Finishing Well, Finishing StrongSample

Resolutions are not enough – Take care of the little foxes. 

A New Year resolution is not enough to make the most of a year. A few studies have shown that most resolutions fail after 32 days of making them. Anytime you take a stand, anytime you make a decision to do or not do a thing, circumstances will align to test your resolve. Remember what Peter said to Jesus:

“Even if all the others reject you, I never will! (Matthew 26:33)”  34. Jesus replied, “I promise you that before a rooster crows tonight, you will say three times that you don’t know me.” 35. But Peter said, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never say I don’t know you.”

Undoubtedly, Peter was sincere and resolute. Take note of his emphasis, “I will never" Does Peter sound like someone you know? Blink, if you know a person with similar characteristics - They are so confident in their resolve, but given enough time, they fall short. A few verses later, let's look at what happened:

"While Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, a servant girl came up to him and said, “You were with Jesus from Galilee.” But in front of everyone, Peter said, “That isn’t so! I don’t know what you are talking about!”

It wasn’t a soldier that came to Peter; it was a servant girl. If it were the former, perhaps we could have justified Peter's denial. It was a servant girl. Peter's resolve was tested. To stand your ground and to stay true to your commitment of finishing well, resolute and willpower are not enough. Ask for the help of the Holy Spirit.  

Zachariah 4:6 says, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ saith the Lord of hosts.

Willpower has its place, but in the face of life tragedy, pressure and unforeseen circumstances, without the help of the Holy Spirit, we have a high propensity to compromise. We are only as strong as our level of tolerance for pain. 

Samson was an incredibly strong man, but if physical strength were enough, he wouldn’t have died with the Philistines. Moses was the bearer of the Ten Commandments, "The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend (Exodus 33:11, NIV)." However, Moses had a few character deficits; he was a man of short temperament. Anger took the best of him, and that cost him the Promised Land. 

There are so many Biblical Characters: King Solomon, Prophet Eli, King Saul, to name a few that were so resolute when starting out with God, but resolve alone wasn’t enough to see them through. The moral is, take care of the little foxes: pride, anger, pornography, infidelity, sexual immorality, lies, stealing, delayed obedience, complacency, impatience, procrastination, ego, unforgiveness, jealousy, to name a few, these are seemingly, and often overlooked flaws, but before they take you out of your race, take care of them. 

Count on God to see you through. There’s a different dimension of strength that helps a man finish what he started. Resolve is not enough; commit all you do into the hands of God.