God wants you to overcome. Adam and Eve were created as overcomers. They had perfect bodies, environment, circumstances, and a perfect Father (God). They had everything they needed but decided to not follow God and follow their own desires.

The original commandment to man is found here So God created people in his own image; God patterned them after himself; male and female he created them. God blessed them and told them, “Multiply and fill the earth and subdue it. Be masters over the fish and birds and all the animals.” Genesis 1:27-28 (NLT) 

This is the 3rd part of how to overcome your world. I would encourage you to read part 1, and 2 here.

We want to overcome and hold on to the territory we have won. A basic requirement of overcoming is to occupy afterward. One definition of occupy from the Merriam-Webster dictionary is “to take or hold possession or control of”. I want to emphasize the ‘hold’. This requires perseverance or endurance. There is almost always a counterattack from the devil to retake the territory you took from him. This can cause discouragement. But perseverance realizes we are in this for the long run and we win in the end.

“But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” 1 John 4:4 (NLT)

Finish Well

We all want to ‘finish well’. What this means to me is faithfully following Jesus Christ to the end of life and completing the tasks He assigns, hoping to hear His affirmation, “..Well done, my good and faithful servant..” Matthew 25:21 (NLT).

The Apostle Paul finished well, he is a man like we are, so we know it is possible.

As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NLT)

Draw Close to Him

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. James 1:2-3 (NLT)

Endurance (translated perseverance in the NIV translation) is produced through troubles and trials. How else will you learn endurance unless you have something to endure?

Remember, during troubles, that God is always good. We may not understand. We may wonder where He is, but he has not left you and is always good. One day, we will see all that is going on around us in the spiritual and physical realms. We will then understand then.

To endure draw close to him. Don’t let trials pull you away from him, but towards him. Run to him even when you don’t understand. Don’t get offended at God, but this is the worst thing that can happen to you. It leads to a pit of disappointment and despair that is very hard to get out of. Run towards him and you will find the peace and trust that you need.

Strongs Concordance describes endurance (patience in the KJV translation) as “the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings”. 

There are many things I could say about finishing well, but the number 1 piece of advice is to run into his presence through whatever works best for you: prayer, reading, worshipping, etc. Go there when you don’t feel like it. Because this is when you need it the most.

It Takes Faith

Perseverance requires the Holy Spirit gift of faith. 

The same Spirit gives great faith to another… 1 Corinthians 12:9a (NLT) 

Faith is a gift from the Holy Spirit. Pray for impartation. Pray to receive from Holy Spirit. We must have faith to see that God remains with us, works through us, and accomplishes his will through us during difficult times. Spending time in his presence increases your ability to believe that it will work out.

To occupy you have to have faith. This applies to your assignment. This is how your assignment gets carried out – by faith.

My definition of faith is: Faith is believing that what God said HE would do, HE will do. What he has asked me to do, HE will do when I obey to do my part. 

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. Hebrews 11:1-2 (NLT)

Faith is obeying our part of his voice.Then, upon obeying, we can rest. Resting on what he said he would do. His part is not up to us. The key is to rest in and believe in what he has told us he was gonna do. Even when you don’t see the results of the voice, still believe!

Closing

Never quit. You may think about it. You can’t keep that from happening. But never say it. Sometimes you can’t even move forward. That is ok. Just stand. But don’t go backwards. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:10-18 that sometimes just standing is victory. Preserve and you will finish well!