Endure and
           Win!

Some people think that to endure something means you just hang on and hope you can stand it until the bad time is over.  But God indicates in His Word that endurance isn't just hanging on.  The one who endures WINS.  You gain something because you endure.  See how endurance isn’t just the willingness to tolerate something hard, but it is the way to your victory.

  You Have
   Spiritual
  Reinforce-
    ments!

     There’s a test a company conducted to prove how a home can be built to withstand winds.  The place where they did this was in a state where hurricanes hit often so they wanted to prove what a certain type of construction could do when the strong winds came.    

     They created a $40 million lab in order to simulate hurricane winds.  Then in that lab building they put two houses that were each 1300 square feet.  One of the homes was built the way most homes are constructed.  No special reinforcements.  The second home for this test had reinforcement straps.  Those connect every part of the building.  They go from the foundation to the roof.  After they built these two houses, they turned giant fans on them.  These fans create wind up to the strength of a category three hurricane.

     At first, the two homes survived the intense winds.  But then they ran another test, and this time they turned the fans on for more than ten minutes.  The home that had no reinforcements began to shake and then collapsed.  But the home that had the floors and roof reinforced to the foundation survived the winds.

     An engineer that was working on this said, “The bottom line you have to ask yourself is which house would you rather be living in?”

     Which type of house do you want to be in?  One which is reinforced by faith in the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, or one that has no power to survive the winds of life?

     As a believer, you have some very strong reinforcements for your life.  You are not conventional.  The first home was a conventional home and it collapsed.  You are very unconventional.  God has built you to endure the winds.  You don’t have to be knocked about or blown away or collapse when they come against you.  You can endure and win.  Your reinforcements are that strong.  Not even the power of a hurricane wind can take you down.

     So on the days when you feel as if you’re being knocked about and almost blown away and you feel weak, call upon your reinforcements. Say, “Lord!  Today I need some reinforcements.  Make me strong.  Help me stand against the winds.  I shall endure and win!”  Then just rest inside yourself that you’re going to make it past this time.  God will reinforce you enough so the wind can’t bring down something of yours.  You know that’s why Satan sends the winds against us.  He’s trying to bring down something that is important to us.  So he starts blowing.

     But just remember this: the winds don’t blow forever.  Oh that is so freeing.  The winds don’t blow forever!  You’ve never seen the weather cause the winds to blow and never stop.  They stop!  And the winds in your life are going to stop!

     So when you feel it’s hard to endure, remember the winds will die down.  But you won’t.  Isn’t that great news from the Spirit of God!  The winds against you will die down, but you won’t.  You’re going forward, going on, being strong, enduring and winning!  That’s you!  It’s because you have the reinforcements God's Spirit has built in you.

     My friend, be at peace, feel good in spite of what you see, in spite of what you experience.  Know that you are reinforced and you will survive this.  You WILL endure.

     The words you’re reading right now are going in and giving you strength.  That’s because they’re the words of God.  The power of them reinforces you against the winds.

     Isn’t this what Jesus described to us when He was teaching on earth?  Jesus described an endurance test of two houses.  He said one house was built by a person on solid rock.  So when the hurricane arrived, and the winds blew, it was reinforced.  Nothing moved it.

     But the second house was built on a sandy beach.  So when the storm and winds came, the house collapsed.  It could not endure.  He called the first person who built the house on a rock sensible and wise.  He called the second person who built their house on the sand stupid.  (Ref. Matthew 7:24-27 MSG.)  If we take God’s words and make them our foundation, they will reinforce us.  God’s reinforcements, those spiritual reinforcements, produce physical help.     

     When the winds are blowing against you, remember that you are built on the rock.  So know that you will survive the winds.  You will endure and win against the winds.

Spiritual Powerline to say out loud:
“I AM STRONG, ENDURING, AND MOVING ON TO VICTORY!”

Here is a powerful prayer to say out loud:                          

Lord, on the days when the winds are blowing against me, I know I’m strong.  You reinforce me by Your Spirit.  So I will endure and have a great victory.  I believe it’s happening now for me.  My victory is here.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen.