10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Quit

We’ve all felt like quitting at one point or another. The desire to quit is as much a part of growth as success. For those who do not quit, a reward waits. Nothing worth having is easy to obtain. And everything that has value also has a cost. This is why so few actually reach their God-given goals: though most acknowledge that hard work is needed, most fail to realize just how hard that work will be. We know good things take years, decades even, but when the years begin to pass by, many are still caught off guard.

Make no mistake: the bigger the vision, the longer it will take and the tougher times will be. God will give no weighty thing to the one who cannot stand under its pressure. It is the process that makes you a person who can handle what God wants to give you. I assure you: there are no shortcuts.

“Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!” - 1 Corinthians 9:24

Trials, testing and tragedy – these cause us to grow weary. Setbacks, disappointments and long-term delay – these add to the demise of our resolve. But in our weak and frail moments, we can find the strength to continue.

We see the vision. We hold onto the dream. We pray that we become someone who pleases God. But sometimes life doesn’t align with our ambitions and hopes. People, discouragement and demonic powers speak to your heart, “Just quit and try something else.” I’ve even heard preachers say, “If it’s God, it’ll flow easily” and that’s absolutely false. When you do something for God, when you pursue the dream that He placed in your heart, opposition will come. And it will come ferociously. But in difficult times, I am reminded of this scripture:

“So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” - Galatians 6:9

Hold this thought captive in your mind: “I will not quit.”

In your life, work, relationships and, even ministry, you may have had moments where you wanted to quit. It may feel as though you’re stuck, trapped and just “making it”. It’s tempting to look forward to an ideal situation. It’s easy to put your happiness on hold until things “settle down” or “fall into place.” But the key to not quitting and walking in joy is two-fold. Enjoy the journey and keep the vision. Enjoy where you are now but don’t lose sight of the future. Be happy in the moment and grateful for what you have.

And if you can just hold on a little longer, I believe breakthrough is just around the corner. Who knows what can change in the next 24 hours? You just may be standing on the brink of your breakthrough. Here are at least 10 reasons that you shouldn’t quit.

#1 Don’t quit, because what you are doing now may be positively affecting a life, and you may not even be aware of it.

#2 Don’t quit, because you may be just days away from a tremendous breakthrough.

#3 Don’t quit, because everything you do in love will count for all of eternity.

#4 Don’t quit, because faithfulness pleases God.

#5 Don’t quit, because quitting would undo all that you have worked for up to this point.

#6 Don’t quit, because quitters are more filled with regret than those who persevere.

#7 Don’t quit, because the world is still in need of the gospel, and you are a vital part of the church.

#8 Don’t quit, because future generations of your family will reap from your obedience.

#9 Don’t quit, because truth is worth the fight.

#10 Don’t quit, because life is too short to re-take divine tests.

This gospel will be preached and we will continue to walk in victory.

If God is with you, who or what can be against you?

You are a child of God. The favor on your life is uncommon, and the vision God has placed before your eyes is unstoppable. God has never failed you and continues to expand you further than you ever thought you would go.

Don’t quit… ever.

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Don't Be a People Pleaser

When I was a teenager, I attended a Bible conference in Southern California. I was excited to attend that conference, because I was believing for God to move in my life. I went to the conference full of faith and prepared to receive God’s Word. I took my Bible, a notepad, and a pen. I arrived early and was even able to get a seat in the front row. 

Now, during this time, I had only just begun in ministry but God was blessing the ministry with some small but healthy growth. So there were a few people at the conference who were somewhat familiar with my ministry.

While sitting in the front row, my sense of anticipation intensified. I was ready to receive. Then, just a few minutes before the service began, a pastor approached me, greeted me, and then sneered, “Well, well, well. Look at you. You think that just because you’re in ministry now, you can sit in the front row.”

I was shocked and saddened by that comment. I began to search my heart. 

“Was I sitting in the front row to be seen?”

“Should I have not sat on the front row?”

“Was there some hidden impure motive in my heart?”

“I thought I was just excited to be there!”

I don’t remember what was preached during that night of the conference, but I remember how I felt about that comment.

Not wanting to risk or tolerate even a bit of impure ambition, I decided the next night of the conference to sit in the back row. So I did just that. I still arrived early. I still had my Bible, my notepad, and my pen. But I sat in almost the very last row. Surely, I would be free from all criticism there. 

