Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail). Psalm 55:22 AMP

There is always the “day before the breakthrough”: the period of time when the weapons of mass distraction—anxiety, worry, lethargy—assail us. The devil loves to attack when we’re in these areas and times of uncertainty. But God is consistent. You can trust Him. As you read this, I pray that a spirit of faith will stir in your heart and you will be able to connect with just how faithful God is.

When you purpose to fulfill God’s plan for your life, you become a greater threat to the forces of darkness, so of course you are going to elicit a challenge. Any twig can float with the current. But the salmon swim upstream, over waterfalls and past grizzly bears, to reach their goal. Some of you are having a five-year challenge. Some of you wish it could have been just a five-year challenge because yours has stretched into a 20- or 30-year battle. But no matter how protracted your battle has been, God wants to see you through!

Most people who succeed in the face of seemingly impossible conditions are people who simply don’t know how to quit. Robert Schuller

Get specific. What is the primary thing bothering you right now? Take that item of worry and find corresponding promises in the Scriptures. Start speaking them over your situation. Go to God and trust Him to sort out that specific thing. No one else but God has the ability and inclination to care about your situation as if you’re the only person in the universe.

. . . Run in such a way that you may win. 1 Corinthians 9:24

Some of you are in the last phase of running your specific battle. Increase your expectation. Don’t drop off at 75 percent; stand for the next 25 percent! God knows the number of hairs on your head (Luke 12:7). He knows each item, each issue, and if you cast your cares on Him, He’ll work it all together for good (Romans 8:28).

God is faithful,
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2011 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. The Amplified Bible, Old Testament copyright © 1965, 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation and The Amplified, New Testament copyright © 1958, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14

God’s will can be accepted and fulfilled. We must fight through the incredible discouragement that tries to numb us as we go through life, and press toward the upward call. It’s a fight worth fighting. There is breakthrough on the other side of the mountain, a reward at the end. You are not designed to be just in maintenance mode, but you are called to impact the world.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12: 1-3

This amazing verse tells us in no uncertain terms that God has set a race before us. Fixing your eyes on Jesus will give you the crystal clear vision to fulfill God’s will. Let your heart become filled with the Word of God. It’s our job to get before the Lord and, like Paul, ask, “What wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6b KJV). And keep asking. Be faithful to lay aside every encumbrance—all the ridiculous challenges and trials, the distractions and hindrances, the vision-blurring junk, the sin that so easily entangles us.

There are people out there who need our obedience, who need our tenacity. Just as Jesus and Paul fulfilled the Father’s plan, it’s our turn now. God is looking for a breed of people who won’t back down, to commission us as partners to carry the Gospel. God wants to use the church as a launching pad to the nations through all kinds of avenues—we are just scratching the surface now. So lay aside the restraints and press on to the upward call.

I (Paul) have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7

I (Jesus) glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do. John 17:4

I trust You, Lord, to bring all Your plans to pass.
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2011 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

Overcome an Identity Crisis. Our generation has a collective identity crisis—a disorientation that comes on people as a result of being brought up under disruptive, fast-paced situations. With all the bombardment that comes with the Information Age, we need to get our priorities straight about who gets our attention. When we make Jesus central in our lives, we overcome apathy, fear, and disorientation and become ignited with something significant to deposit in our world.

Understand the Times. There was a group of people in the Bible, Issachar’s tribe, who were described as understanding the times and who had knowledge of what to do (1 Chronicles 12:32). That’s what God wants us to be in our generation! Not like the Pharisees who Jesus said didn‘t recognize the time of their visitation and totally missed what God was doing in their generation (Luke 19:39-44). The plans God has for you are considerable—don’t underestimate your moment.

Jesus fulfills. Jesus is not just one of a myriad of religious concepts in this pluralistic, relativistic world. He is the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Jesus (John 14:6).

“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.”
Blaise Pascal ~ Mathematician, Philosopher & Physicist

Take it to the world. Jesus, the resurrection and the life (John 11:25), the exact representation of the Father (Hebrews 1:3), is looking for people whose hearts are completely His that He may strongly support them (2 Chronicles 16:9). If you make Jesus central—your priority, the main deal—it will cause the confusion to dissipate and position you to be a voice in your generation. Reject apathy and trust the Savior to activate you beyond what you can even imagine.

Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. John 4:35b

God bless you!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2010 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

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. Hebrews 12:1-2a NKJV

The definition for traction is “the act of drawing or pulling.” In wheels and shoes, traction is represented by the adhesive grip that gives you the stability you need to make progress. Though we’ve never passed this way in life before, we can run this race with confidence because we know Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, has provided traction for each step of the journey.

God’s Word is the grip that is the surety under our feet—it’s the salt and the sand under our tires in the snow. He wants to reinforce traction and stabilize things so we can move forward in boldness.

But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until the full day. Let your eyes look directly ahead and let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you. Watch the path of your feet and all your ways will be established. Proverbs 4:18, 25-26

But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. 1 John 2:5-6

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

Gaze straight ahead at God and only glance at your problem (Proverbs 4:25). God’s strategy for each one of us is that we don’t spin our wheels, stay stuck, or veer off course, but we connect with divine appointments, be strong, and do exploits.

Walk forward,
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2010 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Peter 2:9

God created us because He wanted to, and we are called to show how good He is in word and deed. But how can we do that unless we know the wonderful, praiseworthy things of our God?

Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! Psalm 103:2-5 NLT

God is our rock, our fortress, and our deliverer! He is our shield, salvation, and stronghold (Psalm 18:1-3). Go back into the Word and see who God is. Stir up your love and affection for Him. Be like David who gazed at God and only glanced at his problems.

O Lord, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, “There is no deliverance for him in God.” Selah. But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the One who lifts my head. Psalm 3:1-3

God has a hold on your life. Don’t ever imagine that you are out there alone, weak and frail. God’s grip is strong enough to hold on to you and never let go.

Trust Him.
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2010 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.