STARTING WELL AND FINISHING STRONG

Every morning in Africa, an antelope wakes up. It knows it must outrun the fastest lion, or it will be killed. Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the slowest antelope or it will starve. It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or an antelope – when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.

– African Proverbs

Good starts are wonderful and exciting but the important thing is to finish well and strong. In life, you will notice that a good start is often not enough to get us to the finishing line. According to Alvan Tison’s article on Finishing Strong, “Starting strong is no guarantee for finishing strong.” Indeed, many people are excited to start a race, business, college and relationship as well as start a New Year but not all who started well finish well and strong. Some drop out of the way for several reasons while a couple of others are favored to finish well and still others finish well and strong. This brings to mind my college experience: not all who participated in the matriculation that graduated with us. Some had referrals in one or two courses, others fell sick while some had financial drawbacks and dropped out. Yet a few others felt college was not for them and withdrew from it. The same happens in team sports like soccer, basket ball and football, etc. Some fail to make the final team for the championship. Others had not too good a day or got wounded in the course of the game and were replaced. Similar thing occurs in a race. “Starting strong is good. Finishing strong is epic” –   Robin Sharma.

At this juncture, I wish to share excerpts from George Rennau story: on Destiny

• Once Upon a time, two couples married on the same day in the same city. Neither couple knew the other.
• Both couple had families and friends who came to grace their wedding, wishing them blessings for their futures.
• Both couple ate wedding cakes and received wedding gifts; threw their bouquets and left to begin their honey moon
• Both couple chose the same honeymoon resort hotel/park and traveled the same windy road, full of hope and joy
• But only one couple made it to the park, had their honeymoon and began life together
• The other couple drove off the windy road while trying to avoid on-coming traffic. The couple died in the accident. It was over.
• The other couple still lives together today. They have three children, are happily married and are ministers of the gospel

I am of the opinion that each person has a destiny to actualize. God has a plan for our lives. Also the devil has plans to distort God’s plan for our lives. However, as long as we walk in the paths of righteousness for His name sake, we will have an opportunity to fulfill that plan. It is not unlikely that when we veer-off from the pathway set out before us, chances are we are going to crash and burn and never see the end of what God has planned for our lives. This happens when Christians: i. Get entangled and fall into sin and form habits that are displeasing to the Lord; ii. When divorce occurs for no good reason;  iii. When we seek our own ways and forsake the way of the Lord; iv. When we seek satisfaction in the worldly things and v. when we put other things in first place over the Lordship of Christ. There’s hope in Christ redemption and in the liberty wherein Christ had made us free (Gal 5:1), “When we repent of our sins, He will forgive our sins and give us a second chance (1 John 1” 9; 3:1-3). Again, if the Lord shall count iniquity no one can stand.   More so Jesus, cleanse us from all our sins, forgive us and make us new again. It’s no surprised many of us that started the year are no more. Thank God for preserving our lives and leading us to see the year end. “No one has a problem with the first mile of a journey. Even an infant could do fine for a while. But it isn’t the start that matters. It is the finish line” – Julien Smith

In this last month of the year, as likened by the last few miles of a race, it is very challenging and a great time to dig deep and navigate diligently in order to excel and finish well and strong. According to Joel Osteen, “It doesn’t take a lot of effort to start things. Start a diet, start school, and start a family …………but it takes a commitment to stick with it for the long haul. Anyone can have a dream, but it takes determination, perseverance and ‘courage’ to see it come to pass…….we all have and seen people start off well, have big dreams and great excitement about their future.  Against their expectations, some encounter setbacks, some delays and human failures. Overtime discouragement, depression, self pity and fear of failing set in. Some others may’ve started badly but you see them finishing well and strong.  “So then it is not of him, who wills, nor of him who runs but of God who shows mercy “(Rom 9:16). “Remember no matter how fast you run, you can’t be the winner if you don’t finish” Israelmore Ayivor

Jesus had the power to finish whatever He started. That was why the writer of the book of Hebrew admonishes, thus: “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:2). Our Lord Jesus has the finishing grace and because of it He completes and perfects everything He starts. As children of God, we should have known that God has not only given us the grace to start but also the one to finish whatever we start. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil  4:13). When we keep believing God and putting faith in His strength and saving grace by: reading and meditating on the word, offering sacrifice of praise and fervent prayers, reaching out to others in witnessing and love, we are tapping into heavenly power and will experience unusual energy and joy to move forward and not give up until we reach the finishing line. That uncommon or unusual power and push is the finishing grace. As you pursue your goal and daily tapping from heavenly resource, the finishing grace will assist you to become who you are created to be and do what you couldn’t do in your natural strength. We come to realize it is “Not by power or by might but by His spirit, said the Lord of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6). We should keep reassuring ourselves the God who helped me to start will surely help me to finish. “God, who began a good work in you, will help you to finish it” (Phil. 1:6).