This time, however, a different Christian leader approached me. He shook my, greeted me, and then remarked, “You get a little bit of popularity and suddenly you think you have to hide here in the back row.”

You can’t please everyone. So just worry about pleasing the Lord.

Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant. (Galatians 1:10)

No matter what you say, someone will disagree. No matter what you do, someone will think it should have been done differently. No matter what truth you speak, someone will point out a truth you left out. There’s no escaping the opinions of people. For every action and inaction, the offense of someone is waiting. 

Now, by no means am I saying that you should never consider the feelings or even the corrections of loved ones or the wise. I’m simply saying that it’s impossible to please everyone. So don’t even try. Instead, focus on pleasing the Lord, and everything else will fall in line. For when we please God, we are truly living. 

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Overcoming the Victim Mindset

There is no greater privilege in life than knowing Jesus. There is no greater advantage than the presence and power of the Holy Spirit within you. No matter where you come from, how you were raised, or what disadvantages life seemingly forced upon you, the Bible declares that you are victorious if you are in Christ.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. (Romans 8:31 & 37, NLT)

This, of course, does not mean that we will never face hardships. This simply means that even in hardships, we are victorious, because we belong to God.

Being victorious doesn’t mean that I don’t face difficulties. Being victorious means that even in difficulties, I continue to believe that God wins in the end. The victorious believer doesn’t allow exterior circumstances to diminish inner joy. The victorious believer doesn’t allow the actions of others to steal their peace.

In persecution, we have God’s love.

In loneliness, we have God’s presence.

Even in death, we have eternal life. 

You have God’s attention, voice, favor, and love. God opens doors, brings opportunities, and shapes your destiny.

What can anyone do to us? Truly, the believer can never be a victim. No person, system, government, or idea can hold us down. We are never victims, always more than conquerors.

With this God-given position of eternal victory comes the responsibility of walking in it. And one of the keys to walking in Heavenly dominion is thinking according to the truth - having a godly mindset.

Thoughts are the actions of the mind. And you can choose your thought patterns.

The choice is ours: we can either choose to live with a victim mindset, constantly blaming everyone and everything else around us for our defeats and challenges, settling for less when God has more. Or we can choose to allow the truth to affect our thinking.

It’s time to embrace your privilege - the privilege of Christ in you. 

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Holy Spirit: A Fire By Night

Just as the people of Israel were guided by a fire by night and a cloud by day, so the believer is guided by the Holy Spirit in uncertain times. In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God dwelt in a tent. Today, He dwells in you.

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, (1 Corinthians 6:19, NLT)

When you face trouble, He is there. The Holy Spirit faithfully abides with you. He will never leave you.

16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17 He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. (John 14:16 & 17a, NLT)

Though you may not always sense His nearness, He is there. Though others might abandon you, He is there. Though you feel alone at times, He is there. He is always there. 

At one point or another, all of us will face the night. When you’re living through the night season, He is a fire that goes before you to light the way. In the darkness of confusion, He burns bright. In the cold of tragedy, He comforts you. 

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. (Psalm 34:18, NLT)

So when you can’t see ahead of you and all seems lost, when your heart aches and your faith is tested, when life casts a shadow, the Holy Spirit is the fire by night. 

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Praying with Boldness

When teaching his disciples how to pray, Jesus began by saying this:

Matthew 6:9

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Notice that Jesus didn’t begin His prayer with a plea to be heard. He did not beg for God’s attention. He did not cry out to be received. He prayed with a confident knowing. Assured of His identity, Jesus prayed with a holy boldness. 

The key to praying with boldness is knowing that God is your Father and that you are His child. We find our confidence when we can sincerely pray, “Our Father.” 

When the believer is assured of his divine identity, he can pray unhindered by doubt and shame. Doubt and shame are the great destroyers of your prayer life. Doubt tells you that God can’t hear you; shame tells you that God won’t hear you.

And both doubt and shame can be overcome by knowing one simple yet powerful truth. That Truth is found in the book of Hebrews.

Hebrews 4:15-16

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Because of what Christ accomplished on the cross, because we have a High Priest representing us before the Father, we can approach the throne of God with confidence and boldness.

