In June of 1975 I started serving Jesus through His local church. That has been forty-six and half years. There have been times when I felt like quitting and giving up. I never did, I have persevered, not because of me and my great persevering spirit, but because of God.
God is a God of Perseverance. He does not give up on us and He gives us the empowering to persevere.
Galatians 6:9
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.
When we trust that God will use us, then we are willing to continue to serve God no matter what our circumstances or our emotions.
The key in seeing a spiritual harvest is our willingness to make ourselves available to God and His powerful work through us.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is trusting God to work no matter what the circumstances look or feel like.
Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Notice the word highlighted, “will”, not might or could or should. The power will come upon us as the Holy Spirit fills us and it will make us effective witnesses.
A witness is not someone who produces change in another person. A witness is a person who shares the truth about Jesus and leaves the result to the Holy Spirit. We witness and God transforms. That means if we are faithful to be witnesses, then we have done what God has called us to do.
I don’t feel like giving up when everything does not go as I thought it would. I trust God and His promise of power.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is trusting God’s promises and depending on them.
Matthew 28:18
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”
Jesus has all authority. Jesus’ authority is far above any other authority in all creation. Jesus is sovereign and supreme over everything and everybody. I live based on Jesus’ authority, not my own or any other human authority.
When I am tempted to give up, I remember that what God directs me to do, He has the authority to accomplish.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is living and operating under Jesus’ authority.
Matthew 28:20
Teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always to the end of the age.
Before Jesus ascends to His Father, He promises to always be with His disciples.
In Hebrews 13:5b it says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Jesus promises that no matter the circumstances He will never leave us alone or forsaken in difficult times.
God never leaves us alone.
God never forsakes us.
God never ignores us.
Psalm 139:17-18
How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I’m still with you.
God’s thoughts are always focused on us.
God’s presence is always with us.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is experiencing the reality of God’s presence, power, love, and grace in our lives every day.
In Jesus we have the power to face difficult situations and even difficult seasons in our lives and not give up, but to persevere and experience victory.
With Jesus in
God-Powered Perseverance
Raising the Roof and
Removing the Walls,
Joe
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