DON’T GIVE UP!

27th APRIL 2023

“Take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded” – 2 Chronicles 15:7

This morning, the Spirit reiterated to me loud and clear that, EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE TO GOD IS THE GREATEST KEY TO FULL RESTORATION. But side by side with gratitude, we must also remain strong in the face of any adversity whatsoever. Life is full of challenges, some of which are meant to strengthen our faith, Spirit and to light up our spiritual paths so we can identify the path to victory.

Oftentimes, our ingenuity cannot possibly solve our major problems, and so we find ourselves on the brink of a breakdown. All the same, we must give thanks to God in all situations. You never can tell; it could have been worse! A quick glance into your past would reveal the narrow dark paths you have had to travel in order to succeed or benefit from what life could possibly give. That notwithstanding, I plead with you not to give up on life. Life has a lot of good things to offer even though we are forced by circumstances to think otherwise.

Notwithstanding what we would like to believe, the sovereignty of God rules over all the heavens and the earth, therefore, His power to restore is open to us always.  But we are often delimited by our capacity to conquer challenges and adversities on the path to success due to fear of failure and several other inhibiting factors. Oftentimes, we are afraid to fail or show any sign of weakness so that others don’t laugh at us. But we forget that those who laugh at others are not in any way better off.  In fact, people laugh at others or gossip about them out of envy or in other to hide their own weaknesses. Everyone, whether rich or poor has one problem or the other.

Consequently, you shouldn’t lose balance or focus when things are not moving in the direction of your expectations. If we are not strong or are losing grip on life, we will suffer more due to a lack of faith in God as well as our inability to conquer our lingering problems. In any negative condition you may currently find yourself in, you must remain strong. Do not doubt the power of God to restore or heal your brokenness, or illness, or doubt your capacity to overcome. Move on with life no matter how rough or tough the situation might seem. Your tenacity to overcome will be greatly rewarded!

Today’s word says, don’t give up, do not let your hands become weak, for God shall surely reward your faith and determination to pull through ANY adversity whatsoever. That also means you must not give up even in the face of ill health or temptation, for God will never tempt us beyond our abilities (1 Corinthians 10:13).

When you are stretched to a breaking point, don’t give up no matter how persistent and long-drawn these challenges have become. Jesus says to every believer – “my grace is sufficient for you”. His grace is truly sufficient for us in all situations (2 Corinthians 12:9). Most importantly, don’t give up even when your prayers for many years are yet to be answered. Like the persistent widow, don’t give up for you are almost there! (Ref. Luke 18:1). Beloved, do not give up even when your faith is completely snuffed out by the devil – he is a liar. The devil is known to manipulate our emotions causing us to fret and to panic unnecessarily. The devil knows that if God stands by you, you are protected and safe. So, he tries to remove your hold on God, by first snuffing out your faith in God. 

Truly, it’s difficult to surmount challenges in difficult moments, but you must hold onto God still. Remember, when your faith fails, God remains faithful. To live by faith is difficult, no doubt, but you are not alone on the journey of faith. Those greater than you have gone the same path several years ago. This is the time to learn from their past, and to imitate their faith (Hebrews 13:7). Beloved, starting from today, stay strong no matter the condition you are faced with. At the same time, be grateful to God in all situations.

PRAYER

Father in the name of Jesus Christ, I thank you for your word today. I shall overcome no matter how tough the challenges of life may seem.  Lord, I align my faith with you today, therefore, I declare I shall not be consumed by the forces of evil for your plan and purpose for me shall be fulfilled. Thank you, blessed Redeemer. AMEN.

FURTHER READING: 2 Corinthians 6:4–5, Matthew 6:4, Isaiah 40:30–31, 2 Corinthians 12:9