WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
SEPTEMBER 05, 2026
TOPIC: HOLD FAST TO WHAT YOU HAVE
BY T. O. BANSO
“Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (Revelation 3:11 New King James Version).
Some people are often more concerned about what they lack than what they have. They value what they want more than what they already possess. This mindset prevents them from utilising what they have, as they fail to appreciate it. Until some people lose what they have, they don’t value it.
Marriages have been destroyed because the husbands did not value their wives, whom they considered not to be as good as some wives they knew. The same applies to wives who did not value their husbands because of unhealthy comparisons.
Some have lost their jobs because they did not appreciate their jobs and consequently became careless or lazy. They believed some people’s jobs were better than theirs, yet they didn’t quit. However, they were dismissed due to their declining productivity.
It is also possible to develop the same attitude in our Christian journey. We can become nonchalant or careless, failing to make the most of the grace of God or the gifts He has given us. Some people may begin to engage in comparison with others and look down on the grace given to them, or their gifts, assignments, or positions. The apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:12, “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (New King James Version).
It is unwise to compare yourself with other Christians or even non-Christians. Acknowledge God’s grace upon your life, the gifts He has given you, and your assignment. Don’t compare yourself to anyone. Otherwise, you will look down on yourself, what God has given you, and your assignment, and become unfaithful to God. James 1:17 says that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. You must not despise what God has given you.
God is a God of diversity. He didn’t make everyone the same. Neither did He give us the same natural abilities, spiritual gifts, or assignments. Therefore, you must accept what God has given you and where He has positioned you and be faithful. Of course, I am not suggesting passive resignation, as God can give His children new assignments, which they must embrace with faith. You must yield fruit from what God has given you. “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6 New King James Version).
In the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25, the three servants were not given the same amount of talents (money). One was given five, another two, and the third was given one talent. Each person was given according to his ability (verse 15). The real issue was not the number of talents each person was given but the investment of his talents.
One of the three servants, rather than investing his one talent as was expected of them all, dug a hole in the ground and hid his talent. It was eventually collected from him and given to the first servant who had earned an additional five talents. The master of these servants said, “So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away’” (verses 28-29 New King James Version).
This may appear unfair to humans, but it’s not. When people do not appreciate what they have, God may take it from them and give it to those who will make the best use of it. There must be spiritual accountability and loss of unused God-given resources. The servant with the one talent did not hold fast to what he had, so he lost it. Jesus said in Matthew 13:12, “For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him” (New King James Version). Mark 4:25, Luke 8:18, and Luke 19:26 say a similar thing. You must hold fast to what you have so that you don’t lose it. Make the most of what God has given you; don’t covet what others have and neglect yours.
In the letter to the church in Philadelphia, the church with a little strength, Jesus said in Revelation 3:11, “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown” (New Living Translation). Note the expression “Hold on to what you have.” The Amplified Bible renders the verse thus: “I am coming quickly. Hold tight what you have, so that no one will take your crown [by leading you to renounce the faith]. The Living Bible presents the scripture this way: “Look, I am coming soon! Hold tightly to the little strength you have—so that no one will take away your crown.” God knew about the little strength of the church in Philadelphia and that it had kept His word and had not denied His name.
God also knows the exact amount of talent or gifts He has given you. He knows your abilities and the assignment He has given you. He doesn’t compare you to anyone. He only requires faithfulness from you. 1 Corinthians 4:2 states that it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. Hold tight or tightly to what you have.
Note that when Christ warns us to hold fast so that no one takes our crown, He is not referring to losing our eternal life, but the heavenly rewards reserved for faithful service. Those who become careless will have their assignments given to others and consequently lose their eternal rewards to such faithful people. According to 1 Corinthians 3:12-15, a believer’s works can be burned up when the fire tests their quality, character, and worth at Christ’s judgment seat, resulting in a “loss of reward” while the person is still saved. Salvation cannot be earned—by grace we have been saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), while rewards are earned through faithful service.
The New King James Version renders Revelation 3:11 thus: “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown” (New King James Version). The Greek word translated as crown in the text is stephanon, a wreath or garland awarded to a victor in ancient athletic games. Jesus is coming soon; before then, hold fast to what you have so that you won’t lose your crown, which God will give as a reward to faithful saints. The New Century Version presents “Hold fast what you have” in the New King James Version as “continue strong in your faith.” In other words, don’t be complacent or become weary. Occupy till He comes—engage in kingdom business until He comes. The Contemporary English Version says, “I am coming soon. So hold firmly to what you have, and no one will take away the crown you will be given as your reward.” And the Good News Translation presents the verse this way: “I am coming soon. Keep safe what you have, so that no one will rob you of your victory prize.”
Remain steadfast and avoid spiritual complacency. Don’t be careless. Don’t bury or hide your spiritual gifts or God-given abilities like the servant who was given one talent or like the servant in Luke 19:20 who kept his mina in a handkerchief. The two servants lost what they had been given and received no reward.
Don’t despise or ignore what you have. Hold fast to what God has given you. Make the most of it. The Lord is coming soon (Revelation 22:12, 20). Continue in the faith. Be a faithful and profitable servant. There are crowns in heaven for the saints (1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; James 1:12; Revelation 2:10; 1 Peter 5:4). Don’t let anyone or anything take away the crown that you will be given as your reward in heaven.
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you must repent of your sins and confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour now. Please take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner and you cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life, your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your heart. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There, you will be taught how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me, and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I invite Jesus into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Father, I shall not despise, be careless with, or be lazy in using what You have given me. Holy Spirit, help me to hold firmly to what I have. No one shall take away my crown in heaven in Jesus’ name. I shall not lose my heavenly rewards. I pray that all the children of God will be faithful to what God has given them. They will not lose their heavenly rewards in Jesus’ name.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
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