Before the Battle Begins
Hebrews 12:3 (NIV)
“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Some of the most decisive moments in our lives aren’t played out in public but are settled in private. The greatest battles are won long before the fight even starts. When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the full weight of what the cross would mean, He didn’t wait for the nails to pierce His hands to make His decision. He settled it there in the garden. He prayed, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” That moment of surrender, alone in agony, was where He removed the quit option. Before the crowd mocked Him, before the lashes tore into His back, and before the cross was hoisted into place—He had already made up His mind.
That’s the pattern. That’s the model. We look to Jesus, not only for salvation but for strength. Hebrews 12:3 tells us to consider Him—how He endured opposition so we wouldn’t grow weary or lose heart. The pressure you’re under, the pain you’re feeling, the temptation to ring the bell and walk away—Jesus knows all of it. And He chose to stay. He chose to endure. If you’re waiting until things get easier to commit to your calling, you’re already behind. You must remove the quit option before the heat turns up, before the battle breaks out, before the pressure surrounds you.
What decisions do you need to make now to prepare for the battles ahead? You don’t train in the storm; you prepare in the quiet. In the stillness, in prayer, in worship, in the Word—you choose faithfulness now so that when the fire comes, you’re already standing on solid ground. Jesus didn’t endure the cross because it was easy—He endured because He had already surrendered. If you want to finish strong, you’ve got to decide early. Don’t wait for the pressure to choose your posture. Decide now: I’ve removed the quit option.
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for enduring the cross and showing me what true surrender looks like. You didn’t quit when things got hard, and I don’t want to either. Help me to make my decision now, in the quiet places, so I can stand firm when pressure rises. Strengthen my resolve, deepen my conviction, and help me live from a place of predetermined faithfulness. I fix my eyes on You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
Some of the most decisive moments in our lives aren’t played out in public but are settled in private. The greatest battles are won long before the fight even starts. When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane, facing the full weight of what the cross would mean, He didn’t wait for the nails to pierce His hands to make His decision. He settled it there in the garden. He prayed, “Not my will, but Yours be done.” That moment of surrender, alone in agony, was where He removed the quit option. Before the crowd mocked Him, before the lashes tore into His back, and before the cross was hoisted into place—He had already made up His mind.
That’s the pattern. That’s the model. We look to Jesus, not only for salvation but for strength. Hebrews 12:3 tells us to consider Him—how He endured opposition so we wouldn’t grow weary or lose heart. The pressure you’re under, the pain you’re feeling, the temptation to ring the bell and walk away—Jesus knows all of it. And He chose to stay. He chose to endure. If you’re waiting until things get easier to commit to your calling, you’re already behind. You must remove the quit option before the heat turns up, before the battle breaks out, before the pressure surrounds you.
What decisions do you need to make now to prepare for the battles ahead? You don’t train in the storm; you prepare in the quiet. In the stillness, in prayer, in worship, in the Word—you choose faithfulness now so that when the fire comes, you’re already standing on solid ground. Jesus didn’t endure the cross because it was easy—He endured because He had already surrendered. If you want to finish strong, you’ve got to decide early. Don’t wait for the pressure to choose your posture. Decide now: I’ve removed the quit option.
Prayer:
Jesus, thank You for enduring the cross and showing me what true surrender looks like. You didn’t quit when things got hard, and I don’t want to either. Help me to make my decision now, in the quiet places, so I can stand firm when pressure rises. Strengthen my resolve, deepen my conviction, and help me live from a place of predetermined faithfulness. I fix my eyes on You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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