I want to speak to you about a super power that is available to us all and that is the power of Perseverance. This power enables us to overcome in life.
I have been intrigued in the past by Sci-Fi movies or comics, that tell of ordinary people that had supernatural powers, such as great strength, being able to morph into another person or travel back in time. ‘Heroes’ and ‘X-men’ come to mind. Some would call this ability to change as having a ‘Superpower’.
Wouldn’t it be great to have a Superpower to travel back in time and fix up some of our past mistakes? Alas it is not possible, but Praise God our past sins can be washed away by the blood of the Lamb and God can work all our mistakes out for good.
There are statements and jokes out today about having a particular Superpower. What you excel at would be considered a Superpower. What would be your Superpower? Are you fast, creative, or patient? Many Mothers with little children have the Superpower of doing ten things at once.
I read some funny jokes about Superpowers. “My superpower is to stop a speeding bullet, but I can only do it once.”
“I melted an ice cube by just staring at it. It took a lot longer than I thought it would though.”
“Some would say that they have a Superpower of invisibility. Well that’s how most people treat me.” My wife Bernice says that this is her Superpower. When she was younger she lived under the shadow of her charismatic sister Colleen. She would be called “Colleen’s sister all the time.” Bernice was a quiet person and never sort the lime light. When she married me, things didn’t get that much better either as she would then be called Graeme’s wife.
As God’s children we are all called to be Heroes, Heroes of Faith, and God has specific Superpowers with our name on them.
One thing I can say that I have after 53 years as a Christian is that I am blessed because I have persevered. I have not given up on the Lord or my dream. So many times things didn’t work out, but I thanked God that He was working it all out for my good and reaped the blessings. Trusting for great things ahead.
It was Winston Churchill who once said; “Success is going from one failure to another without losing you enthusiasm.”
“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12
Perseverance is essential in the Christian walk and is part of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire. Before Peter was baptised in the Spirit he buckled under the first trial that came his way and even denied the Lord. However once He was baptised in the Holy Spirit he seemed indestructible. Paul too was baptised in the Spirit and did amazing things for God. He persevered under extreme trial and kept bobbing up again after being pushed down, stoned, and thrown in jail. How did he do it? He believed all things worked out for his good, and even in jail he put pen to paper and wrote amazing things that we now walk in today. Blessed are those who persevere.
You may think that you don’t have much to show for your walk with God, but if you are still picking yourself up and keeping going, then you are persevering. God values perseverance and it will eventually bring you to your destination.
James 1:11 is tagged with the phrase, “To those who love Him.” There are 2 other verses that I love with the same tag. The first one is.
“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived” the things God has prepared for those who love him. these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.” 1 Cor 1:9-10
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
They all tie in with James 1:11
The first verse gives me vision and passion for the future. This promise is not just for when I get to heaven one day but also in this life. I believe I am going to see and experience amazing things – and I am every day. Even last week I wanted a photo of Alexandra Palace in London from Shepherd’s Hill but couldn’t find a spot as everything was so overgrown. I was hunting around and about to give up and go back to the car when I met a lady outside a block of high-rise flats and asked her where I could find a good place to take a picture from. She asked me where are you from? I said New Zealand. She said her mum would like to meet me as she is a Kiwi on the 5th floor. She took me to meet her and then let me take pictures from up there. They were far better than I thought. It turns out she was from Taranaki as well back in the day. How amazing is that? Praise God.
The 2nd verse empowers me to trust God when things aren’t working out the way I expected. It tells us that in all things we are to give thanks. The good and the bad things. This is the key verse in a book that I read before going into the Rhodesian Army. The Power of Praise. Being thankful in all circumstances was an attitude that got me through my time in the army.
From the very first days of my salvation in 1971 while in a hotel room in Johannesburg, I believe God spoke to me about His power. I saw a glimpse of something that and I have longed for ever since. When I was baptised in the Holy Spirit a few months later I knew that this baptism was the start of a journey towards the fulfilling of my destiny. I hoped it would happen right away but I have come to realise that it’s not as simple as that. If God had told me it would take so long for things to happen back then I would have given up on my quest long ago.
I have come to realise that the power of God is more than just doing miracles. Its power not only to do miracles and speak the word but the power to persevere.
To have a vision is so important. Believing to see greater things creates a hunger within us but you also need to praise God when you don’t understand what is going on and all the delays.
I watched a movie called “A million miles away.” Jose Hernandez was the son of a migrant Mexican worker. He was a clever boy at school but his dad would keep shifting him around to get seasonal work then bring him back to school. His teacher persuaded his dad to stay in Stockwell so as to get Jose a better education. While watching the moon landing in 1969 on TV, a dream was birthed in his heart to become an astronaut. He went on to become an engineer and kept applying to NASA but was rejected time and time again, Later when he was married, his wife asked him what all those who made it to NASA had that he didn’t have and began making changes. Some candidates were pilots, so he got his pilot’s license. Some were divers, so he learnt to dive. They were athletes so he got himself fit. Some learnt foreign languages so he went with his work to Russia and learnt to speak Russian. To cut a long story short, he eventually got into NASA and was later chosen to go into space. He persevered, and was willing to make changes, eventually fulfilling his dream and made it into space. If he could achieve his dream and he wasn’t even a Christian, how much more can we.
We may have a dream and be saying all the right things, coming again and again to God, but are we willing to change? His wife said to him that his superpower was perseverance.
Perseverance is highly prized in God’s economy and we all need it if we want to reach our destiny.
“So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For, “In just a little while, he who is coming will come and will not delay.” Hebrews 10:35-37
In 2020 NASA sent the Rover space craft to Mars and called it Perseverance. On board, the craft was a drone with a piece of cloth in side from the wing of the first flying machine used by the Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk in 1904. Man had tried to fly for 1000s of years but never got off the ground until the ‘Time of the End’. Since that day we have never looked back. The Rover travelled to Mars at 24,600 mph which was 300 million miles away.
It says of Moses: “By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.” Hebrews 11:27
Being able to see into the invisible enabled Moses to persevere. If you want your dream to come true, then you need to persevere too for big things don’t come easy. You also need to be thankful and be prepared to make changes.
When I read the story of Elisha and Elijah in 2 Kings chapter 2 it encourages me to keep going. Elisha wanted the double portion of Elijah’s prophetic power and this was Elijah’s reply.
“When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” 2 Kings 2:9-10
Elijah said that this Superpower you are asking me for is not easy to obtain, but if you can see me when I am taken from you it will be yours. Praise God Elisha did get what he had asked for. We too need to be able to see Him who is invisible, see the true Elijah.
“Blessed are those who persevere.” They will receive a crown of life. Not just life but an abundant life. Crowns are given to Kings and Queens and this speaks of the authority that we obtain by persevering. Where the word of a king is there is power. We will learn to reign in life, by one Christ Jesus.