1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25: And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
Hebrews 12 1: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2: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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
There is an old saying: “Quitters never win, and winners never quit. That phrase applies both to our Spiritual and Natural Lives. There will be times in which we will feel like giving up, but if the goal is worth attaining, we need to see it through to its completion.
I did an internet search on No Surrender and found this story.
Hiroo Onoda holds the honor of the last Japanese soldier to surrender, finally packing it in in 1974. Attempts were made to persuade Hiroo to surrender, including appeals from relatives. It took his former commanding officer to convince Hiroo the war was over. He had been holding out Lubang Island in the Phillipines. After spending some time in Japan, he retired to a ranch in Brazil.
He was not the only one, he is just the last one they found. Some of these men were reported to be... very embarrassed, and in deep culture shock upon their return.Of course, several of these men wrote books on how to survive in the jungle. (all that first hand experience)
History is full of stories of not giving up
1.) Shackleton Expedition:
1914, A British explorer by the name of Shakleton led 29 men to the Antarctic, their goal? Traverse the length of that continental land mass. His hired ship was trapped in the ice and they were stranded at the Antarctic with out any way to communicate with the outside world. 18 months later, every man reached safety, with out the loss of anyone’s life.
How did they survive? They refused to Give up! To give up would be to die.
2.) Sir Winston Churchill
:
In 1914, he gave Shackleton the go ahead to head to the Antarctic. During World War II, he told his people in a speech
“Never Give up
Never Give up
NEVER GIVE UP”
England was able to repel the invaders that wanted to take over their country. They fought them with everything they had. They were willing to fight to the bitter end. They were willing to give everything they had. They were not going to give up with out a fight.
How did he lead his people to victory? By Refusing to give up.
3.) Douglas Bader:
As an aviator in the 1930’s, he was in an airplane Crash. He lost both legs and was told he’d be lucky to walk with a cane. By will power, determination, refusing to give up and having a made up mind. He became not only a Wing Commander in the RAF but a professional Golfer.
He learned to fly with artificial legs and was a multiple ace in the Battle of Briton. During the war he was shot down and captured by the Germans. 4 times captured, 3 times he escaped. A man with fake legs escaped 3 times. Sure he was recaptured, but how many men with good legs just gave up! The fourth time they took his legs away from him and put him in a very tough prison.
He survived the war! HOW? He refused to Give up! To give up would be to be crippled.
4.) Rocky Blier:
Ex Notre-Dame Running Back. He was drafted and sent to Vietnam. In ‘Nam his legs were shot up and he was told he would never walk again. Not only did he walk again, but he ended up the starting Running Back for the Pittsburgh Steelers and has Championship rings. He had a belief that God would help him. He had faith in God.
How did he do it? He refused to give up! To give up would mean not attaining his goal! He had faith in God.
5.) Dennis Byrd:
Pro Football Player (New York Jets) injured his spine in a football game a number of years ago. He was told he would never walk again. Dennis is a Pentecostal man, (A.O.G.) and is Spirit Filled. He refused to give up; he put his faith in God and determined that he would walk again. He read the bible and read faith-building scriptures and prayed daily.
Today Dennis can walk with out crutches. He says God healed him.
How did he do it? He refused to give up. To give up would show a lack of faith in God. He had faith in God.
We cannot give up when things aren’t going our way. When we do, we will fail!
The people I mentioned that didn’t surrender. Sure they got fame and or as Paul said a “Corruptible crown”. It is temporary only. 100 years from now, only those that read a history book will know about what they accomplished.
The writer of Hebrews said we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of Witnesses. There are earthly heroes that we can look at and say “look what they did”. And they can give us a good Feeling. But the Bible is full of those that did not Give up!
Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Job, Daniel, the Three Hebrew Children, on and on the bible is full of those that never gave up.
These men could have given up when the going got tough. But they made up their minds that no matter what, they would see it through.
They knew that there was something better to strive for, a crown not of earth, but one that is incorruptible.
The prophet Micah said…
Micah 7 :7 Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.
8 Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.
When I fall I shall arise. A fight is not necessarily won by the best fighter, but the one that gets up and keeps on fighting. When the opponent feels victorious only to see his foe rise to his feet. The goes a long way toward demoralizing him.
When we fall spiritually, the Enemy rejoices. He feels victorious, but when you get right back up, he reels.
Oh sure, you make mistakes, but make up your mind and get back in the battle. You will cover come!
Paul said
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Nothing shall separate us from GOD! NOTHING can! All we have to do is stay with him and trust him.
36 As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
No matter the problem, we are victorious in all our problems. Jesus loves us and cares for us. We can overcome all our troubles and situations…
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
I have my mind made up… I am convinced!
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Conclusion:
NO matter the problem, no matter the issue, no matter the situation, if you make up your mind NOT to give up. NOT to give in. Not to let down! Not to throw in the towel. But see it through to the end and you shall be victorious.
