Hard times, insurmountable troubles, uncertainty about the future = Difficult Seasons…. We’ve all had them, and the way we responded to the rough waters of life usually impacted the season(s) that came afterwards. This is not a message sent out to minimize your pain, hardship, loss, or disappointment. This is not some artificial sweetener designed to mask the taste of the bitter pill you’ve had to swallow. No this is just a yell from a fan on the sidelines, saying: “Don’t give up! You’ve got this! The Lord is with you and you are going to win if you don’t give up!” You see the perspective of the player on the field is different from the perspective of the fans in the bleachers. The perspective of the player on field is only concerned with staying in position, playing well, resisting fatigue and hits from the opposing team, staying aware of all of the teammates and opposing team players on the field, and maximizing opportunities to advance the team towards victory. The player on the field is consumed with responsibility, both personal – to play their very best, and to the team – to contribute towards a victory.
There is also pressure to make those family and friends in the bleachers watching and cheering them on proud. So when it looks like the team is losing, or if they miss catching a pass, or fumble the ball it is easy for the player to lose heart and feel as if all is lost. You situation may be similar, you may have messed up or feel as if some opposing force has snatched the “ball” of your hopes, dreams, security, provision, or relationship out of your grasp. You are the on impacted by the tackle of the giant cyclops of the other team. You are the one wishing your “fumble” wasn’t so publicly watched and applauded by the opposing team’s fans. All of this is going on inside the player on the field, however the fans on the sidelines: your family, your friends, your coworkers, fellow church members, the cloud of witnesses, and yes even Jesus Christ Himself is cheering you on, saying: “Go, Go, Go! Keep going, don’t give up! Stay focused! Keep your head in the game! Never surrender! You got this!!!!”
What is happening? You wonder. Why is everyone cheering? Your mind is processing to understand. In a moment the game has shifted and yards you thought the enemy pushed your team off of has just been overruled by the referee! Why because the enemy doesn’t play fair… he cheats! The enemy is the father of lies, the thief, the filthy scoundrel, the king conman, and the deceiver. The only way that he can win is if he can convince you that you are going to lose. As long as you keep your focus, stay in faith, and let the cheers from your Super-fan Jesus Christ stir you up, you can keep going!
Well lets be real, what you are going through right now, you may not desire to “keep going through.” You may be looking for the nearest exit off of the field, so that you can attempt to salvage whatever hope, faith, or courage that you have left. Well, the truth is if you leave the field now, that is the same as giving up – and will not protect or salvage anything. In fact, if you give up while things are the most difficult, is even less chance that you will recover anything at all. The truth is, your actual measure of faith doesn’t activate until you are down to nothing of yourself. It is designed that way so that you, and everyone else, will know that it was not by your strength, power, or effort that you made it through. God wants to get the glory out of your story. Why is this important? It is important because the ones watching from the sidelines are going to end up on the field at some point in their lives and will remember how God brought you through. They will know that they can make it, because God brought you through, and if God did it for you, then He can do it for them. Somebody needs your testimony. Somebody is waiting for a good report amid all of the evil, negative reports from the enemy and unbelievers. Somebody you may not even know is watching to see if you’re going to keep running for Jesus or throw in the towel. It does not seem like it should be anyone else’s business how you handle this hard season, but regardless of that fact how you handle this difficult season could be God qualifying you for blessings, promotions, new authority, favor, and/or to come into the promises He had designed specifically for your life. What if you give up and the next step you should have taken was across the finished line? What if you shut down and your promise is a few yards away? What if everything that you need is one day away? It would be silly to give up in any of those situations, and likewise it wouldn’t make sense for you to give up in yours.
Now there are some battles that are not yours to fight, but that doesn’t mean that you should surrender to the enemy. If you are going to sit down, sit in the presence of Almighty God, sit at the feet of Jesus, or sit under the current of the Hol
y Spirit, not across enemy lines! You may need to stop fighting the way that you have been fighting and let the Lord fight for you. Even still that does not constitute giving up. So you are dealing with unspeakable pain, loss, or defeat. Guess who is big enough to handle that and turn it around in your favor. Whatever you are dealing with, regardless of how you feel, do not… I repeat DO NOT! Just willingly give up your gifts, talents, dreams, and goals over the enemy. That is what he wants you to do! Again trust everything that you pressing, trusting, expecting for to God and let Him work it out. Turn the burden, the disappointment, the unforgiveness, the chip on your shoulder, and any other hindrance over to the Lord and keep moving in the direction of victory!
Let Us Pray: Father God in the Mighty Name of Jesus we come to You believing that You are everything that You say You are. Lord Your word won’t return void, but will accomplish what pleases You, and prosper where You sent it. Lord since You sent the Living Word, Your Son Jesus Christ to us, we stand in agreement with You that anything that we currently face, are going through, dealing with, or left with consequences of in not more than You can handle. Lord please remove that yoke that causes Your people to want to give up right before they reach the finish line. Lord please break every burden off of Your people that threatens to wear them out before they obtain the promise. Oh Lord please quench that spirit of grumbling and complaining that zaps your people of energy sand causes them to receive a curse instead of the blessings You prepared for them. Lord please activate our measure of faith right when we feel like we have nothing less. Lord if someone has already started to give up, please quicken their spirit, soul, and body to realign with Your purpose, promise, and plan in the Mighty name of Jesus. Lord in the authority of the Blood of Jesus we forcefully come against the spirit of quitting, spirit of heaviness, depression, condemnation, low self-esteem, confusion, drug addiction, alcoholism, food addiction, emotional eating, sexual impurity, gambling, compulsive over-spending, self-harming, suicide, bi-polar, seasonal affective disorder, dyslexia, OCD, ADD, and ADHD. Lord we ask You to rout these spirits back to the lake of fire in the name of Jesus. Lord every assignments formed against Your people designed to rob and steal joy, peace, love, grace, mercy, favor, opportunity, resources, relationships, godliness with contentment, the ability to advance forward, gifts, talents, and callings from them we agree with You that they are cancelled, rendered null and void, and will never form again in the Mighty Name of Jesus! Lord we ask You to break every evil cycle that attempts to trap Your people in a place of unfruitfulness. Lord please release angels at the right time to assist people who see no way out to restore hope, faith, and lead them to the solutions they need. Holy Spirit please comfort Your people who have been broken and weakened by the situation that they are going through. Lord please give Your people a second wind to keep pressing, running, and fighting even if they have to shift to a different posture to fight from. Lord we know that we are asking for a lot, however we have confidence that You are more than able! We trust, lean and rely on You alone for all of this in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ AMEN!
I know that this is a long read, but if you made it this far here are some scriptures from the Word of God to reinforce this message:
2 Chronicles 15:7 – But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”
Isaiah 41:10 – So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Galatians 6:9 – Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Joshua 1:9 – Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Click here for more scriptures about not giving up!
Thank you for reading, please share with someone who feels like giving up!
Blessings Always,
Dionne Renae
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