Are you discouraged today?

About a month ago I was studying and came across this scripture

      Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of    testing..... Revelation 3:10 (NASB).

When I saw the words "kept the word of My perseverance"  and saw that there was a promise attached for "keeping the word of His perseverance" it caused me to wonder what did this mean.  If there was a promise attached, I wanted it and I needed to know what it was.  So my journey in scriptures began.

Earlier I had read

      For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.  Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus.  Romans 15:4-5 NASB (bold words I have made bold).

So now I see that

     1.  God has told me that I need to keep the word of His perseverance.
     2.  He doesn't require of me anything that He hasn't given me or is willing to give me.

But what is perseverance?  In the Greek this word means to remain in one's spot, to keep a position, to resolve to maintain some territory that has been gained.   It is endurance.  Endurance is staying power.  Perseverance, patience, and endurance all have the same meaning and you may see one of these words depending on the translation you are reading.

Once God has spoken to us and given us His Word regarding a situation, what are we going to do with that Word?  Are we going to stay under the Word?  Or are we going to come off the Word because our circumstances appear to be contrary to the Word of God we are believing for?   Are we going to get knocked off the Word through trials and testing?  Or are we going to tie that Word around us, stay under the Word, keep the Word, and not let go of the Word?  

I like how the Wuest Translation records Revelation 3:10

      Because you safeguarded the word by observing it, which to observe requires the endurance that is mine, as for myself, I also will safeguard you from the hour of trial......

There was a time in my life that I was frustrated because I was not seeing the answer to my prayers as quickly as I wanted to.  I was in a service where the gifts of God were being manifested through the gifts of prophecy and words of knowledge. 

Tony Kemp, the minister, spoke to me and said,  "My message was for you tonight (and it had been).  You have need of patience."

At that moment I thought patience meant I just had to live with what I was going through.  But oh how wrong I was!  I later learned through scripture that through faith and patience we inherit the promises of God. (Hebrews 10:35-36). 

Did you see in the scriptures above that perseverance, patience, endurance are God's?  Did you see in the scriptures above that He is willing to GIVE us the perseverance, patience, endurance that we need? 

I love how God tells us we have need of something and then He says I have what you need and I will give it to you!  He wants us to succeed.  He knows that we have an enemy who is trying to steal, kill, destroy us. (John 10:10)  But Jesus came to GIVE us life and life abundantly. 

Do you find yourself in a place of discouragement and a place of wanting to give up?

1.  Recognize those thought and feelings are being placed in your mind by satan. 
2.  Gird yourself up and meditate on these scriptures. 
3.  Ask God for the perseverance you need to not give up on God's Word working through you and for you. 
4.  Plead the blood of Jesus over your emotions and recognize Jesus blood gives you the power you need to stand strong.
 5.  Ask God for His strength today.  Psalm 68:28 says that God has commanded your strength.  Receive the strength you need from Him.
6.  Get the attitude -  Father God this is Your Word and your revealed will for my life.  I am not backing down or off this until I see fulfillment of Your Word.  I may not know when I am going to win, but I know through You and with You I win! 

Remember the promise!  What was the promise?  To keep you!

Keep -  to attend to carefully, take care of

Trust God  - 1Thessalonians 5:24 (AMP) Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy, and He will also do it [fulfill His call by hallowing and keeping you}.