"...But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." [Philippians 3:13-14]"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." [Galatians 6:9 NLT]
So, you finally decide that you are going to try to "kick" that bad habit or stronghold in your life. You've prayed for God to deliver you, and you are finally ready to take this step to healing and restoration. And the day or the moment that you take your first real step, the urge to go back to that vice or get caught back up in that stronghold seems stronger than it ever was before you even decided to receive deliverance from it. "Now that I am trying to eat healthier, all I can think about is food and sweets ALL DAY long!", or "Now that I am trying to quit smoking it seems that someone is always offering me a cigarette or smoking around me!"
Or maybe your been searching for your real purpose or calling in life. You finally come to a point where you feel that God speaks it to your spirit, and you get that confirmation you'd been looking for. Now you are ready to take your first steps to walk in your calling. Perhaps you are finally going to work at starting that new business that you've been desiring. And then as soon as you take that first step, it seems like everything else around you goes wacky and out of control.
I know that I can truly relate to such occurrences in my own life. Two and a half weeks ago, after prayer and almost 4 1/2 years of the concept being planted in my spirit, I finally decided to take the leap of faith and launch Woman of the Battlefield Ministries on-line. Initially, I was a bit apprehensive about taking that step because I knew in taking such a step, I would be making a huge commitment. Committing to this on-line ministry would involve the sacrifice of my daily time and it would put my character on public display. In order to maintain the site (as I felt I'd been led to), I would have to wake up at least 2 hours earlier each day (which meant 5 a.m.), devote myself to daily prayer and worship time (to ensure my devotional blogs were Holy Spirit inspired), and I'd have to be sure that I kept myself "in-check" to practice all that I preached each day to my followers.
My first obstacle was simply trying to wake myself up each morning by 5 a.m. This was not an easy thing for me. Each day that my alarm would go off, my propensity was to roll over and hit snooze. BUT, I pressed on through and would remind myself that I had to give the devil a reason to be mad that I awoke. In addition to struggling to wake-up early, even as I would press through each morning, by midday I was "beat" and very cranky. I hardly felt like persevering through homeschooling and the rest of my daily duties, but instead of giving up, I allowed myself some cushion, took a power nap...and KEPT IT GOING...I'd press on...
So, I seemed to have mastered the early morning routine and am coping fine throughout my days , and THEN boredom crept in. I was so thoroughly enjoying my early morning time of worship and writing, that I began to feel bored later in the day with all of my other "mundane" tasks. Who feels like homeschooling? Who wants to listen to your talk about dinosaurs anymore? Do you really want me to cook your dinner? Can't you just warm up something or get take out? I'd rather write, and everything else is boring. However, thank God, I recognized that ploy from the enemy and snapped out of that state of mind. It was just another obstacle sent to throw my progress out of balance. BUT I pushed through the boredom through prayer and confession, and kept on, keeping on...
Well, as soon as I pressed through boredom, sickness hit me. I was the last to get sick in my house, but was strangely the one to get hit the worse! The cold went from my head to my chest, and trying to rest at night was almost futile. Another OBSTACLE to my progress! Who wanted to wake up at 5 a.m. each morning when I hadn't had any sleep the night before? Not me! BUT I PRESSED ON, against how I was feeling, each morning and persevered in the face of sneezing, sustained cough attacks, continual nose blowing, sinus discomfort, and a weakened body. I PUSHED through it...
As life would have it, as soon as I felt well (a week and a half later) and was finally ready to roll with a bit more speed, DISCOURAGEMENT knocked on the door! I no longer had a problem waking up; I no longer was out of balance with my daily priorities; I was no longer terribly sick and weak! Heck, I woke up before my 5 a.m. alarm each day, but now I didn't want to get up because I did not feel inspired. What was I going to write? I did not feel like praying? I was ready to give this blogging thing up...
What is your challenge? What have you stepped out on in faith to accomplish but are being greeted by OBSTACLES and are feeling discouraged and like giving up?
Or maybe your been searching for your real purpose or calling in life. You finally come to a point where you feel that God speaks it to your spirit, and you get that confirmation you'd been looking for. Now you are ready to take your first steps to walk in your calling. Perhaps you are finally going to work at starting that new business that you've been desiring. And then as soon as you take that first step, it seems like everything else around you goes wacky and out of control.
However you are planning to make that positive change for your life,
TEMPTATIONS, OBSTACLES, & DISCOURAGEMENT, suddenly POP-up
to meet and greet you!
HOW WILL YOU RESPOND?
