Don't ever let the devil define you in your weakest moment don't ever let the devil define
you in your weakest moment he'll get you down and then convince you you're down forever it's
a lie it's just a learning period and God puts adverse situations on us not to destroy us but
we come out of it stronger Noah rode a storm into a rainbow Noah lived 350 years after the flood he
lived longer after the flood than before and that tells me there's life after the storm yes
there's life after a storm in fact the storm can mark a beginning and it's not to destroy
you but it's to make you stronger and I know we whine and whine but if you whine there's nobody
going to show up but the devil and if you throw a pity party he's the only one that's going to come
there's nobody else but I've just honest enough to tell you that whatever you're going through
right now can enliven you and bring victory to you sometimes God delivers you from the fiery
furnace and other times he just makes you fire proof and let it burn on because he knows you're
going to learn something God is more concerned with our development than he is with our comfort
when whenever you go through difficult times it is those difficult times that stretch you and stress
you and bring you close to God and so why do I go through hard times it's because God loves you and
like a good parent that stretches his kid he won't always let us do the easy thing that we would like
he is more committed to our greatness than we are we would always take the easy way just like your
kid will not eat his broccoli he will eat junk all right if he is left to his own palet and
so a parent has to override him and so God is faithful but God is not always predictable on
day to day you have to trust him we are not smart enough to understand his way and so you don't need
jerk in difficulties you trust him even though you don't understand weather the storm
God's going to shape you so whenever you hear people's testimonies you're very rarely going
to hear about happiness in life you're going to hear about struggle and how God used it for the
greatness pain may not be the worst thing that happened to you matter of fact you're probably
going to get made through pain we all struggle we all struggle and all of us go through the
valley of the shadow but that's what makes us can God still work miracles in people's lives yes I
genuinely believe so I just also know that the way God typically brings about change especially
change to your character the way he brings that change is through diligence over time the more you
understand that God is in the business of the journey with you I mean he makes and he keeps
promises about the destination but he is much more focused on the journey and he knows there's going
to be ups and he knows there's going to be downs he just wants to walk it with you you might feel
alone in your hardships at times but I'm here to tell you that the one who said I will never leave
you nor forsake you is with you in Isaiah 41:10 God says fear not for I am with you do not be
dismayed for I am your God I will strengthen you yes I will will help you I will uphold you with my
righteous right hand if you're going through some adversity don't give up on the faith keep running
the race there will be suffering in this lifetime there will be adversity but don't give up there
comes a time in every life you know it's true when quitting looks good so we quit marriages we quit
jobs we quit school we quit church we even quit God see when God has given you a path that seems
to be kind of grievous when the cross you're bearing seems unbearable and when giants seem
undefeatable there comes a time in every adventure of life when quit looks good but I tell you a dead
marriage can live again and become vibrant and enjoyable your struggling business can have a
financial breakthrough your sick body can be made well again your shattered dreams can live again
walk right out of your your valley lift your hands and praise God and declare faith is the victory
that overcomes the world yes it does that's a spirit of thanksgiving you have to fight back do
it every day it is the mantra of God's people for thousands and thousands of years now the mantra
of God's people is don't quit now don't tap out press on right strain forward take hold of the
life that Jesus promised you and don't let go and don't quit now that goes for every day in every
situation okay let's say that you're in here right now and it's been a really rough go of it things
are really difficult don't quit now or you will never get to reap what you have already sown if
you want it go put in the hard work in an instant gratification society hard work is something we're
all trying to avoid but then Proverbs says wait a minute all hard work brings a profit you just
can't quit putting in all the time and the and the hard work go live an epic life an epic
journey put in the time and the hard work and the perseverance don't give up God will give you the
opportunity to stand the pressure to go through that university of adversity call it fiery furnace
call it whatever you want but God will not promote you until you stand that blast furnace you need to
learn to believe in you because God believes in you you are sons and daughters of the most high
God the royal blood of heaven is flowing in your veins do not allow the past to control you do not
allow other people to control you be somebody God created a special person when you were were born
God never creates a nobody stop saying it's impossible because nothing is impossible to
those that believe and are called according to the purposes of God it says in Luke 18 now he
told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up did you hear that on the
need for them to pray always and not give up I wonder where you might have given up in your life
today I wonder where because of disappointment or discouragement or disillusionment somewhere along
the line you get gave up I want to encourage you today don't give up because here Jesus is saying
here's a parable on the need to pray always and not give up maybe you haven't had that healing yet
but I'm believing God that it's going to happen go back to God again and pray again perhaps you
haven't seen that breakthrough in your child yet but don't give up keep praying keep believing for
the hound of heaven to bring that child home perhaps you're still having challenges in your
marriage and you've been believing God for your spouse for years I'm here to encourage you today
you've been asking God for a sign here's your sign don't give up pray again go back again you once
were believing God to open doors of opportunity you had a dream in your heart a prophetic word in
your heart but somewhere on the line you stopped praying somewhere along the line you got weary
you got discouraged you got disillusioned today I'm saying pray again the scripture says do not
give up go again pray again we need persistent Christians we need tenacious Christians we need
resilient Christians we need Christians that don't just give up after one unanswered prayer I know
it might have been a month I know it might have been a year I know it might have been 10 years
but this is your sign from God go again pray again do not give up prayer changes things prayer moves
mountains prayer moves the heart of God and when God is moved God will move those mountains for you