Have you ever felt like quitting? Maybe something was taking longer than you anticipated, or maybe there were unaccounted for challenges.
I know what it’s like to want to quit. In fact, I know all too well what it’s like to actually quit!
Did you know that I used to be a quitter? I played baseball in college but didn’t like the classes I had to take…so I quit!
When Carolyn and I married, I worked at car dealerships repairing wrecked cars. It seemed like every few weeks Carolyn would see me in a different dealership’s uniform.
If I worked at the Ford dealer and they made me mad, I’d quit and go work for the Chevrolet dealer. If the Chevrolet dealer made me mad, I’d quit and go work for the Buick dealer.
That was such a miserable way to live!
When I finally surrendered to Christ, God totally transformed my life. No longer am I a quitter. No longer do I give up when the going gets tough!
In fact, many years ago I was given the nickname, “Jerry (Having Done All To Stand, Stand) Savelle.”
For the past 48 years I have developed a life of persistence and faithfulness and it has produced God’s best in my life year after year after year!
And today I’d like to encourage you to develop the courage to push through when you are tempted to give up. Have a No Turning Back attitude.
You’re called to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12). This means that if you are going to live the life God has called you to live, there will be resistance. When you live by faith, follow Jesus, and pray bold prayers, there will be challenges. There will be opportunities to quit.
If you’re going to see the miraculous power of God revealed in your life, then you’re going to have to be persistent.
You are promised in Proverbs 28:20 that, “A faithful man will abound with blessings.”
The prophetic word that the Lord gave me for you this year is, “2017: the faithful shall flourish, and it will be like days of heaven on earth!”
“The faithful shall flourish.” That does not include the entire body of Christ even though God desires this to happen in the life of every believer. Sadly I know and have met many Christians who are not faithful. They do not have what I call persistent faith.
I love the account in Mark, Chapter 10, of Bartimaeus’ encounter with Jesus. Bartimaeus was a blind beggar on the side of the road as Jesus passed by.
Bartimaeus had surely heard of the miracles of Jesus and began calling out to Him, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The crowd around him told him to be quiet. But we are told in Scripture that he, “Cried out all the more.”
As a result of his persistent faith, Jesus looked at him and said, “Your faith hath made you whole.”
Three things come to mind whenever I read this story about formerly-blind Bartimaeus: 1) Persistence, 2) Refusing to accept anything less than God’s best, and 3) The power of faith.
Once Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was near, he determined in his heart that his life would change that very day. He would not be silenced even though those around him tried to shut him up.
Nothing was going to prevent him from receiving what he believed God wanted him to have. His unrelenting conviction that Jesus could and would heal him, produced this great miracle in his life!
His persistent faith got the attention of Jesus.
The good news is that Jesus still responds to persistent faith today!
When it comes to trusting God, many people are too quick to give in to opposition and they aren’t willing to “stick it out.”
One of the meanings of persistence is continuing without withering. Another definition is steady pursuit. In other words, refusing to ever give up!
The question is, “How persistent is your faith?” Galatians 6:9 tells us, “And let us not be weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Why would God insist that your faith remain immovable if He didn’t intend to honor it? Persistent faith always pays off!
Let me ask you this question, how would you describe your faith? Is it persistent?
It’s my prayer that this ministry would be used by God to strengthen and deepen your faith.
I want to partner with you to help you develop the same type of never-give-up, persistent faith that has produced God’s blessing and miracles in my life.
Romans 10:17 tells us that, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” Never stop “feeding” your spirit the Word of God.
And this is why the faith-filled resources we produce each year are so vital. This is why our television ministry is broadcast into homes around the world. This is why I will always preach the uncompromised Word of God.
I know that the more Word you get into you, eventually, you will come to the place spiritually where doubt will have no place in your life!
In fact, this month’s teaching resource is a powerful message I preached called, Persistent Faith. As you give this month, I want to send you this message as my thank you for supporting and believing in this ministry.
You can give in two simple ways: First, you can visit www.jsmiaustralia.org/giving to give securely and conveniently. Alternatively, give us a call on +61 7 5576 5534.
Your generous giving allows us to reach people who are hurting, lost, and feel hopeless. When you give, it is because of you, a wife has the faith to believe for her family, a pastor in a village in Africa discovers the truth through our Bible Courses, and a parent trusts God for a healing miracle for their child.
Thank you for your continued prayers and support! You truly are valuable to us!
Let me encourage you to stay in faith. Regardless of how impossible it may look, you serve a God who loves to do the impossible!
I’m praying for you and believing for God’s best for you!
In Him,
Jerry Savelle
P.S. This is your year to flourish and thrive! Refuse to accept anything less than God’s best for your life. God is not intimidated by your persistent faith. Trust Him and watch Him do exceedingly above and beyond what you can even imagine!
And my very personal P.S. to say thank you to all of you who sent me birthday greetings. I’m believing my 70th year will continue to be FLOURISHING (it’s already started) and that this year is FLOURISHING for you as well!!!
