The Lord says for this time:
"Persevere in what I've called you or spoken for you to do in this season of your life. Look unto Me, and not your surroundings. Keep your focus on Me, and not those challenges you may be facing. Don't give up and don't give in, no matter what. Keep running this race that has been set for you. For I am giving you the strength that you need. You will soon see yourself reaping with joy!"
Psalm 126:5-6 (NKJV) says, 'Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.'
Beloved, this is what God is saying to you right now. Your waiting time will not be wasted. Your many hours of sowing unto what the Lord has spoken for you to do, and even your tears will not go unnoticed.
The Lord sees all these, and He will know how to reward you in due time. So, be patient with His timing. Keep looking unto Him, and do not doubt. You will surely reap with songs of joy. This applies in any area of your life, be it in the ministry, in your career, in your business, or in any area of your life.
Galatians 6:9-10 (NKJV) says, 'And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap, if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.'
Well, sometimes in our walk of faith, it's easy to lose heart and feel like giving up. But the Scripture again exhorts us not to grow weary while doing good. The good that God has spoken for you to do in this season of your life. You see, season comes and season goes. When one season ends, we walk into a new season. But in each season of your life, there is a reason. Flow with God's season for your life. Don't look back. Keep looking ahead. Keep building what God is building in your life right now, and in this season of your life. Again, there will come a time you will reap with songs of joy!
Why do I share this? Because the Lord has spoken, and I just want to be faithful to release what God has spoken for this time. The Lord also knows there are people out there who are actually on the verge of giving up doing good, doing the good that the Lord has spoken for them to do, or on the verge of giving up running the race that God has set before them. If you are one of them, you are not alone! The Lord sees it, and the Lord knows exactly what you are going through.
And right now, He is releasing His fresh new strength upon you, even refreshing upon you. Receive all this by faith. For some of you, even your walk of faith may have been challenged recently. Maybe some things have happened around you that cause you to doubt God, or to have 'question marks' as to why certain things happened. Maybe it's a passing of someone you know or someone you hold dear. Maybe it's an unexpected event that has happened in your life. Whatever that causes you to doubt or to have 'question marks', the Lord is saying to you right now: "I am still here for you. I will walk with you. I will see you through all this."
Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us; looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.'
The word 'cloud' here in ancient Greek was a figure of speech which indicates 'a large group'. This can imply 'all the men and women of God in the history of mankind' or 'all the angels in the spiritual realm'. The writer of Hebrews here pictured that you are surrounded by all of them, as if you are running your race in a stadium full of spectators surrounding you and cheering you all the way till the finishing line.
You see, you are not alone here. So, ignore all those detractors. Cast out all those doubts. Because those who are cheering you are many more than those detractors. What are these 'cloud of witnesses' cheering you on? They are cheering you to continue in your faith, and to run your race with endurance!
This brings us to the word 'endurance'. The word 'endurance' here is 'hupomone' in ancient Greek. It literally means 'going steadily on with focus and determination, and without getting deflected'. By the way, 'to get deflected' means 'to cause something to change direction, or to turn aside from the straight course'. So, 'hupomone' can be interpreted as 'not changing direction or not turning aside from the straight course, but instead, running with focus and determination towards the finishing line'.
In Acts 20:24 (NKJV), the Apostle Paul said, "But none of these things move me... so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus."
None of those challenges moved him. None of those detractors moved him. He stayed focused on Jesus. Again here, just like in Hebrews 12, the Apostle Paul pictured himself as a runner, running a race to the finishing line, and that nothing could keep him from finishing the race that has been set before him.
You see here, Paul specifically said 'finishing his race'. And he's going to finish his race with joy. That's what he said here. Now, the same it is for each of us. Each of us has a specific race to finish. It is not so much about competing in a race with others. It is our own race that God has specifically catered and set for us. In other words, our own unique race. Not to compare with others.
The expression 'looking unto Jesus' here implies 'looking away from other things and having our eyes fixed on Jesus'. The Greek word for 'looking' here is 'aphorao'. It is more than what we usually understand about this word 'looking' in English. This word 'aphorao' is a much fuller word. It actually means 'looking attentively and single-mindedly, and looking away from everything else'. And it is not just looking unto Jesus and what He has done for us on the cross per se, but also looking unto Him for His guidance, His encouragement, His strength, His wisdom, His revelation, and so on.
You see, He is everything to us. He is the all-encompassing God to us. A God who is more than enough for us. Amen!
And of course, He is the author and finisher of our faith. That is to say, He is not just the author of our faith, but He is also the finisher of our faith. In other words, He is with you at the starting line of your race and He is with you at the finishing line of your race, and all along the race, everything in between, every step of the way!
So, take heart, beloved. Indeed, the good work that He has begun in you, He will bring it to full completion. Philippians 1:6. I like this version in Amplified Bible, Classic Edition. 'And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.'
So, what's your part now? Stay the course! Keep receiving His love and assurance along the way! Keep receiving His joy and strength along the way! When you receive His joy, you will also have the strength to carry on and finish your race. The Scripture says 'the joy of the Lord is your strength'.
The power of God is here right now. The strength of God is here right now. The anointing of God is here right now. Receive all this by faith. In Jesus' name. Amen!
