Monday, November 06, 2006

Character Before Breakthrough (From Francis Frangipane's book "This Day We Fight")

Dear ones, let us perservere. We don't know what the victory will look like when we finally break through. Consider Joseph - betrayed, enslaved, slandered, and forgotten, he had to endure to reach his destiny. But the time finally arrived, and never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined it to be so wonderful.

What we become, is more important to God that what we can do for Him. The struggle deepens our character. Maintaining our standards when pressed, finding grace when stretched, makes us true men and women of God. Almighty God is in control. He knows how to take what was evil and transform it into something good, even using the devil's own devices to bring him down. God has something marvelous in store for us, otherwise the enemy would not be fighting so intensely. Indeed, Scripture tells us that Satan rages worst when he knows his time is short (Rev. 12:12)

There is a principle here that if understood will lead to victory in our battles. There will be a time where we will feel overpowered. Yet if we endure, we will climb higher into God. If we refuse to lose our trust in God, a time will come when the Ancient of Days enters our circumstances and changes everthing in a day. Looking at our newly developed character, He will pass judgment in favour of our cause. He looks at our character, forged in the fire of overpowering delays and battle, and says "Good, this is what I have been waiting for"...

So, whatever your battle, whether you are praying for this country, standing for your children, whether your cry is for the lost, or for the end of some local or personal conflict, remember the words of Paul "Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary" Galatians 6:9

Prayer: Master, I ask that You work in me the character that perseveres until the end. Forgive me for being such a wimp. Help me to grow up to stand up until the harvest I have sown spiritually bears fruit. Thank you for not giving up on me. In Jesus' name. Amen.

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