Perseverance

This past week World Horizons had an international Prayer Focus for Emerging Missions Movement in countries such as Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger, Burundi, Rwanda, Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Egypt, India and Indonesia. God is truly raising up an army from around the world to reach those who have not yet been touched by the Good News.

One of the Scripture portions we used as part of our Prayer Focus, and which the Spirit quickened to me was Colossians 1:9-12. “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.”

One of the keys to the success of Paul’s ministry was his perseverance in the midst of trials and persecution. Often in our spiritual lives and ministry we are too short sighted and fail to persevere in faith as Abraham did until we see the fulfillment of the vision or the promise. Paul begins his statement by saying that he did “not cease to pray” for them. Anything we do for God is birthed out of persistent prayer. Jesus himself exhorted us to “ask, seek and knock.” Persistent prayer is not so much us trying to move the hand of God, as it is bringing our mind and will to the obedience of Christ so that we can pray and act according to His will.

Paul goes on to pray for some key elements necessary to success in our walk with God and kingdom endeavors. He prays that we may have an increasing knowledge of God, knowledge and understanding of His will, and the wisdom of how to walk out His will. When we truly know and understand God and His ways, it enables us to pray with persistent faith and to persevere in our walk and works because we know we are walking in harmony with His will. Paul says the result of this revelation knowledge of God and His will is that we will “walk worthy of God, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work.”

But not only do we need His knowledge, wisdom and spiritual understanding, we need to be “strengthened…by His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy.” Once we know the will of God, we need His strength to persevere with joy until we see the fulfillment of the vision and promise. EVERYTHING IS OF GOD! God is the author and the finisher of our faith. It is He “who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints of light.” What an awesome privilege it is to be part of what He is doing in the world today!

My prayer for you is that whatever journey you are on with the Father, and whatever challenges you may be facing, that the Spirit will renew your vision of the Father and what He has spoken to you. Allow Him to stir up your that faith and expectation of what He is has promised you so that you may persevere and receive the reward of your faith.

Andy Clark
www.worldhorizonsusa.org