The Bible speaks of holding ‘fast’ to your confession of hope, what is good, what you have in Christ, and God Himself.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. (Heb 10:23)
but test everything; hold fast what is good (1 Thes 5:21)
I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. (Rev 3:11)
You shall fear the Lord your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. (Dt 10:20)
Okay, so we are supposed to hold ‘fast’ to these things … but what does holding ‘fast’ mean?
Well, it’s another nautical term used to teach us a lesson. For many centuries ships had rigging (ropes) that held the sails in place but also acted as a safety measure for the sailors. The sailors would hold these ropes ‘fast’, meaning they would hold onto them very tightly. They would hold ‘fast’ to the ropes as they were hoisting up or lowering the sails. Holding on tightly, fast, helped to get the job done properly and kept the ship safe but it also was a safety measure. Holding loosely onto the ropes could cause them to slip through hands and severely burn the hands to the bone, cause an amputation as the winds caught the sail and yanked violently at the loose ropes, or snap tight and hurl a sailor overboard. Sailors would also hold ‘fast’ to the ropes during violent storms and rough seas. They would do this, so they weren’t swept overboard when waves crashed over the deck during a storm. Holding fast to a rope was a functional and safety issue. If a sailor didn’t hold on with all their might it could cause them great harm or even death.
So, think of holding ‘fast’ to God, your assurance of your salvation, good, and your faith with all your might as though your life depends on it.
In context those verses tell you to hold on for dear life:
- When your faith in Christ is under attack in your mind, by the world, or people around you – hold onto it with all your might no matter what they say or what may happen.
- Test everything by holding tightly onto the truth of God and His Word whether it is teachings, life advice, or even people proclaiming to be believers. Hold tightly to the truth of God’s Word when facing the lies and attacks of the enemy.
- Hold tightly onto God’s Word during times of trial or testing.
- Hold fast to your love of God and keeping His commandments.
Holding on for dear life requires a lot of effort. The sailors would hold onto those ropes during a storm until they were white knuckled because their very life depended on it. They would expend all their physical and emotional energy to just keep holding on no matter how long it took to get out of the storm. In the same way, you need to approach holding fast to your confession of hope, what is good, what you have in Christ, and God Himself no matter what the circumstance or attack and no matter how long it lasts. Use all your might to hold on.
Keep in mind that you must hold onto something that is un-moveable like God or His Word. You cannot hold onto something that is loose because it won’t keep you secure. The sailors held onto the rope which was anchored tightly to the ship itself. In the same way, you cannot hold tightly onto things like wealth, things, or even yourself to get through the rough spots.
I need to share a personal experience I just had as an example. I was driving around the other day running errands and the enemy (the devil or my sin nature) was attacking my thoughts. Each time the sinful thoughts entered, I would try to take them captive and control my thoughts instead of letting them control me. Well, after just a few minutes of thinking of Scripture or God, my thoughts would drift back to sinful thoughts. This process went on for about 20 minutes. I had to keep fighting and fighting and holding tightly onto God and His Word in the brain ‘storm’ I was experience.
Always hold onto God and His Word for dear life.
Think about it
When have you had a “white-knuckle” moment where you felt like you were holding onto God for dear life?
What does a “loose grip” on faith look like in everyday modern life? What are the subtle warnings that your grip on God or His Word is starting to slip?
When you experience a “brain storm” or an attack on your thoughts, what is your immediate default reaction? Do you try to fight it with your own willpower, or do you actively grab onto a specific piece of Scripture?
Holding onto a rope during a long storm exhausts a sailor’s physical and emotional energy. How do you handle spiritual exhaustion when a trial or a mental battle lasts much longer than you expected? How do we keep holding fast when our energy is completely drained?
You cannot stay safe by holding onto a loose object on a deck; it must be anchored to the ship. What are some “loose objects” (like money, reputation, comfort, or self-reliance) that you try to hold onto during life’s storms? Why do they fail?
1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to “test everything” and hold fast to what is good. Practically speaking, how do you use the Bible to test the advice, cultural trends, or even teachings you hear today to see if they are truly anchored to the truth?
If you look at your schedule, your habits, and your thoughts from this past week, what area of your life needs a tighter, more intentional grip right now?
Sailors didn’t just look out for themselves; they worked together to manage the rigging. Do you have help to hold fast when things get tough? Do you help others to hold fast?
