One thing I've learned over the years is how to be persistent. Anything in life that's worth having is worth fighting for. When God gives you a dream or vision for your life, you will have to persist over the adversary who comes to stop your progress. When I first started writing my first book, I was full of vision, energy, and excitement as I embarked upon the dream of a lifetime. But I didn't realize what I would face along the journey, nor did I know how long the journey would take. Believe it or not, it has taken me twelve years from the time I got the vision to write my book, Pray-ers Bear Fruit to actually see this dream become a reality. How did I stay the course you may wonder, by persisting in prayer.
The book of Luke records a parable that Jesus told about how men should always pray and not give up. The parable is about a woman who went before an unjust Judge who didn't care about God or people. This woman wanted to be justified from her adversary, and in the end she received what she wanted, but it came because of her persistent faith, and continual asking. She wore the Judge out by coming back to him over and over again until she got what she wanted. Jesus told this story to make a point. He was saying if the unjust judge could give the woman what she asked for, how much more will our Heavenly Father give us what we ask for, but we must persist in faith. We have to be consistent in prayer and in faith, and out last our adversary and wear him down if we want to receive what we are asking for.
To persist means to continue steadily or firmly in some state, purpose, or course of action, in spite of opposition or criticism. To last or endure tenaciously.
Having persistence is the act or fact of persisting. The quality of being persistent.
Persistent means Persisting stubbornly; insistent. Lasting or enduring tenaciously.
So you see, whatever you want the Lord to do for you, or whatever you want to achieve in life, it is going to take persistence. I know this all too well as I look back over my journey of fulfilling my dream to become a published author. I had to persist in spite many family issues that attempted to slow down my progress, and at times hinder me altogether. I faced financial challenges, my husband's job relocated us three times, my daughter was faced with a life threatening illness that required immediate surgery, a tornado hit my home tearing off the roof and damaging the walls, I worked three dead-end jobs that left me too exhausted to write, and that's just to name a few. But through it all, I refused to doubt God's ability to see me through the storms of life. I continued to stay close to God through prayer, with the Word ever before me, and that's how I out lasted my adversary. And over the years I read through the journals I kept along the way. They were a constant reminder of the promises God had made me, and the vision He had given me of the future. I could clearly see how far I had come and how much closer I was to my destination.
Are you willing to persist in prayer and hang in there with God so that you can obtain what you desire from the Lord? He wants to fulfill your dreams and give you the desires of your heart, but you must refuse to give up. Be persistent in prayer and allow God to give you the strength to out last the devil, and one day you will arrive at your destination.
Wishing you the very best,
Kathy R Green
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