“I have fought the good (worthy, honorable, and noble) fight, I have finished the race, I have kept (firmly held) the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7).
I believe that the Spirit of God fills us with holy determination. It is something that God has in Him and imparts to us through His Spirit. We are not to be quitters or the type of people who are easily defeated.
We must be determined to overcome the past, to go forward and not be stagnant.
We must not be afraid of difficulty. Things worth having never come easy. The definition of determination is: “The act of making or arriving at a decision – the quality of being resolute or firm in purpose.” We must be decisive and stick to our decisions.
If you find yourself being double-minded about something, I encourage you to ask yourself what you believe God placed in your heart in the beginning; then stick with that. Don’t head in another direction now due to weariness.
I believe you have what it takes to live in victory. If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, His determination lives in you because He lives in you.
Fight the good fight of faith. Run the race to win. Be determined to take the prize. Don’t give up and don’t give in.
You can make it!
Do This: Depend on God’s strength – not your own. Say aloud several times every day, “I will never give up! I will finish the race!”
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers.
Joyce Meyer is one of the world's leading practical Bible teachers. A New York Times bestselling author, her books have helped millions of people find hope and restoration through Jesus Christ. Through Joyce Meyer Ministries, she teaches on a number of topics with a particular focus on the mind, mouth, moods and attitudes. Her candid communication style allows her to share openly and practically about her experiences so others can apply what she has learned to their lives.
Joyce hosts a TV and radio show, Enjoying Everyday Life, which broadcasts worldwide to a potential audience of 4.5 billion people. She has authored 100 books, which have been translated into more than 100 languages. More than 12 million of her books have been distributed free of charge around the world, and each year millions of copies are sold.
Joyce conducts close to a dozen domestic and international conferences every year, teaching people to enjoy their everyday lives. For 30 years, her annual women's conference has attracted more than 200,000 women from all over the world to St. Louis for specifically themed teachings by her and guest speakers.
Through her teachings, God has provided opportunities to meet the needs of the suffering and bring the Gospel in a practical way. Joyce's passion to help hurting people every day is foundational to the vision of Hand of Hope, the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. These outreaches around the globe include feeding programs, medical care, homes for orphans, and programs combatting human trafficking. In her hometown of St. Louis, Joyce and Dave, her husband, founded the St. Louis Dream Center (SLDC) in 2000. The SLDC serves the inner city through hands-on programs targeted at reaching the lost and hurting with the love of Christ.
Over the years, God has provided Joyce with many opportunities to share her testimony and the life-changing message of the Gospel. Having suffered sexual abuse throughout her childhood, as well as just dealing with the struggles of everyday life, Joyce discovered the freedom to live victoriously by applying God's Word to her life and in turn desires to help others do the same.
Joyce is and continues to be an incredible testimony of the dynamic, redeeming work of Jesus Christ.