Faith Like Captain America

I’m a Marvel fan, so I hope you’ll allow me to geek out for just a minute.

Do you remember the scene in Avengers: Endgame when Captain America is battling Thanos by himself? Cap is strong, but he doesn’t necessarily have the upper hand.

Thanos throws him, but he comes back strong.

Thanos beats him to the ground, but he gets back up.

Thanos breaks his shield…

At this point, it looks like all is lost for Cap and the whole battle entirely. Thanos is just too strong. Even if Captain America believed it was over for him, what did he do?

He strapped on what was left of his shield, stood, and faced him again.

And that’s when things got better. Like epically better.

The biggest threat we will ever endure, is the one to our faith.

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Captain America’s perseverance is a picture of what I believe faith should look like. The biggest threat we will ever endure, is the one to our faith. The Bible continually urges believers to hold on and keep going strong.

“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.”

-James 1:12 ESV

I don’t know about you, but my faith comes to blows with enemies all day, every day. Disappointment slams me to the ground. Unanswered prayers beat me over the head. Hopelessness throws me.

The temptation is to give up. Stop fighting back and just stay on the ground. The battle is lost.

Not if you’re Captain America. He gets back up, and so will I.

Satan wants nothing more than to keep us down, to push us away from a faith that pleases God. If we let him, he wins.  And I don’t want that.

Even when I’m at my lowest, wanting nothing more than to say I’m done, I’d much rather annoy the devil by getting back up again. If that’s the only thing it accomplishes, it’ll be enough.

Keep getting up, friends. We’re striving toward the greatest goal imaginable and trading it for a little bit of relief is not going to be worth it.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

-Hebrews 12:1-2

Remember what Jesus did? Remember why? Why should anything draw me away from serving Him, from loving Him, from being with Him? And yet, it’s hard. The temptation is still there.

That’s why I’m warning against it. Too many people have been lost because they believed their faith was a lost cause. They let go of the shield.

It’s so easy to forget that the battle over your soul is not between you and God. It’s between Him and Satan. Only one of them is for you. All you have to do is remember the team you’re on and not give up.

I’m writing this as a reminder for myself.

I don’t need Captain America’s faith. I need faith that endures to the end, just like Captain America.

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More Verses for you!

[James 1:2-4] Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

[Hebrews 10:36] For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.

[Romans 5:3-5] More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

[Revelation 3:11] I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.