THE SECRET OF PERSISTENCE

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“A wise man is strong, and a man of knowledge increases power.”

Proverbs 24:5

The qualities that distinguish a wise leader are strength and vigor. These characteristics are acquired through a process of character formation and genuine training for the purpose of influencing others. To exert leadership, a person must be shaped by the Lord and led by Biblical principles. In this way, the disciple will become someone who motivates themselves and others. To accomplish great motivation, a special inner strength is necessary. The more adversities you face throughout your life, the greater inner strength you will develop. Success is the result of a correct and positive mental attitude; the attitude of faith. This leads us to conquer what seems impossible, because when we remain focused on God, the impossible can become a reality.

For David, there was nothing logical about Saul’s army being terrified of Goliath. But he could only see the situation in this way because he had a different way of thinking. He had a mind of faith. David did not accept fear, nor did he look at the circumstances, but he learned to find his strength in God, and believed what he felt God say to him. Since his early years, David had a heart that was tender and sensitive to God. He suffered the normal pressures of any modern family. He was a victim of rejection from his brothers and was asked to carry out the least popular tasks. His strength of character was shown by the way he reacted to each situation. He would finish each task with a heart that was faithful and obedient to what his father had entrusted him. David knew the secret of persistence.

The great leaders of human history are forged in the midst of crisis. Tenacity is an internal strength that withstands the most intense pressures. It is similar to an internal armor, and the great leaders that God wants to use in these final times will be made of the same material. Someone in a place of leadership, is generally out of the ordinary, and has the capacity to develop in areas that might feel simple to him, but for others would be a real challenge. A leader has to overcome great battles if he wishes to fulfill God’s purpose.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
Pastor Lin Berry, who lives in Spain, shared with me what he experienced while on vacation in Italy, where he saw one of the largest olive trees in the world. He was awestruck, since the trunk alone was seven meters in diameter, and the top branches were thirty meters high. They explained to him that this olive tree produces 12 quintals (about 1,200 kg) of oil a month. He also met the owner of the olive tree, who told him an interesting family story. Almost a century ago, the olive tree started to produce less oil, and was only giving out about 04 quintals (about 400 kg) per month, even that was starting to dry up. So the man’s grandfather decided to dig down to the tree’s roots, and discovered that a disease had infected the tree. Quickly he began to cut away the roots that were affected by the disease. He had to dig such a deep hole that it made a tunnel, which was later used by the Germans during World War II to store weapons. It was only after the grandfather had made such a drastic decision that the olive tree was revived and began to produce great quantities of oil again, even surpassing its previous capacity.

TODAY’S DECLARATION
“I have the strength of God that helps me to persevere and understand that I am more than victorious.”

Today’s post is an excerpt from Pastor Cesar Castellanos’ book, Declarations of Power for 365 Days of the Year: Volume Three.

TODAY’S BIBLE READING

    • Old Testament: 1 Chronicles 17-19; Psalms 132
    • New Testament: Luke 9:1-17; Colossians 4:1-9

THE SECRET OF PERSISTENCE