PERSEVERANCE IN THE PILGRIMAGE

Click here to download the First Fruit Fasting message:  – 310122- (EPISODES OF JOY)                                                          WATCHMAN CATHOLIC CHARISMATIC RENEWAL MOVEMENT                             2022 FIRST FRUIT FASTING EXERCISE    Jan. 24 – Feb. 13, 2022                                                                                                     (Day 7)       Theme:          EPISODES OF JOY Texts:            Jer.33:10-13; Zeph.3:14,15; Jn.15:11; 16:24 Welcome to the 7^th Day of the feast – glorious exercise. It has been a wonderful time with great memories. We have covered some ground on subject matters of fasting, first fruit principle, forgiveness, purity, God’s kind of life (Zoe) and God’s kind of love (Agape). Today, we shall be looking at another necessary quality in the following message: Topic:  PERSEVERANCE IN THE PILGRIMAGE Texts:   Pro.24:10, Lk.18:1 Perseverance is persistence in doing something irrespective of difficulty or delay in achieving success. It is a trait developed over time by the willing or by choice. It is a qualifier for usefulness in the Kingdom of God and one of the qualities that a vessel of God must be inculcated with (2Tim.2:3). Life is laddened with challenges, and enviable goals are not obtained with the ease of the snapping of fingers. (Job 14:1) All successful persons stuck to their goals amidst the severity of the opposition. They were focused (Heb.12:2, Prov.29:18). Even when the battering rams make the vision of earthly attainment blurred, the vision of heavenly connection will be kept bright (2Cor.4:17). Knowing the inflexible place of Satanic opposition to the kingdom, the Lord Jesus taught on perseverance and practised the same (Lk.18:1-7, Mk.13:13, Jn.12:27). There is an unending list of Bible characters that persevered until success: Joseph (Gen.39,40,41), Mordecai (Est.4:1-17), The Psalmist (Ps.44:18, 119:10), Nehemiah (Neh.6), Syrophenician woman (Mk.7:26-30), Palsied man (Lk.5:17-25), Issue of blood case (Lk.8:43-44), 38 years invalid (Jn.5:1-8), Zaccheus (Lk.19:1-8), Paul (Phil.3:13-14, 4:12). How can the trait be developed? l. Appreciate the worth of your set goal and focus on it (Phil.3:14, 2Cor.4:17) 2.  Bring together or buy God’s promises in line with that goal (Prov.23:23, Isa.46:4, Lam.3:22-24, Phil.1:6) 3.  Cleave to the principles of perseverance (Phil.3:13-14, Heb.10:23, Ps.119:11) 4.  Depend on God for His faithfulness (Ps.71:5-6, Heb.12:1-2, Jas.1:2-4,12) 5.  Embrace a positive mindset (Prov.4:23). Don’t let the past rule your present (Phil.3:13,14) 6.  Find helpers when necessary (Prov.27:17, 24:6, 11:14) Remember: in every pathway of life there is always some threshold to cross before hitting the cherished goal. The disciple is built to conquer, and conquerors are tenacious (Jn.15:16). So set interim goals, as well as the eternal goal of being with Christ; and pursue them vigorously. If men in hopeless situations emerged as champions, you can do much more, being more than a conqueror. (Rom.8:37)