23 Jan Code Red (Learning to look at what you’re going TO instead of what you’re going through) PART 13

Let’s once again take a look at our key verse from Psalms 112:7-8:
“He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord. His heart
is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire on his enemies.”
Now let’s review as we have been sharing “7 Outstanding Outlines to Overcoming Crisis”:

1. How you respond in a crisis is key (Mark 5:36)

2. What God did for another He can do for you (Acts 10:4)

3. Rehearsing past victories is proof you are unstoppable. (I Sam. 17:34-37)

4. Your feelings are created by your focus (Rom. 8:6)

5. In crisis…get and give perspective (II Kings 6:16)
In crisis, people either “freak out” or “faith out.” As leaders, one of the first things we
must do is GET perspective. You can’t give what you don’t have.

6. Quitting never improves your life. (Gal. 6:9)
Here the scripture tells us, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we
shall reap, if we faint not.

This week we begin sharing “5 Quitting Quintessentials”.

1) Champions are not people who never fail. Champions are people who never quit!
The Bible tells us, “Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; when I fall I will arise; when I
sit in darkness, the Lord will be a light to me” (Micah 7:8).

I certainly am not a perfect pastor but I am really good at one thing…

I refuse to quit!

Now please don’t mistake me here, there are times to stop but never a time to quit.

My son does a lot of tedious editing work for the church and other businesses.

One night he was up until 4am editing a video.

The next morning he was exhausted. So I shared with him wisdom on balance.

I appreciated his tenacity. I am the same way…I want to finish a job.

However, staying up every night until 4am and then dragging through the next day is not a productive way to live life.

I have told my son that it is ok to stop and pace yourself, but it is never ok to quit!

There are also seasons in life when something in life or ministry at one time was fruitful but now its season has come to an end.

Jesus told us in Luke 13:6-9: “He spoke also this parable:

A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he
came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his
vineyard, Behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none:
cut it down; why cumbers it the ground? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it
alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if
not, then after that you shall cut it down.”

Here we can learn a very important life principle.

If you are doing something in life that is not or no longer producing fruit,

do what I call “Dig it, dung it and drop it” or “Dig it, dung it, and do it.”

In other words, put concerted effort into a project and if it bears fruit…great, do it!

However, after a period of time, if it does not bear fruit…drop it!

There is a time to stop…but never a time to quit.

2) The reward of quitting is regret.

3) Quitters attract other quitters.
It really is true…misery loves company. That way misery can feel a whole lot
better about itself!

4) Victory is simply getting up one more time than you’ve fallen!
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 24:16, “For a just man falls seven times, and rises
up again; but the wicked shall fall into mischief.” In life, you have to learn to just
keep getting up!

5) If they run you out of town…act like it’s a parade and you are the head of it!

If you’ll follow these Biblical truths you can be an overcomer by learning to look at what you’re going TO instead of what you’re going through!

Join us next week as we continue our series…