One of the greatest challenges to our growth in God is our lack of consistency. Like most people, we are prone to fall prey to hectic schedules, mood swings, troubles and persecutions, disappointments, and all such highs and lows we regularly face, and as a result lose out on a steady walk with God.

Jesus mentioned a beautiful story (Luke 11:5-8) on how powerful an impact our persistency makes on the heart of God and gets God into action. The new living translation has a very interesting translation of Luke 11:8, “He will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence” I always thought, being a child of God was enough to have Him answer our prayers for us. Yet here there is, an essential pre-condition: to be persistent in whatever we do, to the extent of being shamelessly persistent in that!

Here are five important things worth considering, in order to receiving the fullness of life and remaining undeviating in our relationship with God

• Persistence in Worship: The Bible cites no other man as Job, who got tested with trials and troubles, and yet didn’t cease worshipping God. Though in his brokenness and confusion, he did ask God for reasons and explanations, but never for a moment did he stop worshipping God, not even during the hardest days of his life. This was Job’s testimony: “Though he may slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15). We are expected to continually “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thess 5:18))

• Persistence in Prayer: Elijah consistently prayed for seven times before his prayer for rain was finally answered! (1 Kings 18:43,44) Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, except that he prayed fervently and harder through the discouragement of unheard prayers, so unlike many of us today. I often wondered why Enoch never retired from walking with God. And then I realized walking and talking with God wouldn’t fill our hearts in a day or two! Even if we get to live with Him for all of eternity, we’ll not be able to completely pour out ourselves to, or receive enough from Him. Why not we start right away and be consistent in our prayer while on earth. “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17)

• Persistence in Purity: If we be very true to ourselves, we would realize our righteousness manifests only when there’s a crowd to appreciate us. At all other times, we like to loosen up a bit, let go off the saintly image we’re expected to keep and give in. Purity, however, is not genuine if it is very inconsistent. Just because a thief decides not to steal on a day of heavy patrolling doesn’t mean he is any less a thief! Joseph was tempted by Potiphar’s wife day after day. (Gen 39:10) yet each time he warded off those enticingly menacing advances. Joseph’s purity was not proved in a onetime resistance to temptation, but in a consistent and firm denial to sin day by day by day! Let us also continually strive for holiness! (Heb 12:14)

• Persistence in Preaching: It is often discouraging to preach or testify when we don’t see immediate results. Yet all our worship, prayer and purity would fail to benefit the world in any way if we don’t preach the word of God. God appeared to Noah when he was 500 years old, the flood came when he was 600, meanwhile, he was a herald of righteousness (2 Pet 2:5) and preached repentance for about 100 years without getting a single convert. I pray that we be equally, or even more consistent in preaching the message of the gospel always, both in and out of season! (2 Tim 4:2)

• Persistence in Revival: It is to a generation of persistent lovers of God, that God would entrust a revival that would shake nations. My prayer is that we may be found persistent even in the middle of the revival. There have been many revivals in the history of the church, but only few revolutions. Revival when it is sustained by committed persistent people becomes a revolution that will change the course of the church for good! And persistence in the above things is the key to not only welcome but also to sustain a revival!

May we move into a season of great persistence in the days ahead! Have you ever struggled with inconsistency in any of the above things or in some other aspects of your walk with God? Feel free to leave a comment, so we could pray for you or be encouraged by your testimony! God bless you!