In the bible, we are instructed to pray without ceasing and at all times, we are to give praise with the fruit of our lips. There is power in the believer’s consistency in the things of God. When we are consistently seeking the Father and reading his word, he moved on our behalf. The things of heaven are open to us, and we can see what God needs us to see. When we pray, the Father tells us to ask anything and it will be given unto us when we ask with the right motives.
In 1 Samuel 1:1-28, we see that Hannah was barren and consistently asked God for a child. It did not come the first time she asked for a child. She went to the temple every day a pleaded with God for a child. She went to the altar of prayer daily and sacrificed her dignity to get her prayers answered from the Lord. In her faithfulness to seek the Father and pray, he granted her a child. Under the new covenant that Jesus Christ died to give us, we no longer have to beg and plead with our Father. He simply wants us to come and pray to him and have deep intimacy with him. He is our Father, and this is how we need to view him. Not just God or Lord over us, but our Father who hears, sees and answers his children.
In Genesis 32:22-31, we see that Jacob encounters an angel of the lord. He held on to the angel until he was blessed by him, holding on to the point of being injured. What if we, as Christ followers, held on to the word of God consistently like Jacob? How blessed we would be to always hold steadfast to the Lord. This is not to say that when we hold on to God, we will get hurt by him, but in doing so, the things of this world we hold so tightly will have to be given up, which will be hard for us. Even certain relationships will have to be let go of so that we can go deeper with God. Walking with God is not easy and takes sacrifice.
Job 2: 9-10
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”
10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
According to scripture, Job was a man of honour and integrity, he was faithful to God in serving despite losing all his children, health and his wife. When even his friends around doubted him, he remained faithful to God, and helped to his word and his goodness.
Nehemiah 2:17- 20
17 Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?” 20 So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.”
In the face of his enemies, Nehemiah consistently built the wall for the glory of the Lord. He always trusted that God would see them to the end in the long process. When we are seeking God diligently, he brings us through the trials no matter how the enemy tries to hinder us.
Hebrews 10:35-39
35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:37 “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. 38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” 39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.
The scripture says to hold fast to your faith in God, even though what we see has not manifested into what we are desiring for. God honours those who honour him in spirit and truth, despite the time frame and situation we find ourselves in. He wants us to grow and mature in him, to know him fully as he is. He rewards the faithful ones who stayed the course, no matter how rough the waters became. The word urges us to exalt his name and lift praises unto God always with the fruit of our lips. The word also says don’t lose confidence in God's plan for us, but to consider Jesus and all that he endured for us.
Luke 10:19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you."
This scripture reminds me to keep being consistent with God and to always be in the spirit with Him. When we remain in his fellowship, he grants us authority over the enemy and his schemes. The enemy is disciplined in his consistency, to destroy us, so we must remain consistent in prayer, giving glory, praise and thanks to God. When we resist the enemy, he must flee on all fronts.
Our victory is in our consistency.
Our power is in our consistency.
Our rest is our consistency.
Our Joy is our consistency.
Our hope is our consistency.
Our recompense is our consistency.
Our growth is our consistency.
Our strength is our consistency.
And our renewed mind is our consistency.
Amen!
