When life gets hard, difficulties arise and there seems no way out, isn’t it wonderful to know that we can draw close to God (Ps 91). He protects us under His shadow, His wings and He is our refuge and fortress (Ps 91).

In the New Testament Jesus reaffirmed His desire to gather, protect and care for His people as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings (Luke 13:34). God charges His angels to watch over us (Ps 91:11). Nothing is too hard for our God (Jer 32:17).

First Corinthians 10:13 is one of my favorite scriptures: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (NKJV). Temptation can be translated more widely to mean any kind of trial or tribulation. This verse shows us that we are not unique in the trials we go through; never think it is only you that has the problem you are facing!

Gods way out is by faith in his word (Mark 11:22-24). Cast every care on Him (1Pet 5:7) and speak to the mountains (problems) in your life, command them to leave (Mark 11:23). You are victorious and have authority over all the works of satan in Christ Jesus (Matt 28:18). Greater is He (Jesus) that is in you as a Christian, than he (satan) that is in the world (1 John 4:4).

Wow, I get happy just thinking about that!

Have you ever noticed that there is no prize for starting, the only reward is for the one that finishes the race (1Cor 9:24)? At the end of his life for Christ Paul could say: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2Tim 4:7; NKJV) and he eagerly looked forward to his heavenly reward.

Paul paints a picture for us of the heavenly hosts cheering us on. “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:1-2; NKJV).

As we look back at all the amazing men and women of God who have gone before us, we should be encouraged to focus on Jesus and put aside all the distractions and sins to serve Him on this earth. We need the same heavenly focus that Jesus had and need to know that we don’t run in our own strength but His (Phil 2:13; Phil 4:13). Paul exhorted us to press on, lay hold of all God has for us and be disciplined (Phil 3:12-14; 1Cor 9:25).

We are Gods salt and light in this World (Matt 5:13-14), He wants to work through us, to bless us in our earthly journey (Eph 3:20) and to bring us to that eternal reward in Heaven!!! Let's cooperate and press in; the rewards are great and the journey amazing!!! Pass this on!    

When you ever get to feel down and discouraged remember some of the things God says to you and about you in His Word:

As a Christian, if you have asked Christ in to your life as Lord and Savior, God says He has forgiven you (Col 1:14). He has given you a new spiritual heart in fellowship with Him (Jn 3:3, 5-6; Ez 36:26). You are a new creation in Christ Jesus, a species of being that never existed before (2 Cor 5:17)! You are a child of God (Jn 1:12-13), seated in heavenly places with Christ (Eph 2:6); a joint heir with Jesus (Ro 8:17).

This all means you are in Christ and all He is and has is yours, now and forever! Jesus dwells in you as the Holy Spirit (Jn 14:16-18) and God's word says that no evil force in this world is greater than the Holy Spirit that dwells in you (1 Jn 4:4). Jesus defeated satan and took all power and authority back from him (Col 2:15); you are victorious in Christ (1 Cor 15:57).

God loves you with a never failing love, no matter what you have done or who you are (Ro 8:38-39); He will never leave you or forsake you (Heb 13:5)! God says you are His workmanship, His work of art (Eph 2:10), designed for good works that He has for you (Eph 2:10).

Wow, that should rev your motor! Send this to a friend.

 “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Phil 3:10-11; NKJV)

These verses show Paul’s heart, his life motivation. Paul’s sole motivation was to know Christ; not to know about Him but to know Him! Paul desired to be like Christ in dying to self and sin and living to eternal life. He counted it gain to suffer for Christ as this reflected his complete identification with Jesus.

 In an earlier verse in Philippians Chapter 3 (V8), Paul looked back at his earlier life without Jesus and counted it as loss, rubbish, compared to knowing Christ in an intimate, dynamic and life changing relationship. The word rubbish can be translated dung, showing how emphatic Paul was in making his point! Paul went on to say that he didn’t look back but pressed on to follow the call of Jesus (v12-13) to come closer and higher in relationship with Him (Jesus) and to experience the power of Christ’s resurrection (v10).

 Paul had a heavenly or eternal perspective while he ministered powerfully and effectively on this earth in the anointing of God! Wow, that’s what I want! Let’s press in but remember not to get condemned as Paul said, when he wrote this epistle, that he had not arrived (v13)!  

“Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; the snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord” (Ps 124:7-8a; NKJV). “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:1-2).

As children of God we have been removed from the power of satan and conveyed into the kingdom of God (Col 1:13). We have escaped from the fowler’s snare or satans snares but satan still tries to ensnare us with sin (1 Pet 5:8). Matthew tells us that if we seek first God’s kingdom, all the blessings of God will be ours (Matt 6:33). 

How do we lay aside those sins that hold us back, how do we pant and thirst after God (Ps 42:1-2), seeking His kingdom? Well, John’s gospel tells us that God’s word (Jesus) is truth and the truth will make us free (John 8:32). Receiving the freedom and blessings we have in Christ is no more complicated than spending time in His word and believing the truth can work in our lives and bring freedom and blessings! "That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection" (Phil 3:10). 

So, rest in the Lord, in His word and wait patiently for Him today (Ps 37:7), cast your cares on Him (1 Pet 5:7) and allow Him to work in your life.