Mensa Otabil - Continuing in the Faith
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Welcome to day number 28 of our 40 Days of Power. We have 12 more days to go. Today we are discussing continuing in faith, and our text is from the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 14, verses 21 and 22: «And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, 'We must, through many tribulations, enter the kingdom of God.'»
The Christian life is a journey; it is a process. Part of the process is that sometimes we face setbacks, drawbacks, and roadblocks, and at times we encounter difficult situations. It is part of the journey. The early Christians who lived during the days of Jesus and the Apostles faced numerous challenges. Every day of their lives, they dealt with setbacks that were far more complicated than ours. We face very mild setbacks, but they were persecuted, harassed, and killed. Some were beheaded, some were cut in two, and people were burned; whole families were killed, and parents often witnessed the deaths of their children before their eyes. They were hunted down. In those days, becoming a Christian was an incredibly difficult choice. People who became Christians were embracing pain and disadvantage, and yet many thousands came to faith. This displays the power of the gospel: in the midst of persecution, we grow.
In our passage, the Apostle Paul speaks to the Christians in Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, places he had previously visited, and now he returns to encourage them. Prior to this, there had been difficulties, and he urges them to continue in their faith. I believe God is speaking to you today: you start in faith, and you must continue in faith. You do not simply start in faith and, when things don’t go as planned, give up. We must persist; that is what Christianity is all about. It is a journey, a process; it is not an event. It is not just about one day of prayer but rather a lifetime of commitment. If those early Christians could endure their trials and continue in faith, then we too must carry on when we face setbacks. We will remain steadfast in faith when we pray and do not see immediate answers. We will persist in faith when life presents challenges.
I do not know what you are facing, but we must continue in faith. We have prayed for 28 days, but that is not all the prayer we will engage in for the rest of our lives. After these 40 Days of Power, we will persist in faith. Next year, we will continue in faith, and the year after that we will keep going in faith. This is what God has called us to—not just a single event where we say, «I have done my part.» No, it is a process; it is a journey of overcoming obstacles and continuing to grow in faith each day.
I want to encourage you: continue in faith, stay on the path, remain committed to the Lord, and maintain your focus on your assignments. I believe God, in the end, will grant us the victory that is found in Christ Jesus.
Let us share a word of prayer as we build our faith in the Lord. Say with me: «Heavenly Father, thank you for the grace to continue. With your help, I will continue in faith until full victory is won. In Jesus' name, Amen.» Continue out there, and I am Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.