Introduction
Giving up in life is something that comes to any man’s life once a while or severally. What does it really mean to Give up? Give Up is a verb that have various meaning such as: to yield control or possession of: in order words to surrender or being forced to give up your job or other important things in life.
It could also mean to desist from or abandon or refused to give up your efforts; or to declare incurable or insoluble; It could mean to abandon (oneself) to a particular feeling, influence or activity, that is giving up yourself to despair or to devote to a particular purpose or use; it could also be to cease doing or attempting something especially as an admission of defeat – quitting wao. Do you give up as a result of pressure or situations or circumstances that seems to weigh you down?
Read on because there is a solution to that frustrating situation. Just don’t give up no matter what it could be.
When you give up or concede to any situation then your faith is too small but remember Jesus is asking for that smallest faith like the mustard seed(Matt 17:20-21) says: So Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief, for assuredly I say to you if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move and nothing will be impossible for you but stated further that: However this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.
I have also learnt one thing that prayer and fasting alone in some cases do not also solve situation(s) but standing on His word to challenge Him with a vow. Hannah case yielded instant positive result when she vowed to return back to God (Check out my write-up on Giving Here).
What does it mean to believe?
Believe means: to accept or regard (something) as true; to accept the truth of what is said by (someone); or to have (a specified opinion) or in our case to have a firm religious faith and to have a firm conviction as to the goodness, efficacy or ability of something; etc. How firm is your faith or what is your relationship with your creator? Know that nothing can be used to replace God in your life and nothing can be like Him. When you create a firm relationship with Him He holds you in His Hands and write your name on His palm (Isa.49:16).
I don’t know your particular situation that is making you to give up on your God; I am here to tell you one thing Just Believe in the Lord and all your troubles are under the control of the Almighty God. This does not mean evil days will not befall you but when they do remember that He is in control and knows why such happened to you and Believe that He is able to see you through all your stormy periods of life. So many promises of God abound when you believe on Him
I; writing this piece, have had my own doses of evil days ( I lost my mom when I needed her most, lost two of my immediate younger brothers, my elder sister and most recently I am a widow and a survival of the deadliest disease cancer – in all these situations if not for God tell me how it will be- but I have to continue to remain in Him and for Him serving Him till my end shall come-) . Our God is a good and faithful God and never abandon His own to circumstances that could drown us hence I advice Just Believe on Him rather than giving up on Him. He owns the key to our lives so that when sicknesses and troubles seems to tear our lives away or down, Our God will raise a standard against our enemies that comes up in many forms (Isa. 59: 19b). My life is a testimony on its own and I return all thanks and glory to His name
How is our level of believe on God and His Son Jesus Christ?
I want to state some stories on performances of our Lord Jesus on earth before his passage to eternity. I am going to look at the Gospel according to John 11: 1 – 44 where it stated that Lazarus of Bethany took ill and his sisters and the entire family being friends of Jesus sent for Him. Verse 3 says: “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick”.
But when Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is Not unto death but for the Glory of God that the Son of God may be Glorified through it” Hence He remained behind until the sickness took Lazarus life. After staying away for two days He told His disciples that they should visit Judea again at least during the day time because they almost killed him before and His disciples persuaded Him not to go there anymore.
Why do you think Jesus made this statement?
As at this time, He knew His time was at hand hence during one of His prayers at the Gethsemane He asked His Father to glorify Him as recorded in John 17: 1- 5; Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him.
And this is eternal life that they may know You, the Only True God and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do and now O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” These were His prayers to His Father while He was making His final preparation to depart the world.
Now back to our topic
In verse 11; He told them in their insistence that He was going there to wake Lazarus who was asleep. Then His disciples said to Him’ Lord, if he sleeps he will get well”. As they continue Jesus in verse 14 told them plainly that Lazarus was dead. And I am glad for your sake that I was not there that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.
In many instances even His disciples find it difficult to believe Him in some issues until those issues come to pass. Lets take a look during this period of His suffering and death. Jesus informs them in John 16:16 through 22 that “In a little while you will not see Me; and again a little while and you will see Me because I go to the Father.” Then some of His disciples said among themselves, “what is this that He says to us …. Now Jesus knew that they desired to ask Him, and He said to them, Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said…. ?”
Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice and you will be sorrowful but your sorrow will be turned into joy….Therefore you now have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice and your joy no one will take from you.
The disciples never understood Jesus and never accepted that He would suffer, dead, be buried and on the third day He will rise up again although they never give up on Him or doubted Him except during His arrest when all left Him and hid themselves for fear of arrest and death but when everything came to pass and the risen Lord gave them the power and utterances; nothing could stem their belief but to speak boldly and even die for that which they personally witnessed.
Thomas said to his fellow disciples, let us also go, that we may die with him. When Jesus finally came, Lazarus was already dead and buried for four days. Now many Jews were in the home of Martha and Mary to comfort them and Martha soon as she heard Jesus was coming went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.
And Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask of God, He will give You” What do we call this kind of statement? This is faith but does she actually understand her statement? Let’s find out as we continue with the passage.
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” But Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day” but Jesus told her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me though he may, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?
She said to Him, Yes Lord I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world”. So she secretly left to inform her sister that the teacher has come and beckons on her so she arose and quickly ran to Him and those around thinking she was going to weep at the grave side followed her.
When Mary came where Jesus was and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled and He asked, “Where have you laid him?. They said to Him, “Lord come and see”.
The Bible reported that Jesus wept for His friend , then the Jews around said See how He loved Him. And some of them criticized Him saying “Could not this man who opened the eyes of the bling, also have kept this man from dying? This is our nature criticism in everything good or bad. Criticism all the times should be acceptable because it helps to build up things and not destroy. If considered good why not imbibe them for the good of the world especially those immediate neighbors of yours that sees those ills for criticism.
For this particular case it spurs or moved or propelled Jesus into action that brought Lazarus back to life. Here what the Bible said concerning Him. “Then Jesus groaning in Himself again, came to the tomb. It was a cave and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone”.
I asked a question if Martha believed or understood her statement above? See her reaction when Jesus ask for the stone to be removed from the tomb. Let’s see it together in verse 39b; Martha …said to Him, “Lord, by this time there’s a stench for he has been dead four days.” What do you think of that statement does it indicate that she meant or knew the meaning of her statement?
Martha’s understanding of Jesus resurrection was after death on the last day when all shall appear before the Lord to give account of our services here on earth was her own idea of making such statement so Jesus raising Lazarus after four days in the grave was something remarkable for her and those present around them.
But do you know the heart of the enemy who is never happy when good things are happening in people’s life, they now want by all means to eliminate this man who was doing good and putting so much joys into many hearts and lives.
The Bible said in John 12:9-11 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came not for Jesus sake only but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
You see the problem, He did a great miracle people believed in His good work but the enemy is never happy. Same things happening in our world, people hate seeing good people and good things happening but celebrate evil with their doers. In certain places those people gain all the promotions and good names while the good ones suffer, terminated or are completely eliminated without any incentives.
May God deliver us from all evil. Jesus was chosen to be crucified because people were believing in the good deeds sometimes not because of the words He preaches but the miracles He has to perform in their lives yet the criminal was rescued for Him to be crucified. Thank God that It was for this purpose He came hence God allowed it and He too was able to swallow the bitter pills for the sake of mankind’s redemption or salvation.
Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Then they took away the stone from the place where he was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”
Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, Come Forth!” And He that had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him and let him go.”
As Jesus delivered and raised Lazarus from the grave so shall in every difficult situations of ours we should be delivered and raised and placed on higher grounds where our enemies will not be able to come near us.
In Ezekiel 37:3 God asked Prophet Ezekiel if the dry bones he saw can live again and Ezekiel responded thus: “O Lord God, You know.” Ezekiel identify the omnipotency of God – all things are known to Him even to the end of times is known to Only Him and no one else
Therefore in Verse 4; God asked Ezekiel to prophecy to the bones saying “O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! … Surely I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live. So also every one suffering from any terminal disease or sickness shall rise up again and live the kind of life God wants us to live and have- prosper us in good health and abundant life in Christ only if you believe in Him.
