Tenacity—what Will I Choose? Series

INTRODUCTION:

Do you remember the story “The Little Engine That Could?” A trainload of toys was being taken over the mountain to all the children in Sunshine Valley, but unfortunately the engine broke down. One by one different engines came by, but none were willing to take the trainload of toys over the mountain. At last a small blue switching engine happened by, and all the toys asked if it would please take them to all the boys and girls on the other side of the mountain. The Little Engine had never been out of the switching yard before—let alone to travel over the mountain. You know the story; the little blue engine hooked itself up to the trainload of toys and began the journey over the mountain. As the Little Engine began to pull the toys up the mountain, you could hear it saying “I think I can, I think I can. . . ” At long last the Little engine crested the top of the mountain and as it started its decent into Sunshine Valley it could be heard singing, “I thought I could, I thought I could . . .”

Each of us daily faces a variety of different mountains to cross. Some of us stand before the mountains of Fear and Discouragement. Others want to travel over the mountain of Bills and Financial Difficulty. What mountain do you face? Is it Grief . . . Sickness . . . Loneliness . . . Unemployment?

Regardless of what you call the mountain standing before you, you have a choice. You can choose to let the mountain stand in your way, or you can determine to conquer your mountain and climb over into “Sonshine Valley”—that’s S-O-N; the valley of God’s Son.

To climb our mountains we need strength for daily living. Thankfully we don’t have to try to do it alone. God will give us strength to overcome the mountains we face in our lives.

•Ephesians 3:16-19 (MsgB)

[16] I ask him to strengthen you by his Spirit—not a brute strength but a glorious inner strength— [17] that Christ will live in you as you open the door and invite him in. And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, [18] you’ll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! [19] Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.

God will answer our prayer for strength. What are the keys to spiritual renewal? How can we receive strength for daily living?

More than just keys or principles to live by, we have been looking at five one word answers to five basic questions. When answered properly these are five questions will rejuvenate our spirits through the power of God within us.

Here again are the five answers; IDENTITY, INTEGRITY, CAPACITY, TENACITY and DESTINY.

Identity answers the question “Who am I?” Your identity is not determined by what you do or how other people see you. The answer to the question “who am I?” is found in knowing WHOSE I AM. God establishes your identity! When you remember who you are in Christ, your identity strengthens you in your inner being.

Integrity answers the question “Whose am I?” or another way to put it “Who controls how I live my life?” Your God given identity as a child of God establishes your integrity—whose are you? I am God’s, therefore the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and I will live my life to please God and not myself. You cannot live a holy life—a life of integrity—apart from your relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Integrity is not worked into us by what we do—integrity comes from within us because of who we are.

Capacity answers the question, “Why am I here?” For what purpose will I use the capacity or ability God has given to me? We can either choose to use our capacity to fulfill our own purpose or to achieve God’s highest purpose—to bring Him glory as we leave “God marks” in the lives of others. The imprint or impression we leave in the lives of others will be determined by whose capacity we use. We lack the strength or ability to glorify God on our own—we need to let God be the “hammer” to leave His impression.

Today we come to the fourth answer for strength for daily living—TENACITY. Tenacity answers the question “What will I choose?” We’re going to look our choice to learn how making the right choice and sticking with it will bring us strength for daily living.

1. YOUR CHOICE IS CRITICAL! What will you choose? Receiving strength for daily living is dependant upon your choice . . . the choice is critical.