I was reminded today about a conversation I once had with my designer. I was talking with her about a season we had come through. I was telling her how much I appreciated her hanging in there with us. I began to think about the trait I have come to admire in a person is just that; the ability to hang in there no matter what.I don't think this is a trait we are born with;

 

I think it is one of those things that have to be developed in us. You know what I mean, one of those things God must work in us. And the only way to do that is to go through some stuff. It's like praying for patience. God will answer, but His answer will come through times of needing patience and choosing patience when you'd rather not. Right?

 

It's the same with endurance.

 

If you have received our motivations for very long you know my favorite statement, the one my family grows weary of hearing; everything is a choice. You can choose to be happy or mad. You can choose to have faith or doubt. You can choose to trust God or not. Endurance is the same, it's a choice. You are simply choosing to stand when everything around you is telling you to quit.

 

Remember Job? He was in the middle of a time of great challenge. This time had touched his heart when he lost his children, his finances when it touched his crop and animals and then, it touched his body. Yet, Job didn't speak against God.

 

'His wife said to him, "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" She was encouraging him to speak against God, to say that God wasn't who God said He was.

 

Now remember, to bless means to empower to prosper, therefore to curse would stop God from working on his behalf. What she was encouraging Job to do was to react according to his flesh and what he was feeling in his emotions. As believers go through times of challenge they often fall into that same trap.

 

They may begin to question God and say things like 'why are you letting this happen to me?' Or 'why are you not coming through for me?' This is questioning God; this is cursing God and putting Him in a position where He can't work on their behalf. Never do this - no matter what the enemy throws your way - refuse to question God. Questioning God is doubt and unbelief. God once told me this 'wondering is wavering - wavering is doubt - doubt is sin.' Don't allow your mind to begin to wonder, if you do this will lead you down a path that will take you directly to sin, the sin of unbelief.

 

Let's look at something else she said 'are you still holding your integrity?' What does that mean? When I looked it up in the Strong's Concordance it means to complete, become whole, to completely cross over. Aha! You see when you choose to endure to the end; you completely cross over to God's side. You are no longer out in the middle trying to decide if you are fully persuaded; no, you are completely, wholly convinced that God will do what God said He would do and there is no backing up. This is the last place the enemy wants you and he will do everything in his power to keep you from this place. Because you simply can't stop someone who refuses to stop. And that is who we are.

 

God is amazing - we are not asked to fight a battle that can't be won. No! The battle has already been won - Jesus defeated Satan completely at the cross. God is simply asking us to trust Him and to endure to the end. It's that simple - trust God and stand. Anyone can do that - no, it's not always easy - but it is possible and it is all it takes to see the full manifestation of your promise. When you feel you can't do anything more, simply stand. The battle has been fought and won - you are the victor, Jesus caused you to be more than a conqueror through what He did - you only have to believe God, stand and receive.

 

Matthew 24:13 says 'he who endures to the end shall be saved.' Saved means delivered, healed, set free, prosperous, at peace, it means everything that you have need of. So, stand! Endure! Endure to the end and deliverance will be seen. That is all that is expected of you and God has granted you the ability to do just that. Become a person who never quits - become a person the enemy can't stop - you can and will make it all the way to the end.

  

       

           

Kim Potter