For me I shall live no matter the dryness of my life now (temporary measures) because Jesus has made me whole – so I live because My Savior Jesus lives so I can glorify His name forever. Verse 6 stated that “I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you; and you shall live and I said -Amen to that. Then you shall know that I am the Lord”.
As the Lord commanded Ezekiel so he prophesied . And as he prophesied, there was a noise and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together; bone to bone. He said indeed as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over but there was no breath in them. One of my adage while I was growing up is “It is not over until it is over”. In all of my exercises covers or textbooks, I used to have it written on them.
You know what happen to some of us, once a little miracle is done in our lives or a manifestation of our prayers we run off thinking God has completed His work on us and forget that the breath, the anointing to remain stronger is still missing. In the case of the dry bones, they have received the bones, the sinews and the flesh. The maker have completed the forming of a man from the ground but what next is the question?
The process is a continuous one – one thing is still lacking the breath of life which comes only from God to give them life and which will strengthen them. It is advised to wait and finish every processes with God before taking off or abandoning even as we read in John 11. Jesus asked them to loose him and let him go. He did not let him remain with the bounded clothes on him after raising him from death but ask them to loose him and let him go.
Always lets wait for the final whistle in things before we make any adjustments to our lives because we do not know how the end will be.
Thereby from verse 9; God asked him to prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man and say to the breath; thus says the Lord God “Come from the four winds, o breath and breathe on these slain that they may live”. So I prophesied as He commanded me and breath came into them and they lived; and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
He said to me, “son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They indeed say, our bones are dry, our hope is lost, and we ourselves are cut off. Therefore prophesy and say to them, thus says the Lord God: “Behold, O My people I will open your graves and cause you to come up from your graves and bring you into the land of Israel. then you shall know that I am the Lord; when I have opened your graves, O My people. and brought you up from graves, I will put My Spirit in you and you shall live; and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the Lord have spoken it and performed it, says the Lord.
All we are discussing here is about Not giving up on our God but believing that whatever He has predestined for our lives must come to pass and when we see His Hands in our lives we should believe that no matter the situation of our lives God Can turn it around. He that made His children that have lost all hopes, He renew their hopes by giving them new life, restoring their hopes
I want to cite the healing of the ten lepers as stated in Luke 17: 11-19. The story has it thus and I quote; ” Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”.
So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet giving Him thanks…. So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But were are the nine… Now the area I want to bring in into this discussion is the final completeness of the one that returned to appreciate God because verse 19 stated that “And He said to him, Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you whole.”
If these men considered their positions and have not looked up to Jesus there was no way they could have gotten their healing. Now with so much joy of being whole they even forget to return to give thanks except one. But one thing was clear in their lives they never doubted the power of God in Jesus and asked for mercy- and asking that they believed hence the healing.
If we want to look at Giving up and Believing we will notice that so many people give up on God so easily when burdened with difficulties or serious situations of life without saying Let the will of God be done and believing that He knows every situation before they arise in our lives.
Several things have occurred in my life that if I were not rooted in His word I could have questioned or doubted if God ever existed or even give up on Him. But He is a faithful God, ever loving, caring and whatever He doeth is wonderful in His sight and in ours. All we do is to remain glued to His word and He will bring all His purposes to pass in our lives and will also make a way where there seems to be no way.
I want to ask you, what is that debilitating situation in your life that wants you to give up on God? Rather than giving up on Him just continue to believe that He who allows situations to come to us also knows the way, He has the solution to our problems. If He could allow His son to go to the cross, is your situation more than the love Christ has shown by emptying Himself on the cross of Calvary.
Before dying on the cross, He was scotched with iron, bruised, scorned, spat upon and pierced on the cross, crowned with a crown of thorn, I mean no matter that that was His portion, He came here with human flesh and suffered in that flesh Yet on the cross He had mercy on His killers as well as the entire world. And all we are required to do is what ………. Just Believe in the risen Lord and all shall come to pass.
Although there is much to write on this, I beg to stop and solicit your patronage in commenting as well as fielding any questions on any of my articles and I will be glad to respond to you.
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Cheers
LJacob