Nevertheless Rev. 2:4 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

In the epistles and the Revelation you will see the word nevertheless 20 times.  Often when you see that word God is going to show you something good in spite of something bad.  Nevertheless interrupts the current train of thought in a verse or a passage and shows you something that God really wants you to get by contrast to everything else in the passage.  In the following passages, when God says “nevertheless” he is emphasizing:

The principal love of Christ – Rev 2:4 – Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee.  The church of Ephesus was a good, hard-working, liar-hating, patient church.  But for all the good things they were doing, there is one thing they had overlooked.  They had left their first love.  No matter what you do for the Lord, do not leave your first love.  You and I have the opportunity to start each day in wonderful fellowship with the Lord.  But our fellowship doesn’t have to end when we go on to our other activities.  We should continue to walk with God and love the Lord Jesus Christ through every moment of every day.

The living faith of the Son of God – Gal 2:20 – Nevertheless I live.  When we were saved, we were crucified with Christ.  However, being crucified with him didn’t end our physical life.  We still live.  Paul wants us to see that the life we live in the flesh is a life that we should live by the faith of the Son of God.  Living by his life is the only way we are ever going to be able to have victory over sin in our lives.  It is only through the faith of the Son of God that we will ever be able to accomplish the Lord’s will in our lives.

The prevailing will of God – Lk 22:42 – Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.  This was Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane.  He didn’t fight God over God’s will.  He asked for the cup to pass and then he willingly submitted himself to whatever God wanted to do with him.  We must remember not to be self-willed in our lives whenever we face a test in the will of God.  We must trust that the will of God for our lives is far greater and far better than our will even though we don’t like the “looks of it.”

The protective power of God – 2 Tim 1:12 – Nevertheless, I am not ashamed.  As a preacher, apostle and a teacher Paul suffered many things.  In spite of all that he suffered, he was never ashamed of Jesus or his gospel.  The reason is that he knew for whom he was suffering and he was persuaded by the Lord that he was able to keep him.  Paul was “kept by the power of God,” [1 Pet 1:5], just like you and I are kept by the protective power of God.  Paul was persuaded and we should be too every time taking a stand for Jesus causes us to suffer.

The peaceable fruit of God’s righteousness – Heb 12:11 – Nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness.  The chastening hand of God upon us can be grievous.  Yet we are told not to despise his chastening or faint when we are rebuked.  We are told rather to endure it.  The reason is that the Lord desires that we might partake of his holiness.  He wants to exercise us in his chastening until his righteousness yields its peaceable fruit in us.  He knows exactly how to make that happen.

The uplifting comfort of God – 2 Cor 7:6 – Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us.  Paul was facing fightings without and fears within.  Yet in the midst of his battles, troubles and weariness, the great God of comfort came through for him.  Likewise, God will comfort you in the midst of your trials, difficulties and fears.  We can easily get overwhelmed by bad news, difficult circumstances and worries.  Instead of letting yourself get swamped emotionally, turn to the God of comfort.

The sure foundation of God – 2 Tim 2:19 – Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure.  False teachers can overthrow the faith of some but they cannot tear up the sure foundation of God.  In Psalm 11:3, David asks, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”  Concerning certain foundations, like marriage, morality and ethics, the foundations are gone.  But concerning the sure foundation of God, nothing will ever destroy that.  If you have a saved loved one who has been side-tracked by false doctrine, their faith may have been overthrown, but their salvation will never be destroyed!!  No one can destroy that foundation!!

Conclusion: just remember:

• At times you will find yourself overwhelmed in your service to God, nevertheless your love for Jesus is primary. Without charity your works are worthless.
• At times you will struggle with sin in your life, nevertheless the life you live you live by the faith of the Son of God. He can win the battles you can’t win.
• At times you will disagree with God about his will for your life, nevertheless his will should prevail. His will is better than yours.
• At times you may be tempted to quit because the suffering is hard to endure, nevertheless you won’t quit because you are kept by the protective power of God. His power is greater that your weakness.
• At times you will grow weary of God’s chastisement, nevertheless you will remember the peaceable fruit of righteousness and rejoice with the outcome.
• At times you will be distressed in the fight and saddened by your losses, nevertheless God will uphold you with his uplifting comfort.
• At times you will be distraught over the turning away of a loved one, nevertheless if they are connected to the sure foundation of the Lord you will see them in heaven even if their doctrine never gets straightened out down here.

Nevertheless is a good word in the New Testament because it emphasizes some of the greatest benefits of our salvation.