PERSEVERANCE (PART 2)
SONG
Lord, I give You my life.
I give You my soul.
I live for You alone
Every breath that I take
Every moment I'm awake
Lord have Your way in me.
TEXT
"That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:" (First Peter chapter 1 verse 7)
To persevere means to learn strong faith, which has to do with enduring great trials. In other words, faith is learned by standing firm amid severe testing. You will agree with me that the time to trust most is when there is no visible help in sight and when all else is gloomy.
The Christian life is not something you begin at a point in time and then you stop along the way, rather, it is a continuous process in the same manner as long as you live. One thing we should never be ignorant about is that the devil is never happy seeing us consistently serving God, without wavering. He tries to tempt or discourage us, so that we might cease from following the Master as faithful servants. He can use anything to dissuade us, so that we lose our focus.
For example, in the matter of Ruth, it was the mother-in-law, Naomi, that discouraged her from going with her. This can be found in the book of Ruth chapter 1 verse 15.
"And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law."
But Ruth's reply to her mother- in-law was this:
"And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:" (Ruth chapter 1 verse 16).
Another example is that of the Syro-Phoenician woman, whose faith, determination and persistence would not allow her to miss her miracle. She refused to take a “No” for an answer. The more the Lord tried to put her away, the more she clung to Him.
Mark chapter 7 verses 26 to 28 states it:
"...But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs."
The flesh can also seek to ensnare us, and to prevent us from pressing on to glory. Never give in; rather, hold on, hold out and hang on!
Nothing whatsoever should make us give up our hope or to relinquish our hold on God and on His mercy.
PRAYER:
Dear Heavenly Father, my confidence is in You. This present trial is just for a while and shall result in joy for me and glory for you in Jesus Mighty name.