Ephesians 6:18

“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching there unto with all perseverance.”

(Ephesians 6:18)

Paul said to pray in the Spirit and be alert/watchful with all perseverance. What does that mean to us who love God and endeavor to walk with God on a daily basis? We are to persevere in prayer and watchfulness. To persevere means we stay the course….we keep doing what we are doing in spite of difficulty, obstacles and opposition. Think about that for just a moment: we keep doing what we are doing in spite of difficulty, obstacles and opposition. No one welcomes difficulty, obstacles or opposition. The fact is that walking with God and doing what He calls us to do is never without difficulty, obstacles or opposition. Everything is not always wonderful. God is wonderful. Jesus is wonderful. Being saved and walking daily with God is wonderful… but, life is not always wonderful, and people are not always wonderful and situations are not always wonderful. Hence the need for us to persevere. Consider these statements from God’s Word:

• In James 1:12, the Word says, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation (trials, difficulties, temptations) for when he is tried he shall receive a crown of life which the Lord has promised to them that love Him”.

• In Romans 8:35-36, Paul references tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, and peril… THEN he says, “Nay, IN all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us”.

• In 2 Corinthians 4:8, Paul made this statement: “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; troubled, but not in despair”.

It is imperative that we not allow what is happening around us to overshadow the Presence of God and His anointing that is in us, for it is the Presence of God in us that will enable us to effectively deal with the difficulty, obstacles and opposition that is around us. I John 4:4 says: “GREATER is He that is in us than he that is in the world”. The power of God’s Presence in us is greater than…not less…but, greater than the obstacles and opposition around us. We persevere by being faith-driven, not feeling driven. Feelings will mess you up and bring you down. But there is a faith in you that enables you to overcome rather than being overcome: “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world, this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (I John 5:4). Too many times we, (myself included) act like what we feel when we should act on what we believe.

To persevere means to not give up! Whatever you do….don’t quit on God. Keep praying and seeking God…..don’t quit! Keep reading and studying God’s Word…don’t quit! Keep worshipping! Don’t quit! Keep pressing in…leaning into God. Keep witnessing to those who are unsaved and unchurched. In these last of the last days…Persevere!