CAPA Corner: Words of Encouragement from the Central Area Pastor’s Association

NEVER QUIT

By Ron Erickson, Future Hope Ministries

Gal 6:7-9

    7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. NKJV

    How many times have you heard the phrase, “I’ve tried that Christian stuff and it just doesn’t work”?  The problem is that when people “try” something they are going into it with the mindset of, “Lets see if this works.”  John 3:16 doesn’t say, “For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son, that whosoever would try Him out for thirty days would not perish!”  Our Christian life starts on the basis of faith, belief, and the confession of such!

    People will often ask the question, “Why don’t you just quit?”  Many times people have asked me that question about ministry, my walk with the Lord, and other areas of my life.  My answer to that question is, “What would I quit to or for?  I didn’t start to try or to just survive but instead to thrive.”  We’ve all been discouraged at times with many areas of our lives.  So many times our greatest break through is preceded by our greatest discouragement!  Even Jesus, right before His ministry was launched, faced three of His greatest temptations.  What if He had given in?  It is hard to imagine the ramifications.  One might say, “But he was the Son of God.”  However, scripture points out that Jesus was a man tempted in everyway, just like us!  So how did Jesus persevere?  Go back and read Matt 4:1-11. He defeated temptation with the Word of God!

    I may not have all the historical facts precisely correct but Winston Churchill is reported to have given a commencement speech in which he rose, went to the podium, and said the following remarks.  “Never give up!  Never give up! Never, never, never give up!”  At which point he sat back down.

    I keep a plaque up in my office that has the following segment of a poem on it.

Success is failure turned inside out-

The silver tint on the clouds of doubt-

And you never can tell how close you are-   

It may be nearer when it seems afar:

So stick to the fight when you are hardest hit-

It’s when things seem the worst that you must not quit.

    Don’t throw in the towel but instead look to Jesus for your strength!  Turn to the Word of God for your situation.  Be confident that He is not leaving you and will accomplish His plans for your life!