Die With Your Boots On!

Die with your boots on! No, I'm not referring to the song by Iron Maiden, but the principle of perseverence, tanacity, or even sticktooitivness if you will. And no, I'm not trying to get all Tony Robins on you either. I think that there is real virtue in sticking with something that is hard. And before you call me Captain Obvious, I think it is actually okay to fail...if you at least give it your best and don't quit. In other words, if you're going to go down, go down fighting. Die with your boots on!

The reason I am thinking of all this is because I find myself doing lots of things that are really hard. I uprooted and moved to Georgia, I joined a new church that challenges me immensely, and I work at a very demanding job now. I've never had all of this at one time and the temptation to quit has been very strong. But the Lord is faithful and He has reminded me many times of Scriptures that speak of being faithful, even unto death. He promises me that if I trust in Him while faithfully doing my job, loving my wife, and serving my church, He will reward me with great rewards in Heaven after the resurrection of my body. So even if things don't work out here, at least I am going to do my best, trusting His power, and leaving the outcome to Him.

Two of the things that have really encouraged me are the doctrine of the resurrection of the body that believers will receive when Jesus returns, and the nature of spiritual warfare. Jesus promises His followers that those who are faithful and wise will receive a resurrection to eternal life and receive rewards when He comes (Matthew 25:14-30). The devil knows this so he and his demons war against us to try to get us to quit and become like the guy with the talent who hid it in the field and was destroyed for it (Matthew 25:24-30). He does this by telling us that Jesus doesn't really love us, or that we don't have the power to do it, or that we will be better off by doing something else that doesn't advance Christ's Kingdom. Our flesh doesn't help either becuase it lusts against the Spirit who helps us obey Christ (Galatians 5:17).

I believe the best way to fight back is to remember that Jesus DOES love you, that He has forgiven you, and that He does promise that if you belong to Him, you will persevere triumphantly to the end (Jeremiah 32:40; Romans 8:31-39). The followers of Jesus are those who overcome by the Blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:10,11). That is, they conquer by remembering that their sins have been forgiven and that Jesus loves them furiously. The devil's only weapon - accusation, has been taken from him.

Saints, let us conquer by the Blood of the Lamb and die with our boots on!