10–11. We pray for patient endurance and holding fast so that no one, nothing, today or any day, may seize our crown. Come on Jesus, come quickly we pray in your name, amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
