"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast" (1 Peter 5:10). 
 
The Call for a Steadfast Spirit
"Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!" (Psalm 119:5)

Let’s never think that we are the only one going through warfare. All of God’s people who have been used by Him have come face-to-face in confrontation and warfare. Everyone has had to learn to be steadfast. It’s inevitable. The famous revivalist, John Wesley, was steadfast in difficulty.  You probably never knew this about his life.  Look at the breakthrough he experienced when he had a steadfast and persevering spirit.  A page from his diary reads as follows:

• Sunday morning, May 5 - Preached in St. Ann's, was asked not to come back anymore.
• Sunday p.m., May 5 - Preached at St. John's, deacons said, "Get out and stay out."
• Sunday a.m., May 12 - Preached at St. Jude's, can't go back there either.
• Sunday p.m., May 12 - Preached at St. George's, kicked out again.
• Sunday a.m., May 19 - Preached, deacons called special meeting and said I couldn't return.
• Sunday p.m., May 19 - Preached on the street, kicked off the street.
• Sunday a.m., May 26 - Preached in meadow, chased out of meadow as a bull was turned loose during the services.
• Sunday a.m., June 2 - Preached out at the edge of town, kicked off the highway.
• Sunday p.m., June 2 - Afternoon service, preached in a pasture, 10,000 people came to hear me.

All inventors have to be steadfast. Thomas Edison who invented the light bulb said, “Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration." Did you know that the first electric light was so dim that a candle was needed to see its socket? Wilbur and Orville Wright's first airplane flight lasted only 12 seconds. One of the first steamboats took 32 hours to go from New York to Albany, a distance of 150 miles. The first automobile traveled 2-4 miles per hour and broke down often. But look at what these inventions can do today!

Perhaps you are going through a challenging time of suffering where you need to be steadfast and persevering but it's difficult. You need a breakthrough that only God can give, and the warfare seems intense.  Realize that you are not alone.  Many of us are facing a battle one way or another.  We need a steadfast and persevering spirit in warfare.  What should we do in times of warfare?  Here are a few suggestions.

• Put on worship music and sing to the Lord, praising Him right in the midst of difficulty - This will touch your spirit and impact your emotions (Ephesians 5:19-20). Listen to peaceful, soaking music at http://www.soaking.net. If you are getting fearful over the economy, weather conditions, terrorism or the elections this is an incredible way to stay in God’s peace in the midst of battle. 
• Speak God’s Word over your personal and our national difficulties - Speak God's Word over our nation. You are aligning your heart with God’s heart and thoughts. This will keep you from inner accusations against God’s nature and your own identity (Ephesians 5:26). 

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you" (Isaiah 26:3).

You may feel the intensity of spiritual warfare both personally in your life. It may be hard to hold steady in prayer. Land mines are going off all around you. God is inviting you into deeper intimacy personally as well as corporately. Will you say, “yes” to this invitation? He wants to strengthen your arms in war. Don't give up - persevere in prayer - your breakthrough may be right around the corner. Pray with a steadfast spirit in warfare - pray for our country - pray for your family and church - pray for your city. Don't give up but be steadfast in spirit in warfare, and God will keep you in perfect peace. He knows your suffering and He cares. He will help you step around those land mines safely and victoriously. He is bestowing the Kingdom in your heart.

"There is an anointing for fellowship with God in confrontation that births a bestowing of Kingdom in our hearts.  Kingdom is given to us in the violence of confrontation.  The Kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force (see Matthew 11:12).  We need a godly violence in our hearts that says, ‘We are not going to be moved; this is what we believe in.  We are going to stand here; we are not moving.  We are standing here, and we are believing God."  --Graham Cooke

Together in the Harvest,

Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise
deb@intercessorsarise.org
http://www.intercessorsarise.org

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