It’s Not Over

Being built like a chihuahua, my workout routine is not much to write home about. I remember when I went from 10 lb arm weights to 12. It was hard. Recently, I incorporated 15 lb arm weights. While it’s a challenge, I can’t believe how easy the 12 lb weights feel now! And so it is with working spiritual muscle.

As servants of the Most High, we know there is an enemy attempting to stop us from moving forward in our true Kingdom building assignments. Life here can be hard, but in Christ every hardship is used for our strengthening and His glory. As Paul moved ahead to serve his King, he experienced labors, lashes, imprisonment, beatings, stoning, and shipwrecks. He knew perils of waters, robbers, his own countrymen, gentiles, the city, wilderness, sea, and false brothers. He had weariness, toil, sleeplessness, hunger, thirst, fastings, cold, nakedness, and daily concern for the church.

Yet in 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 Paul said,

“We are afflicted in every way,

but not crushed;

perplexed,

but not driven to despair;

persecuted,

but not forsaken;

struck down,

but not destroyed…”

That is a faith building testimony.

Christ in us is greater than the evil one. We may be hard-pressed on every side, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down, but keep moving forward. Don’t fall for lies that God’s plan for you is crushing, despair, being forsaken, or destroyed. His plans for you are good, and if you are alive and reading this, they are not over. 

Nehemiah  6:9 says,

“For they all wanted to frighten us, thinking,

‘Their hands will drop from the work,

and it will not be done.’

But now, O God,

strengthen my hands."