Day Seven - Pressing on

There is a thrill about the unknown that can Conquer the fear of going there. It's not that fear won't be there it's that instead of stopping the venture it fuels it. In the early days of space flight rockets used their giant boosters for launch and then when they had got out into space these were disengaged, they had served their purpose. Right now we have reached the moment of separation, your detox boosters have fired you and inspired you, allowed you to gain momentum, formulate goals, drop dead redundant weight that had been dragging you down and gotten you closer to God.
You are now doing something new, even if you have done it in the past, you have never done it before in 2013, you can do it again, you can do it better, you can do it.
The biggest problem confronting people after the turn of the year is the motivation to finish what they started. If you look back seven days, we began this thing with the resolution to put the first daub of paint on the canvass and build from there and I think we have done that now its time to strike out and make those resolutions, those plans, those dreams happen, but don't be discouraged if you don't feel that way. Everyone works to their own speed and if you need to take more time out to get your goal in the crosshairs then do it, you know the message know, you know the formula that's what this week has been about so don't worry focus.
It's very important that you keep up momentum if you are one of those people know where you're going, don't just run off steam until you peter out, continually reinforce yourself by affirmations, prayers and scriptures that you identify with, then put your head down and go, nothing else matters but the goal and what you want from it, you get out what you put in.
That's a very telling phrase right there and it is related to the question Why finish. When you get to a point that things slow down, it's not laziness in many cases, it's priorities, other things distract you, gain your attention and suddenly things are moved to the next day or are shelved for when you're back in the mood, if your goals are small and that's ok, maybe small progress in a number of areas is what your looking for, but you know what you wanted when you started out don't make excuses if you aren't getting what you want from what your doing, stop, find some peace and take a look at what's going on, with God's help you'll find what it is and redress the balance. This is why you put aside those other things that will get in the way.
So why finish? Because you started. Whether its a long or short road, a big or a small change you started it, giving up will make everything that came before pointless, all the strain and effort you put into what you where doing goes down the drain. If it is humanly possible you should have wish to finish what you started because of what you put in, which is why at the beginning you should invest your time into what you are doing to give yourself that extra motivation.
The Bible talks of people of faith going through extremes of hunger, privation, destitution and other unpleasant things because they believed in the word that had been spoken, indeed it goes on to say that words failed to describe the feats that where made because of the faith and determination of a few courageous people, they didn't give up. David didn't give up after he fled Saul, Gideon wanted to give up before he started but once he accepted what he was told he believed and he did what he was born to do, Joseph was knocked down so many times he must have lost count, at some point he must have been feeling like saying "You know why don't I just stay down here, it seems to be where I belong" but no it didn't go down like that did it God made a way, and he never stopped trying.
God made a where there was none and he can do it again. The Bible also says to cling steadfastly to what you Believe in, that means keep your eyes on the prize, punch through not at, finish because you started.
This takes an overcoming spirit, a conquering, overcoming spirit, how do you get that? Or how do you strengthen yourself? How do you use what you have? By channeling the power of the Holy Spirit, it's that simple. Here's a little brake down for you.

God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit: The most powerful force in the universe...
You: A vessel filled by the Holy Spirit, the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, who was sent by God to defeat Sin and Death, who created the world.

God, Jesus, Holy Spirit + You: Instant, power, instant motivation, instant dedication, instant incentive to achieve.

Think phrases like, what power on earth can stand against me with Jesus on my side... Better no power on earth can stand against me because Jesus is on my side. If you put it like this death is probably what most people fear most, but by giving eternal life Jesus has made it so that this even need no longer to be feared, that is the power that works within you.
You have the ability inside you, in your soul you already have the weapons to win the battle, you have all you need to make the journey, you have the training to win the race. No matter what happens, no matter what you are believing for in 2013, big small, preposterously ambitious it can be achieved if you will go ahead and finish, every dream blessed by God already has the potential for success, God doesn't fail so the ball is in your court.
Remember the view is better from the top of every mountain you climb, and you will be all the stronger for the climb, don't lose momentum keep going and never give up. At the end of the year you can look back to what you achieved, the beginning will be a hazy memory, but it all started with a blank canvass, a God given dream and a loaded paintbrush hovering hesitantly over it, what are you waiting for, get painting.

Written by Josh

Dade

With todays scripture, we are setting out our declaration for this New Year ahead, and reaching for the things that God has for us, after letting go of those things which are behind. Aiming our lives for the high calling of God and Christ Jesus.
Phillipians 3 vs 13 - 14: "...forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Each day, we will publish a thought to motivate/inspire you. take the thought, and encourage yourself by repeating it within yourself as many times in a day as you can. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23 vs 7).

"I'm letting the good thing that has begun in me continue to grow, and produce good fruit."

Prayer is really communication with God, so we're including suggestions as to what your could particularly be praying about for today.

1, Pray that God will help you to run the race, and not amble or fall asleep on the way; but make sure that the picture that we paint, is an active one.
2, Pray for God to make you centred on the goals that you have for this year, and give you the motivation to reach them.
3, Pray for God to help build self discipline, so that we will take time over the area's in our life that need strengthening
4, To have compassion for those that are in trouble. Pray for that compassion, the same compassion that christ had for us all when we were lost and alone.