The disciple of Christ does not doubt God’s existence, but the disciple of Christ does, at times, doubt God’s ability to perform His Word. And it’s not that we imagine that God is powerless. Instead, we imagine that we ourselves are unable to receive. That’s the great hindrance of doubt. In the same way, shame causes us to question whether or not God will hear our prayers. 

Shame and doubt go hand-in-hand. Shame and doubt energize one another, and they are rooted in the same lies. 

“Your past isn’t forgiven.”

“God is unwilling to hear you.”

“You’ve made too many mistakes.”

“It’s too late for you.”

Shame and doubt can hinder your prayer life, yes. But there is a holy boldness within - a boldness that has the power to destroy the weakening bondages of shame and doubt. 

When you begin to pray, start from the place of identity. Maintain a divine audacity. Know to Whom you belong. Know that you are accepted and forgiven. Cry out, “My Father!” Let the Holy Spirit persuade you. Let Him convince you that you belong to God.

Romans 8:15

The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."

Trust the voice of the Holy Spirit. Ignore the voices of doubt and shame. When you pray with boldness, you’re not afraid to ask of God. When you pray while free from shame, your confidence in the Lord is renewed.

Imagine how much time you could save while praying if, instead of begging God to hear you, you simply believed that He already did. Imagine how boldly you could approach the throne if you knew the sin that causes you shame was wiped from God’s records. You’re already His. You belong to Him. Remember: we don’t pray to connect with God; we pray from connection with God. Go boldly before God.

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The Immortal Mind

While it is in the nature of man to avoid the contemplation of his own demise, it is very healthy to consider the fact, the harsh reality that, no matter what we say or do, you and I will one day die. I know this isn’t popular preaching in the age of the self-help, life-improvement gospel, but the Bible is very clear on this matter. For the scripture says,

“How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog–it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” - James 4:14

The Bible also says,

“By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.” - Genesis 3:19

I’m not telling you this to frighten you. I’m not telling you this to discourage or depress you. I’m telling you this so that you can live your life in the light of eternity.

Today, you often hear it said, “Live for the moment; the moment is all that matters.” While we should find cause for appreciation during every moment of this life, it is foolishness to live as though the moment is all that matters. It’s silly and naive to think that the moment is all that is worth consideration. First of all, what is “the now” if not the result of past decisions? Every now moment has been directly influenced by the accumulative effect of “then moments”.

Furthermore, the only reason that “now” could ever possibly, actually matter is if there is a future to be affected.

Truly consider the nature of purpose. Purpose is only imaginary if all things are only temporary. Remove eternity from the equation and what purpose have you left?

Why does tomorrow actually matter if there is no eternity?

Some would say, “Well, the good you do today can long outlive you.”

That is definitely true, but what about afterwards?

If we seek to find our purpose in adding a page of our own to the history books, we fail to recognize that history too will someday itself cease to be. Even if your legacy should reach beyond to the generations to come, your legacy will only last as long as the society which honors or remembers said legacy. But what about when the generations are no more? What about 200 years from now, when your kids, grandkids and maybe even your great grandkids have returned to the dust? What then?

What happens at the fall of a city? Of a nation? What is to become of anyone’s accomplishments when the earth itself is gone? Even if we should advance so far along that we, as a society, are able to travel throughout the vast distances of the cosmos, won’t all material things come to nothing? Can any created being, without the protection of God, see its species survive indefinitely? Nothing lasts forever. Eventually all odds of catastrophe stack too highly. Throughout the eons, an apocalyptic event would become unavoidable, certain. In fact, the universe itself is headed toward dark and cold nothingness.

Death is the great equalizer: every billionaire and ever beggar, every president and every prisoner, every king and every kid – all of us will face death. All of mankind, of current days and of ancient days, spends his or her life, a brief moment, upon this earth. Our limited time is spent in a temporary world, and there is no escaping that reality.

Without the existence of an eternal place, there is no purpose other than the delusional purpose we might subjectively embrace for comfort’s sake. All that matters, all that is left, is what we do to affect eternity. Only the life spent for the eternal is a life filled with purpose.

