STAYING THE COURSE

[Albert Finch]

As believers we are rooted and grounded in His magnificent love (see Eph. 3:17). Because we are established in His love, we have a peace that passes all natural understanding. And we have courage, the depth of which is confidence in the Lord. We cannot trust in our own reasoning. Instead, today we declare that we will, “Trust in the LORD with all [our] heart, and lean not on [our] own understanding; in all [our] ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct [our] paths” (Prov. 3:5-6).

Through Him, peace is established deep within us, causing us to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He will lead us and guide us. He will lead us down the paths that He has DESTINED for our lives! This place of trust is beyond the natural ability of a person. It comes only through a relationship with the Lord, who will lead us and bring to pass all that He has PURPOSED for us. This work of the Lord is unseen to us, as He is in our days ahead of us, dealing with adversaries of opposition and delays that would hinder us from the open doors and gates that He has pre-ordained for us.

"This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:13,14

Truly, the Lord will be strong on our behalf! This knowledge enables a courage deep within and causes us to be so anchored in His love that our hearts and minds are steadfast. Thus, we will reach a place of focus that comes from being led by the Lord.

Our PERSEVERANCE must be innate and sustained by faith, not a fruit of self-determination. Holy PERSEVERANCE is God-empowered boldness or courage that enables us—deep within—to persevere. One way we can define perseverance is simply “to stay the course.” This is a powerful blessing from the Lord that enables us to believe the impossible is possible. It is a work of the Holy Spirit within that enables us to have strength to stay the course, regardless of present circumstances or situations. This is what the prophet Isaiah wrote about:

"Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice." - Isaiah 41:10 AMP

In this passage, the Lord promises to be with us, to strength us, to keep us, and to hold us in a place of victory. The Hebrew meaning of the word strengthen is “to be strong, alert, courageous, brave, stout, bold, solid, hard.” Here’s a more in-depth look:

a) to be strong, brave, bold

b) to strengthen, secure (for oneself), harden (heart), make firm, make obstinate, assure

c) to be determined, to make oneself alert, strengthen oneself, confirm oneself, persist in, prove superior to circumstances

d) to exhibit strength, be strong, feel strong

"That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man: that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and ground in love." - Ephesians 3:16,17

Here’s the incredible promise:
We can stay the course because of the enabling of the strength of the Lord in us! We are strengthened deep within so that we stand firm for the promises of the Lord for our life. We lean into the Lord with deep courage to believe for the impossible to be possible.