It has been said that the easiest thing in the world to do is quit. And it’s true. It is. And anyone can do it. In fact, some people are so prone to quitting that they won’t even finish this very brief article, though its contents are lifechanging.
So ask yourself: Am I a quitter?
I have watched in disgust as thousands of people in my lifetime of ministry have caved in when the pressure and the stress and the pain and the inconvenience and the discipline of the warfare they were facing overwhelmed them to the point where they packed up their weapons and fled the battlefield.
But wait! Am I missing something? Isn’t true Christianity about making the devil pack up his weapons and quit the field of battle?
“So be subject to God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him], and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 AMP
Perhaps some people are quick to give up because they are not truly submitted to God, so when they resist the devil nothing changes. Or with others, perhaps it is that they are highly developed in a quitter’s attitude, which causes them to instantly give in as soon as the storm clouds begin to rise on the horizon, or when things become the least bit uncomfortable. Is that who you want to be like?
There is a man in the Bible whose tenacity I have always admired. His name is Bartimaeus, and below is a brief portion the Bible provides us of his story. Pay attention to it, because there are so many things found within these few verses that will enable you to have your own breakthrough if you will adopt them and make them your own. (Don’t skip past these verses, read them).
“46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. 50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.” Mark 10:46-52 KJV
As I stated, there is much we can learn from Bartimaeus. First, notice that what he was hearing is what was developing what he believed and how he responded to his circumstances. When the battle is raging in your life, you cannot pull away from hearing the Word of God. In fact, you may have to have it in your ears and before your eyes constantly. And if you are going to pull away from something, then pull away from the TV or other frivolous things, but never skip church or your Bible time, ever.
And notice that no one around Bartimaeus was encouraging him at all. On the contrary, they were discouraging him, yet he never gave up. You must learn from this, and be determined that if no one else will, that you will encourage yourself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6).
Although there are more things in this passage that we can learn from how Bartimaeus handled the impossible situation he was in, what we cannot fail to see is that he refused to quit. He never gave up, and so he went home completely made whole because of it.
So, when you are facing an impossible situation (Matthew 17:20; Luke 1:37; 18:27) – Never give up!
When the doctors declare it is incurable (Jeremiah 33:6; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 9:1) – Never give up!
When there is a birth defect or disorder (John 9:32) – Never give up!
When you have been thrown into a lion’s den or shoved into a fiery furnace (Daniel 3:23-27; 6:10-23) – Never give up!
When all hope is gone (Acts 27:20-25; Romans 4:18) – Never give up!
When fear is peeking through your windows and banging at your front door (Joshua 1:8-9; 2 Chronicles 20:17; Psalm 91:5-6; Mark 5:36; Luke 12:7, 32) – Never give up!
When there isn’t even a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel (Psalm 119:105, 130; Luke 1:79; Ephesians 5:14) – Never give up!
When your money is all gone and the bills are piling up (Philippians 4:15-19; 3 John 2) – Never give up!
When you are believing God for a spouse and a family and the right person has not yet crossed your path (Psalm 68:6; 1 Timothy 5:14) – Never give up!
No matter what you are dealing with, instead of quitting, find scriptures that promise you what it is that you need and want. And then build your faith in those Bible verses. And regardless of how things may appear – Never give up!
