Is It A Godly Trait or Not?
I have been spending some time thinking about different qualities which are Godly and ones that cause us to pursue God’s love. Webster’s definition of determination is firmness of purpose, resoluteness. We know God has a plan and purpose for us. How determined are we to achieve it? How do we act when we get disappointed or when it seems like the odds are against us? What is our unseen testimony? How does it compare to what people see? What do we do when we feel defeated? How do we pray through it? There are many questions…..so little time! I know what Scripture says and that’s what I try to live by. How about you?
Let’s look at some Scriptures that mirror determination.
James 1: 12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trail because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
Every time we are faced with any kind of a challenge or trial, it’s an opportunity to show those around us determination! It’s an opportunity to stand firm to have a purpose, to understand God loves us and whatever we face, He is always there with us, as we pass through the fire or the flood, nothing will overtake us. He promises he will uphold us with his righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. I recently stumbled upon a revelation on how to be joyful, content, and happy in this life while we are here on earth! This is a lifelong quest for all of us. Would you like to know what it is? Are you sure you really want to know? Okay, if you insist, I’ll share what I discovered with you. Ready? It’s letting go and letting God. It’s truly asking and seeking His Way above our own way. It’s forgetting about human reasoning and seeking the higher reason. It means we can’t always understand or make sense out of things especially when it comes to our heart.
How did Yeshua show determination?
Yeshua knew he was sent to earth for a purpose, and he was determined to fulfill it. His very existence throughout his life on earth showed us great determination. He was fully man and fully God, can you imagine the conflicts that he faced every day? He had to make a determined choice that His Father’s will was his goal. He looked to his Father for strength, miracles, and testimony. He especially looked to His Father for strength as the shadow of the cross drew near. He never gave up or gave in even when he was tempted, even when his heart ached, even when those close to him deceived him. We could say Yeshua had firmness of purpose and resoluteness and obedience to the very moment when he was executed on the cross.
John 12:23-28 Yeshua replied, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified….Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father save me from this hour? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father glorify your name!
His determination to fill the purpose his Father gave to him triumphed over his fear, sadness, and his own will. He chose the love of his Father and his love for mankind over even his own terrible death. That’s determination!
How do we pray for determination?
Matthew 6:9-13 says: Therefore, pray in this way: “Our Father in heaven, sanctified be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is heaven, Give us this day our daily bread and forgive our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.”
We pray according to the Lord’s prayer. It covers everything all at once. We always want to glorify the name of the Lord in everything. We want His will over our will, that’s the key to determination. If we pray his will then we know that we are on the right path. We pray for daily bread because every day is a new day for the Lord and he reminds us he is the very bread of life, and he literally sustains us every day! We ask him to forgive our debts, this is not just about money and expects us to forgive others. We must pray for him to keep temptation far from us and that he delivers us from the evil one. We can also pray that our conversations with others will show motivation and determination. Pray, Lord when we face difficulties, we know we can make it and with action we can overcome. We pray we don’t remain passive but thank you Lord for giving us divine strength. When we have strong wills, we can take charge of our emotions. An example might be we don’t feel like praying but we can choose to override how we feel and do it anyway. God’s word is His will. His will is stronger than ours, and that’s why our will must line up with His. If we are thinking on the very things, He tells us to think on then our wills will line up with His. Look at Philippians 4:8 says:
2 Chronicles 20:17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.
Any battle that comes our way, we are equipped to face! With determination and prayer, we can go through it and be a testimony for others. Is it easy? No. But if we change our mindset to determination, we can do all things through Messiah who gives us strength. Let us press on toward the mark of the high calling in Messiah Yeshua.
Philippians 3:13-14 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself as having taken hold of this. But this one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal for the reward of the upward calling of God in Messiah Yeshua.
I’ll answer the question posed at the beginning of this blog. Is determination a Godly trait? YES! Stay determined my friends!
Please listen to You Tube, I Will Rise by Chris Tomlin. Here is the link. It’s a song about determination. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKRF8UihM5s
Just a P.S. for everyone, over the past years I have written numerous teachings on the Biblical Feasts and Festivals and some of them are Blog’s. We are in the midst
Blessings to Everyone!
Joyce
Unless otherwise notated, Scripture quotations are from the Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society. All rights reserved