Hebrews 12:1-3 ‘..And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’

DAILY READING; Matthew 10:26-42; Leviticus 9-10; Proverbs 23

Florence May Chadwick was an American swimmer known for long-distance open water swimming. She was the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions, setting a time record each time.
In 1952, Florence attempted to swim the 26 miles between Catalina Island and the California coastline. As she began, she was flanked by small boats that watched for sharks and were prepared to help her if she got hurt or grew tired.
The challenge she faced was not so much the distance, but the bone-chilling waters of the Pacific. As she swam she was able to endure knowing that land was just so many miles away. But the challenge became more complicated when after about 15 hours a thick fog set in. Florence began to doubt her ability, and she told her mother, who was in one of the boats, that she did not think she could make it. She swam for another hour before asking to be pulled out, unable to see the coastline due to the fog. As she sat in the boat, she found out she had stopped swimming just one mile away from her destination.
Two months later, she tried again. The same thick fog set in as a misty veil obscured the coastline and she couldn’t see the shore. But this time she kept reminding herself that land was there. With that confidence and faith she bravely swam on and achieved her goal. In fact, she broke the men’s record by 2 hours!”

Winning the battles of life begins with winning in your mind. That is where your victory is born.
It is not what happens around you, but what happens within you that matters. This is why we must always keep our eyes on Jesus. Because the enemy is helpless against the end result, he fights the process by trying to get you to shift your focus.
The moment Peter shifted his gaze from Jesus to look at the storm, he began to sink.
Therefore you must always understand that all the roaring of the storm is aimed at shifting your focus. But as long as you can focus on God via His Word, faith is imparted into your heart and your victory is always assured. Certainly, faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

Hebrews 12:1-4 says “run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.’

If you try to run the race without looking unto Jesus, which is looking unto The Word, you may get discouraged, because challenges are a part of life.
In every situation, your mind has to be fixed on what God has said concerning you. You may not control what happens to you, but you can control what happens within you.
When Israel was about to take the promised land, God gave Joshua charge to be strong and courageous. The taking over of the land would be determined based on the state of the mind. Indeed the first battle front is always within, the battle has to be won in the mind before it can manifest physically.
God asked Joshua to be strong and courageous through feeding on the Word. Likewise, to be victorious in the battles of life our hearts must be strengthened in the Word. It is through constant Word study that our hearts are strengthened to do exploits. It is they that know their God, that shall be strong and do exploits.
Certainly, as we continually feed on God’s Word in this season, faith and boldness will be imparted into our hearts to keep pressing forward until we arrive at God’s destiny of wonders for us this year.

PRAYER: Lord, Please help me to always focus on your Word so that I can possess the faith to keep pressing forward until I arrive at the destiny you have ordained for me. May I never give up my journey halfway. Thank You for grace to press on till I win in Jesus Name. .

QUOTE
God knows how to work everything together in your life for your own good. WORDBITE 222.