Key scripture- “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1).

God knows you are serious when you do something that He has commanded you to do because it shows Him that you have faith and trust in Him, and that You believe that all His promises are true no matter what is going on in your life, no matter what people are telling you, and even though you have doubts and are fearful.

When you take that step of faith you need to be able to persevere in your faith because you will be met with opposition. I am going to show you four ways to persevere in your faith.

1. Don’t let circumstances deter you. In Ecclesiastes11:4 it says, “Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.” Don’t look at your circumstances and say “I am not going to sow any seeds because it might rain.” Which means I might lose my job or I might need this money for something else so I am not going to give my tithe and offerings or help someone in need or I am not going to forgive that person because they will think I am weak if I do that.

Just because your circumstances look bad and things look like they are not going to work out, that is not an excuse for doing nothing because the Bible is full of stories where God turned a can’t into a can and impossible to possible, when people believed God and stepped out and walked by faith and not by sight. God can make something out of nothing.

2. Don’t let doubt deter you. Look at Mark 9:17-18, 20-25 “One of the men in the crowd spoke up and said, “Teacher, I brought my son so you could heal him. He is possessed by an evil spirit that won’t let him talk. And whenever this spirit seizes him, it throws him violently to the ground. Then he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid… So they brought the boy. But when the evil spirit saw Jesus, it threw the child into a violent convulsion, and he fell to the ground, writhing and foaming at the mouth. “How long has this been happening?” Jesus asked the boy’s father. He replied, “Since he was a little boy. The spirit often throws him into the fire or into water, trying to kill him. Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.””What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that the crowd of onlookers was growing, he rebuked the evil spirit. “Listen, you spirit that makes this boy unable to hear and speak,” he said. “I command you to come out of this child and never enter him again!”

This story is good news for us because when doubt is holding us back, instead of letting doubt drag us down we need to drag doubt to Jesus. When we start to doubt, we can get control of it if we immediately drag our doubts to Jesus and talk to Him about it instead of letting doubt get a hold of us and make us depressed and scared. Be like the man in this story, when he had doubts in his soul he decided not to let the doubts keep him away from Jesus, instead he drug his unbelief and doubts to Jesus, told Jesus about it, and instead of sending the man away and not helping him because he had doubts, Jesus healed his son. He will do the same for you and me.

3. Don’t let people stop you. Luke 18:35-43 says, “As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.”

Even though the people told this man to stop calling out for Jesus he kept calling, and when Jesus heard him, Jesus stopped and ordered that the man be brought to Him. Because the man persevered in his faith and he did not let others stop him in his pursuit to get to Jesus, he found himself talking directly to Jesus and Jesus asked him what he wanted Him to do for him. When he told Jesus what he wanted, Jesus healed him.

Jesus is saying the same thing to us when we call to Him, “What do you want me to do for you?” and like the man in this story we need to tell Jesus exactly what is going on in our lives. Don’t beat around the bush, tell Jesus what your problems, needs and concerns are. Jesus will restore us like He restored this man’s sight because his faith made him well and our faith will do the same.

So don’t let people stop you from calling out and meeting with Jesus, instead remember what blessing this blind beggar received when he ignored the opposition and persevered in his faith. Jesus will do the same for you and me.

4. Don’t let fear stop you. 1 Kings 17 8-16 tells the story of the Widow of Zarephath. “Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go and live in the village of Zarephath, near the city of Sidon. I have instructed a widow there to feed you.” So he went to Zarephath. As he arrived at the gates of the village, he saw a widow gathering sticks, and he asked her, “Would you please bring me a little water in a cup?” As she was going to get it, he called to her, “Bring me a bite of bread, too.” But she said, “I swear by the Lord your God that I don’t have a single piece of bread in the house. And I have only a handful of flour left in the jar and a little cooking oil in the bottom of the jug. I was just gathering a few sticks to cook this last meal, and then my son and I will die.” But Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid! Go ahead and do just what you’ve said, but make a little bread for me first. Then use what’s left to prepare a meal for yourself and your son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: There will always be flour and olive oil left in your containers until the time when the Lord sends rain and the crops grow again!” So she did as Elijah said, and she and Elijah and her son continued to eat for many days. There was always enough flour and olive oil left in the containers, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah.”

This widow was shaky and fearful because all she had was one small meal left for her and her son to eat and she was told to feed the preacher, Elijah, with her meal. Even though she was down to her last meal Elijah told her not to be afraid but to do what God told her to do. Her fear was stopping her from obeying God because it did not make logical sense to give their last meal to Elijah. When she did obey God, she and her son were provided with plenty to eat.

We need to remember God’s ways are not our ways nor are His thoughts our thoughts. When you are afraid don’t listen to your feelings or focus on your circumstances instead obey God Iike this widow did, even if it does not make sense, and He will do exceedingly abundantly for you beyond what you could ask or think. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20 NLT).

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, give me the strength, perseverance and courage to step out in faith no matter what is going on in my life. When You tell me to give, even though I don’t think the timing is right, I will give; when You tell me to forgive, even though I enjoy the pity party and nursing my wounds, I will forgive; when I doubt before so let it drag me down and depress me, I will drag it to Jesus and give it to Him; when I am afraid and my mind is full of fear, I will take the fearful thoughts captive and put them under the obedience of Jesus and replace them with Your promises; when people try to stop me, I will persevere in my faith. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.