This is why the scripture says,

“Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.” - Colossians 3:2

There are at least three benefits that belong to the one who bears an immortal mind, a mind fixed on eternity.

#1 – The Immortal Mind knows the purest gospel.

The eternal perspective is the perspective which leads one to find the most truthful interpretation of scripture and the gospel message.

If ever you have heard a version of the gospel with which you found a small, difficult-to-justify discomfort, you are not alone. For a while, whenever I would hear a gospel being preached which only promised blessing, a better life, humanitarian success and social justice for all, I found it difficult to place my finger on what exactly it was that I found to be disagreeable. Much of the modern preaching sounded orthodox, but, still, I found something to be amiss.

It wasn’t until recently that I was able to successfully identify the source of my misgivings. You see, the true gospel promises most of its impact to one’s eternity. There is nothing wrong with being blessed or devoted to aiding one’s fellow man. But, when our proclamation of the gospel becomes mostly about what we do here on earth, we’re missing something big. Jesus Himself said,

“Jesus answered, ‘My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.’” - John 18:36

The gospel will improve your life, but that’s not what it’s all about. Following Christ is a commitment to self-denial, not self-improvement. The gospel may be advanced by humanitarian efforts, but the rescue mission to save souls is the greatest humanitarian effort of all time. It is dangerous to preach only likable portions of the gospel to attract people to Christ.

First of all, why would you ever share only a portion of the gospel when not a single one of us is promised tomorrow? Secondly, we see no example of portioned presentations of the gospel in scripture.

It is the duty of every believer to preach all of the gospel.

Only when one is thinking through the paradigm of eternity can that one remain properly grounded.

The second benefit of having an immortal mind is that it inspires godly decisions.

#2 The Immortal Mind inspires holy living.

“Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.” - Hebrews 12:14

When you are aware of the fact that you will be held responsible for how you’ve lived your life, you gain the motivation to live right and holy. Your thoughts and your actions have an audience with God.

How much would your behavior change if you knew that you were going to stand before Christ today? Are you ready to give an account for your life? If you were to stand before the Lord right now, would He find you faithful? Though I may falter, I am determined to give my all to Him. I want my walk with the Lord to be one of consistency. When I am well, I will walk for His will. When I am refreshed, I will run for His will. When I am weary, I will crawl for His will.

Yes, I am determined, when this life has ended, to be able to look at my Master and be able to say, “Lord, I did all I could do. I gave my all for you.” Can you maintain your honesty when you say, “I’m living in a way that is pleasing to the Lord.”? If so, continue. If not, consider the brevity of life, while also contemplating the scope of eternity.

When you are mindful of just how fragile the human body is, something in you will change. We are so easily broken unto death. Life is a thin, fragile glass upon which we walk. Below us is eternity, and, once that glass shatters, we must meet the Creator.

There is no do over. Do not wait for the ideal situation to present itself to you, for no such ideal situation exists. Don’t wait for anything. Instead, use your every moment to store for yourself treasure in Heaven. Disdain sin and avoid evil. Be aware of that which comes after this life here on earth. Know that you will one day give an account for your every day.

But, contrary to what some might believe, living with the immortal mindset is not the same as living in fear. Just the opposite is true. When you live with an immortal mind, fear loses its power over you.

#3 The Immortal Mind is not fearful.

We fear loss. We fear pain. We fear death. We fear rejection, failure and harm.

But, in eternity, for the believer, none of those things exist. This life, compared with eternity, is not even equal to a second. So, no matter what may come in this life, it does not compare to what eternity has to offer.

“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.” - Romans 8:18

“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!” - 2 Corinthians 4:17

Therefore, we can rest in peace now. Most count on death to bring them that sort of rest, but we count on the Word of God to bring us that rest, for Jesus promised,

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.” - John 14:1-3

If you wait for death to allow you to rest in peace, then you have crowned the grave as prince. But, if you stand upon the promises of God, you can in this life rest in peace, for Christ is the prince of peace.

What, therefore, should cause us to fear? Should we lose a loved one, we have the hope of seeing them once more. Should we be martyred, tortured or persecuted for Christ’s sake, it is only for a moment. We have no evil to fear – sickness, terrorism, financial crisis – none of these should be feared. For all of that which causes men to fear, we will outlast in the beauty of eternity.

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