Text: 2 Corinthians 11:23-27
Memory verse:
“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” II Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬
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No one can succeed in life without understanding the nature of perseverance.
If there are no difficulties, challenges or oppositions, there wouldn’t be any need for perseverance. Work is naturally fun and you easily approach tasks with vigor when the environment is friendly and there are no hardships. In fact, from the Latin root, perseverance literally means “through severity”. This includes test, trials and troubles. It could also be in the form of fatigue and discouragement. While quitters see all these as signs to give up one’s pursuit, overcomers see them as signs to persevere. Rather than quitting, they draw strength from God and put their staying-on character to play. They keep holding on and pressing on in spite of the hardships. You need the ‘severe’ before you overcome. “Anyone who wants to live all out for Christ is in for a lot of trouble; there’s no getting around it.” (2 Tim 3:12 MSG). There is no shortcut from trouble,
so you must never underestimate the cost of success in life. People who have no idea of the costs handle life with casual interest or desire. They want to follow; want to build; and want to succeed but never care to know the costs (Matt 16:24: Luke 14:28). This is what our text today teaches. Casual interest will make you to turn back at the appearance of any opposition or obstacles. You need commitment to go on in spite of your feelings, the obstacles and the threats. Commitment makes you to keep doing the right things, long after the excitement you had at the beginning when you decided to follow the path has gone.
Friends, if you have to succeed in your walk with God, your marriage, your business, your academics and even your relationships, you need to persevere and if you have to persevere, you need severity.

Prayer points
1. Father, prepare me for success in life and build my staying-on character in Jesus name

2. Father, help me to handle life with real commitment rather than casual interest in Jesus name

Today’s declarations
1. I always see challenges and difficulties as signs for me to persevere and not to quit.

2. My commitment makes me to go beyond the point when I feel I can’t succeed in my goals

Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng