Resilience
God has given us a perfect example of a godly life in the apostle Paul. The life of Apostle Paul exemplifies resilience, as described in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28,“Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness—besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.”
Pastor James concluded his sermon on 4/6/2025 by encouraging us to remain standing and resilient in our faith. God is calling us to stand united as one body of Christ, across all churches, and to remain steadfast in the face of cultural opposition. Even when the truth of God's Word becomes an unpopular opinion, we are called to boldly share His revelatory truth with others, no matter the cost. We must be willing to pay the price.
Ephesians 6:10-14 NKJV, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to STAND.”
Week 1: Resilience in Spiritual Formation
Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-12. We need to understand the mercy and grace of God in Christian life.
Mercy is essential for understanding God's dealings through Christ, and all believers need it for ongoing repentance and sanctification,
Paul emphasizes resilience in spiritual formation, not as an option but essential for life and ministry.
Learn to pray the prayer of the Syro-Phoenician woman (Mark 7:26), and how to pray the prayer of blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-47).
PRAYER POINTS:
Pray that God will give us the revelation of what it means to be resilient in our faith and that we can apply this revelation to our daily challenges to keep fighting the good fight of faith.
Pray that as we spend our time alone with God, He will give us the strength and peace that surpass all understanding for us to continue to walk in our journey of life.
Pray that we will have the courage to stand firm in our faith and continue to press on sharing the gospel of truth without wavering but with boldness just as we learn from the life of Apostle Paul and the life of the persecuted Christ's followers who gave their lives for the cost of Christ.
Pray that we can bring godly influences to the seven spheres of society wherever the Lord places us: Business, Government, Education, Arts and Entertainment, Media, Family, and Religion.
Pray for us to have the courage and boldness to disciple people in our sphere of influence in the knowledge of Jesus.
Week 2: Resilience and Perseverance in the Face of Adversity
Find hope in God's ability to make a way out of seemingly impossible situations.
The importance of resilience and resurrection power in overcoming challenges and trusting in God alone for strength and deliverance.
Resilience is building a life of resistance to disruptions, not just coping with them and deriving strength from adversity.
Developing intentional resilience involves exploring tough questions like who you are, who you want to become, and how your identity shapes your actions.
PRAYER POINTS:
Pray that as we grow in our resilience, we can trust in God's ability to rescue us and bring us victory in all challenges and difficulties we face.
Pray for a deeper revelation of Jesus and the resurrection power of Christ who lives within us, so that we may walk in the same power to overcome every death-like situation in our lives.
As we pray to deepen our walk in Christ, we will grow stronger in faith each day. Psalm 84:7 AMP, “They go from strength to strength [increasing in victorious power]; each one appears before God in Zion”
Pray that we are intentional in building our resilience, continually fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. May we grow in the knowledge of who we are in Christ, pressing on to become mighty warriors of valor in His Kingdom, knowing we are His beloved children, strong and mighty in Him.
Week 3: Resilience and Trust in God in the Midst of Scarcity
Read Matthew 14:15-23
Jesus uses the limited resources available to teach his followers how to meet the needs of others in an isolated place.
Jesus teaches disciples to imagine possibilities, innovate, and improvise in challenging situations.
Jesus teaches resilience through thanksgiving and give what's available.
Jesus desires isolation to process and reset, then returns with resources for oppressed multitudes.
PRAYER POINTS:
Pray that we experience the miracle of the five loaves and two fish—that whatever we have in our hands, we would place it in Jesus’ care with unwavering trust, believing He can multiply it beyond measure to meet every need and bring satisfaction to many.
Pray that we continue to have a teachable heart, open to the teaching and leading of the Holy Spirit—so that our knowledge and understanding may be sharpened. May we trust His guidance to provide innovative solutions, press through seemingly impossible situations, and experience breakthrough in every challenge we face.
Pray that we always have a heart of gratitude and a spirit of generosity in every situation. May we remember that our faith produces perseverance, and through perseverance, we grow in maturity in our walk with Christ with confident that we will lack nothing (James 1:3-4 NIV).
Pray that when Jesus leads us into a place of isolation, we recognize it is for our good, that we may fix our eyes on Him without distraction. In that quiet place, may our intimacy with Jesus deepen, so that we are equipped to bring His blessings to the multitudes and boldly share Him with others
Week 4: Resilience in the Midst of Turbulent Times
In the midst of a life-threatening storm, remember Jesus’ previous teaching on resilience and preparedness (Matthew 14:22-33).
Chaos and darkness should not change our perception of who Jesus is.
Understand God’s unpredictable nature in dark seasons.
Be encouraged to face fears and distorted perceptions to build resilience. God has power over chaos,
Arise and build.
PRAYER POINTS:
Pray that during our darkest seasons, we will stand strong and remain resilient, not overwhelmed by the darkness. May we remember that Jesus is present even there, and as we call upon His name, He will empower us to rise above the pressure and walk on the waters of the impossible.
Pray that amid chaos and darkness around us, we will see Jesus, who always shows up to calm our fears. He will call us to rise in courage, to face our fears, and to replace them with unwavering faith.
Pray for revelation, knowledge, and understanding that even when we can’t predict the outcome of the dark seasons in our lives, God always has a way to rescue us, and He is never late. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. In the end, He will come through with victory over every challenge we face.
Pray that we develop the resilience like David, who during his challenges, found strength by encouraging himself in the Lord. May we have the same unwavering trust and confidence that God will never leave us nor forsake us. He alone has the final say and holds power over the chaos that surrounds us.
Pray that as we build our resilience in the Lord, we will arise and shine as a light to the world around us. May our faith continue to grow stronger, equipping us to disciple the nations by bringing and teaching God’s ways to a world in desperate need of Jesus.
