It’s easy to throw in the towel when under pressure, or from weariness such as the length of a trial that seems to go on and on and wears you down, David testified to this when he said, “When my heart is overwhelmed”-{Psalm 61:2}”Overwhelmed as used here means “to cover in darkness” He was in a bad place. Worn down we read of three  such instances…

1.- PERSIST IN PRAYER. –“Now Jesus was telling the disciples a parable to make the point that at ALL times they ought to pray and not give up and lose heart,”-(Luke 18:1). What was causing them to be troubled? Jesus had told them earlier that He was leaving, He was going to die! “And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”-{Luke 9:22}.

In Luke 18:2-5 He encourages them that He is returning. And so, between the first time that He comes to die and pay the penalty of their sins to reconcile them to God to the time of His second coming-which is the time we are living in now, we are in between both comings, His first and second coming, He tells them to Persist in PRAYER!

Jesus told the disciples to persist in praying as the alternative is to lose heart, to become discouraged. And the motivation to keep praying He gives them is His return. How long should you keep praying? Keep praying until He returns! Because the LORD Jesus Christ is returning -(Luke 18:8).  Keep praying or you will lose heart, give up, quit, become disheartened!

2.- PERSIST IN DOING GOOD.- Paul writes in Galatians 6:9-“Let us not grow Weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in.”

To those who are tempted to give in, to quit doing good, Paul tells them Not to grow weary, become discouraged and the motivation, is found in that little word, “FOR,” which gives the motivation, the reason is that they will reap a reward “At the proper time. “Just as a farmer plants a seed at the proper time, in due season the harvest will come! The law of the Heavenly harvest! It’s God’s promise to you!

  • Doing good is seen in its actions such as Hebrews 13:16, “And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
  • “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.”-{1 Thess 5:15}
  • “And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.”-{Titus 3:14}
  • And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.”-{Galatians 6:9-10}
  • Jesus says in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” They testify and point people to our Heavenly Father and Glorify God the Father! The ultimate reason for doing good. God gets glorified!

 The ultimate reason for doing good. God IS glorified!

 

3.-PERSIST IN TRUSTING GOD,–RECOGNITION, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT; Paul writes of those dear believers who were losing heart, discouraged as a result of his suffering, “So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.”-(Eph 3:13-21). He acknowledged their love and suffering on account of his circumstances and he communicated to them of his specific intercession for them to overcome their discouragement.

What was his response? What was their need? Prayer for them. Specifically that the Holy Spirit would INWARDLY strengthen them, as losing heart, discouragement is an internal emotion that affects the mind, emotions and influences the will. He prays for them that Christ would be at home in their hearts and that they would comprehend and experientially know the Love of Christ for them! The weary ones need the assurance of the love of Christ for them. Paul identified with them and Intercedes specifically for those who are discouraged over his suffering. They identified with him. He let them know how and what he was praying for them. He was specific in his prayers for them, and he communicated with them of his prayerful identification! They were growing weary because of seeing Paul’s suffering. But through the evil of people who caused his suffering God was overruling by using it for others spiritual good as the verse testifies as does Eph 3:1, he was suffering to benefit others, “I the prisoner of Christ for the sake of YOU Gentiles.” In Phil 1:12 he wrote, “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,[a] that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.”

  • Peter joins the three together, suffering, doing good and trusting God!

“So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.”-{1 Peter 4:19}

So, if you’re growing weary, Or discouraged, or you’ve yielded to the temptation to quit praying, you’ve yielded to the temptation to stop doing good to others, you’ve yielded to the temptation of discouragement through seeing a loved one suffering then Take His counsel and begin afresh and Keep persisting in prayer and keep doing good to others, keep trusting God in the hard place!

Know that God is using the suffering of others to benefit others. We may not understand or like it, but by faith we fall back on the promise of Romans 8:28,-“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Keep Trusting Him.

Just like falling off a bike the only way to get going again is to get back on the bike and pedal. And keep on pedaling. Keep going. Don’t give In. Don’t quit. Keep praying. Keep doing good to others. Keep speaking the truth to yourself that even this suffering God will use for good!

Why? Because it is the will of God, and in obeying Him we are expressing love to Him and it keeps us from spiraling into discouragement. The word is “PERSIST.”

  • “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). Temptations and trials are the opposite side of the same coin. The purpose of the temptation is to solicit you to sin. The purpose of the trial is to build you up. And persevering in obeying Him is an expression of love to Him!

Here is the truth, failing to persist in prayer will pull you down, just as gravity pulls down in the physical realm so too in the spiritual realm prayerlessness and quitting doing good will lead to growing weary, discouragement.

Look Upwards – in Prayer. Look Outwards – to Do good, in helping others, Keep Trusting, are three ways to fight or stop discouragement taking over you! It’s a spiritual warfare, the battle for your thought life. challenging the Word of God. YOUR ACTING UPON IT BY APPLYING IT, and ultimately an attack on the God whose Word it is. Therefore choose to…

Persist In Prayer.

Persist In Doing Good.

Persist In Trusting God.

Persist!

God Bless,

Aidan.