The enemy fights CONSISTENCY

 

The image for this week's message speaks to the title. It is the image of a windmill on a farm. We can see the farm with crops growing nicely and if all goes well, it will be a great harvest but above the windmill we can see lightning looming and about to strike the windmill.

A windmill is a structure that converts wind power into rotational energy using vanes called sails or blades. Traditionally in the olden days, windmills were used to grind grains, pump water and cut wood. However with advances in technology, windmills also known as wind turbines now generate electricity by converting the wind’s kinetic energy into mechanical energy and then electrical energy. 

All things being equal, a windmill will work seamlessly but one thing that can affect the smooth and consistent running of a windmill is lightning. A lightning strike can do great damage. Lightning can destroy the smooth running of a windmill. It can cause structural, electrical or blade damage and even a fire. Lighting can stop the smooth running of the windmill so that what should otherwise have worked smoothly and consistently is now hindered by the lightning strike. 

A believer is like a windmill. All things being equal, a believer serves God with ease unless lightning (the devil, flesh and all), strike. 

Now, the terms below describe how we live or should live. Terms like a lifestyle of Faith, Living for God, Living by faith, Walking in Love, a life of Holiness….. all these terms suggest a consistent lifestyle and refer to the way a believer lives. Believers are also called, born-again Christians or those who have received the Lord Jesus as their Lord and Savior. All these refer to the same person.  

These terms are used to refer to anyone who has had an encounter with Christ and is now committed to living for him and as we grow in the faith, we also use some of the terms below to describe ourselves. 

I am a believer 

I am born-again

Jesus is the Lord of my life 

I live for God

I walk in love….

I am a follower of Jesus and so on.

There are so many terms that refer to the life a believer lives and all these terms show that the life of a committed believer is a dynamic life. It is a continuous dynamic way of life that is never static. 

This is who we are and it is the way we live!!!

We don't live this way occasionally; we live this way all the time. We do not have vacations or breaks that allow us to drop our commitment to God and go on a bing with the devil. 

A week ago, my husband shared his busy schedule with us and told us how he is seeing doors open to him. He explained how these doors are the harvest from seeds sown in times of prayer over the last four to five months at least. He then asked the question: “What if I had gotten discouraged and given up?” 

What if he had given up and decided to try something else? It is because we consistently live a particular way that we get the results we do. Consistency allows us to build on our progress and gain momentum until that power does something amazing. However, that season or period when we are doing the same things over and over again is boring. We are like a windmill rotating day in and day out and we may see nothing. Nothing seems to happen and the devil uses this fact to discourage and take people off course.

The devil knows more than anybody else what happens if we keep at something long enough. He knows it produces a suddenly, a breakthrough, a miracle, deliverance and a testimony, so he tries to stop us from getting to this point. He is like the lightning that hits the windmill. He works hard to discourage us during that period of silence and obscurity; and many fall for his tricks. They conclude it is not working and so they run off to try something new. 

Consistency as boring as it can be, carries tremendous power but only for those who continue to do what they know to do - pray, study their Bible, praise the Lord, meditate on scripture, walk in love, pray in tongues and keep doing whatever God’s word commands them to do. Only those who do this get the reward or that thing they have been waiting, believing, praying and trusting God for. 

If you stop halfway, you will get nothing. 

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart 

Galatians 6:9 NKJV

So many Christians lack consistency. They cannot keep at something that does not produce results instantly or quickly. They see no reason to keep praying, studying the word or obeting any other godly instruction when there is nothing to show. Even in the world, those whose stories are so amazing, or who have such shocking results or breakthroughs were consistent in their effort. Unfortunately, Christians prefer to wish and hope without putting in enough effort.  

There is no shortcut so if you want to see change, you must be consistent for in your consistency lies the power!!!

Have a wonderful week ❤️!