So, I took that first step and launched the blog with excitement, fervor, and great anticipation for the journey ahead of me...AND THEN...the OBSTACLES quickly arrived on the scene
to greet me!
My first obstacle was simply trying to wake myself up each morning by 5 a.m. This was not an easy thing for me. Each day that my alarm would go off, my propensity was to roll over and hit snooze. BUT, I pressed on through and would remind myself that I had to give the devil a reason to be mad that I awoke. In addition to struggling to wake-up early, even as I would press through each morning, by midday I was "beat" and very cranky. I hardly felt like persevering through homeschooling and the rest of my daily duties, but instead of giving up, I allowed myself some cushion, took a power nap...and KEPT IT GOING...I'd press on...
So, I seemed to have mastered the early morning routine and am coping fine throughout my days , and THEN boredom crept in. I was so thoroughly enjoying my early morning time of worship and writing, that I began to feel bored later in the day with all of my other "mundane" tasks. Who feels like homeschooling? Who wants to listen to your talk about dinosaurs anymore? Do you really want me to cook your dinner? Can't you just warm up something or get take out? I'd rather write, and everything else is boring. However, thank God, I recognized that ploy from the enemy and snapped out of that state of mind. It was just another obstacle sent to throw my progress out of balance. BUT I pushed through the boredom through prayer and confession, and kept on, keeping on...
Well, as soon as I pressed through boredom, sickness hit me. I was the last to get sick in my house, but was strangely the one to get hit the worse! The cold went from my head to my chest, and trying to rest at night was almost futile. Another OBSTACLE to my progress! Who wanted to wake up at 5 a.m. each morning when I hadn't had any sleep the night before? Not me! BUT I PRESSED ON, against how I was feeling, each morning and persevered in the face of sneezing, sustained cough attacks, continual nose blowing, sinus discomfort, and a weakened body. I PUSHED through it...
As life would have it, as soon as I felt well (a week and a half later) and was finally ready to roll with a bit more speed, DISCOURAGEMENT knocked on the door! I no longer had a problem waking up; I no longer was out of balance with my daily priorities; I was no longer terribly sick and weak! Heck, I woke up before my 5 a.m. alarm each day, but now I didn't want to get up because I did not feel inspired. What was I going to write? I did not feel like praying? I was ready to give this blogging thing up...
BUT I PRESSED ON!
What is your challenge? What have you stepped out on in faith to accomplish but are being greeted by OBSTACLES and are feeling discouraged and like giving up?
You CAN'T!
According to Dictionary.com, "perseverance" is the "steady persistence in a course of action, a purpose, a state, etc., especially in spite of difficulties, obstacles, or discouragement." As I reflect on the past two and a half weeks since I have officially launched Woman of the Battlefield Ministries on-line, I truly believe my journey has been a lesson in and an act of serious perseverance. I realize that persevering can sometimes be the most difficult thing to do, because it often requires us to press on and push through our FEELINGS (whether emotional or physical). But our feelings are simply little things that inflate themselves up to seem as if they carry more weight than they actually do. We often will find that if we just take that step to push and press through them, it will actually be easy and almost effortless to get by them and keep it going.
But, it will take that one step of faith in persevering!
God's will and purpose for us is to persevere when the going gets tough and when we are met with obstacles. And His hopes are not only for His good and glory, but He desires that through our perseverance, we will strenghten our characters and will receive a reward and our desired promises.
"Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him." [James 1:12]
"As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."
[James 5:11]
"...let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." [Hebrews 12:1]
"But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved." [Hebrews 10:39]
"He that endureth to the end shall be saved". [Matthew 10:22]
"...we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." [Romans 5:3-5]
The Word has spoken, enough said...Push it through, Press On, & PERSEVERE!!!
Mad Luv~ Teri
Awesome message! I can relate to the "inflated feelings" part about returning to work and taking Langston to daycare......its obviously God's will if it is happening, I've gotta line up and stop complaining about it.
ReplyDeleteTalk about the devil-- I just posted a nice, long comment and then my screen went back to facebook...erasing everything! UGH!! Yet we press thru, right?!
ReplyDeleteI think about my job hunt. I don't feel like even looking anymore beacuse nothing has panned out. I now see I need to keep on keepin' on and say "nothing has panned out YET!"
Then there's the health/weight thing." There's this event coming up" or "I'll start tomorrow" as a work on that bowl (and you know it's the big bowl)of cereal or Ledo's, let alone a cupcake. I must press on yet I feel overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. This has been a stronghold on me for so long. As soon as I reached my goal, it was down the slippery slope again. This is REALLY going to take some perseverance...and deliverance from my food addiction.