Are you tempted to give up your dreams when you must have gone far or to quit a project you are near completion? May be you are hearing conflicting voices that your marriage was a mistake or the course you are studying is an afterthought and not meant for you? Beware that the devil may not try to stop you from starting but he shall undoubtedly attempt to stop you from finishing well. Little surprised you start experiencing difficulties, disappointment, some obstacles and uphill challenges. These times of trials can give you new insight into God’s love and His amazing grace for you. You will come to recognize the futility of fear and worry as well as the value of joy in Christ in every circumstance. This is not the time to get discouraged, depressed and starts complaining; talking about how big your problems are but when to continue pushing forward, trusting that God does not start what He cannot finish. Keep moving and striving, thanking God for fighting your battles and believing your God is bigger than the problems you face. Whatever difficulties or challenges you face is only detour and temporary. It’s a sign you are getting closer to the finishing. “His grace has made me UNSTOPPABLE in Jesus name” – ODM

“Satan and his demons are life-long enemies. They are behind every personal affront we encounter” – From Faith to faith (November 5). The devil doesn’t fight people that are going nowhere. He attacks those that are getting to the finish line, in achieving divine goals, those happily married, those making high sales and waves in the industry and ministers who have great commission and reaching souls for Christ.  Satan aims at making them abandon Godly dreams and visions.  “An enemy lurks around waiting for an opportunity to devour us” (1 Peter 5:8). “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh” (2 Corinthians 10:3). “If Satan cannot stop your victory or kill you, he will try to stop your party” – Our Daily Manna, Oct-Dec 2018.

Do not be discouraged by Satan’s lies, people with negative oppositions, the famine in the land, News media report and bias religious prophesies on your health and  destiny, down turn in the market or trials in your relationship. If you are double minded, the decisions you made are split. When you try to live in faith, you will try to protect your fears at the same time. “Resolve never to entertain doubts again. When doubts come to your mind, cast it out speedily and quickly.” Jack Wellman expounding on Apostle Paul message to the Corinthians said, when you are weak, hungry, tired and feel defeated or depressed is the very moment that God can show His strength through you. His strength is perfectly displayed in our total weakness (2 Cor. 13:9). Jesus admonished us to abide or dwell in Him because none of us can do anything of ourselves (John 15:4). Therefore, Paul exhorted, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Ephesians 6:10-11). Jack Wellman commented, Paul is not talking about a shield with no sword or a helmet without the breastplate. It takes the ‘WHOLE ARMOR’ the whole time in the Christian’s walk because he/she battle the world, the flesh and the devil and his demons, so we’ll need “the strength of his might” and the whole of all available armor.” “Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records” – Williams Arthur Ward.

Even when they try to stop or slow you down, belittle and discredit as well as lie against you, do not get upset; they are a part of the plan to get you to the finished line. God is using them to move you forward to your destiny provided you stay in faith and continue to honor Him; you will reach your goal. Don’t forget He’s the Author and Finisher of your faith. The Lord who brought Paul to the end of his life’s journey despite all the odds he went through and he could declare, “I have fought the good fight and I have finished the race ‘with joy.’ I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7); He will lead you and uphold you. You will not finish defeated, depressed with bitterness or rancor but finish with a smile on your face and song in your heart; have a flourishing finish.  As you run this race, keep your fires burning. “When you come to the end of your rope…tie a knot and hang on” – Frank Roosevelt. Blake said, ”There is no mistake so great as the mistake of not going on.” “Whenever you have taken up work in hand, you must see it to the finish. That is the ultimate secret of success. Never, never, never give up!” – Dada Vaswani. “As a good racehorse gallops on the track, we hope to finish our race, running towards the completion of our faith. May God help us to grow in faith until we finish the race” – The Upper Room (Nov 23, 2018).

Joel Osteen wrote, “Now, quit focusing on who’s against you, on how steep the hill is, on how impossible it looks, God has the final say.  He brought ‘Peter’ and Joseph out of prison. Paul stayed in prison but they both fulfilled their destinies and if God doesn’t turn it around the way you thought, he may do like Paul and cause you to have great influence right in the midst of your enemies.” He added, “Too many people have lost their passion. They’re still running but their touch is no longer lit. At one time, they were passionate about their dreams .They had some setbacks. Now they’re ruining, that’s good, but they let their fire go out. They lost their zeal. If that’s you, I’ve come to relight your fire this season. God is not done with you. You have not yet seen your best days……It’s not enough to just finish, you got to finish your course with your fire still burning.” You have to finish well and strong. This end of the year will not be the end of your life. So have a wonderful Christmas and FRUITFUL NEW YEAR with your family and loved ones. However, don’t get too cozy and forget to reflect on the great need our Savior has come to fill.