The other day my daughter was in a swim competition at school where she won a silver in the breast stroke and a bronze in the freestyle. It was only a year ago that she would complain every Saturday morning that she didn't like swimming and wanted to stop. "Mommy when can I stop?" My response was, "well when you've shown me that you have mastered the sport of swimming and have full confidence in the water then we can talk about it". Perseverance had to come into play on both our parts. I had to encourage her and she had to persevere and push pass the point where it was coming more naturally for her. Now she is being rewarded for her hard-work and perseverance!
The dictionary defines perseverance as:
"continued steady belief or efforts, withstanding discouragement or difficulty; persistence"
It's a bit like that in life, we can struggle with what we need to accomplish. Keeping the vision and goal ahead of us. Pressing for the promise that we've been waiting for. We get weary and tired and I think if we knew how long it would take or how hard it would be we'd pass for something less. We'd end up settling for something other than the dreams and visions that God put within us. When God is going to do something spectacular it is always contested. God brings victory over these difficulties and that's where perseverance comes in. Romans 8:25 says that we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. A strong inward life anchored on God means a strong outward life. Victories are won first in the spirit realm. God's given us dreams and vision so that we seek His mind and timing. Then when we move with the nudge of the Spirit we are assured of the outcome.
How do we establish the victory in the spirit realm? We must clearly anchor God's word to us in relation to situations that we are persevering through. Joshua 1:8 says to meditate on His word so that our way is made prosperous and so that we have good success. When we know God's word in the situation that we face it allows us to release our faith and persevere. Romans 10:17 says Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. If you're in that place of perseverance surround yourself with people who can support. Don't be isolated. You need people of faith to encourage and cheer you on. Hebrew 12:15 directs us to support and encourage one another so that a root of bitterness doesn't set in. Don't fling away your fearless confidence for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward. For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance so that you may perform and accomplish the will of God and receive and carry away and enjoy to the full what is promised. But the just shall live by faith. And if he draws back or shrinks in fear My soul has no delight or pleasure in him, now faith is the assurance of things hoped for the evidence of things unseen (Hebrew 10: 35-38). This ties in with Habakkuk 2: 2 - 4 from the last blog which is to write the vision....
Finally be encouraged, we all have a great plan and destiny that is unfolding in our lives, its up to us to press in and take it! If God is for us who can be against us! Romans 8:31
