Never Give Up Never Surrender

Hebrews 12:1–2 NKJV

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Certainly! That iconic line is from the movie “Galaxy Quest”. In the film, Jason Nesmith, played by Tim Allen, delivers this memorable phrase: “Never give up, never surrender.” It’s a rallying cry that resonates throughout the movie as the characters face unexpected challenges and embark on a real-life space adventure. Whether shouted in front of adoring fans or whispered in moments of vulnerability, this line captures the spirit of determination and resilience. I want to encourage you today that when life isn’t truing out the way you planned. YOu may have seen life going a certain way, a relationship that has broken down, a carreer going in a different direction. Maybe you had a picture of your family looking different in your mind then what it looks like in reality. Don’t give up.

Given A Word

People generally go in the direction they aim, and they generally aim in the direction they dream, or imagine themselves going. Everyone needs a dream to follow, but God’s people need to follow a specific dream, and that is the dream that God has for them. I recall asking one little boy what he was going to be when he grew up, and without hesitation, he said, “Whatever God wants me to me!” Now, that’s the ticket! I like to look at 2 Men of God today. First, Lets take a look at Joseph. You know the story of Joseph. Do you realize out of 50 chapters in Genesis Josephs story takes up 14 of them.

Genesis 37:5–7 NKJV

5 Now Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers; and they hated him even more. 6 So he said to them, “Please hear this dream which I have dreamed: 7 There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Then behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and indeed your sheaves stood all around and bowed down to my sheaf.”

Then we will go down to

Genesis 37:18–20 NKJV

18 Now when they saw him afar off, even before he came near them, they conspired against him to kill him. 19 Then they said to one another, “Look, this dreamer is coming! 20 Come therefore, let us now kill him and cast him into some pit; and we shall say, ‘Some wild beast has devoured him.’ We shall see what will become of his dreams!”

Here is a guy who actually heard from God but whose life went totally different from what he thought for more than 23 years. Joseph earned the right to jump out of the crowd to talk to us. He has earned the right to say, I know what you are going through. This is a serious message because many of us, at different times find our selves in the dangerous place of wanting to give up.

There isn’t anything worse than a dream that never comes to existence. A dream that never happens becomes the failure of a man that dies broken hearted! When God is your ultimate dream giver you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He expects the dream to succeed. When He gives you a dream it will burn within the very fibers of your being. Things that happen that happen during your day-to-day activities remind you that this is God’s dream for you. As the dream starts to become reality many people will be amazed, and some will even despise and try to kill the dream, but the assignment from the Lord is larger than men’s jealousy, therefore you are to keep and believe in the dream! People may not always like your dreams. You need to be alright with that.

A God dream is larger and greater than any man. Dreams don’t die only dreamers. We all have times in our lives that we feel like giving up but I think if Joseph was here today he would be saying. Press on. You can do this. Don’t give up and I know what you are going through. I have been through even worse.

Never Give up Never Surrender!

You Didn’t Start Off Well

Even if you didn’t start off well. Some of us didn’t start well and we are still seeing our lives through the rear view mirror. God has forgiven you and changed you but you are still defining who you are by your past. God doesn’t remember your sins anymore. But you and I have an accuser, the devil and his job is to accuse you. He will constantly remind you of your yesterday even though God has forgotten it. A lot of people give up the journey at this point. We think that we are just too messed up for God to use us.

I like what Charles Stanley says. The lies of the devil always have a ring of truth to them. The best counterfeit is always as close to the original as possible. We are all works in progress. Look at Paul. He was murdering Christians before He came to Christ.

1 Timothy 1:12–13 NKJV

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

God used him mightly, he wrote 13 books of the bible. Paul didn’t start well but He finished well for sure.

Never Give up and Never Surrender

Even If Those Around Are Rejecting You

Even if those around you are rejecting you. Are giving negative feeedback no matter how close they are to you. I’m sure even today some of you care exhauseted because of the rejection in your life. We often get discourage because of the negativity spoken to us. Jesus experienced it.

Mark 6:3–5 NKJV

3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him. 4 But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.” 5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.

This is the town where Jesus grew up in. You know that not only was Jesus not like, not only rejected there. He was hated in Nazereth. His home town. His family, HIs People.

We are challenged to keep dreams alive in a world that would crush them and us. If God has called you he will equip you with what you need for that dream to become reality. If you set your goal to live for the Lord. Setting your eyes on Him and not the circumstances around you. Living in the Liberty of Jesus not worrying about what others are thinking about you. That maybe even their opinions is different. That doesn’t matter you have been giving a word. Lets take a look at Nehemiah.

Here is Nehemiah hearing about the walls of Jerusalem. His heart hurts. He goes to prayer and fasting. God puts something in his heart. He wants to rebuild the wall but he’s the cup bearer to the king and in exile. How can he rebuild a wall but God! But God gives him favor and starts to make his dream come reality but. Theirs always a but ..you have Sanballa, Tobiah and Geshem

Nehemiah 2:17–20 NKJV

17 Then I said to them, “You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire. Come and let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer be a reproach.” 18 And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work. 19 But when Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they laughed at us and despised us, and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Will you rebel against the king?” 20 So I answered them, and said to them, “The God of heaven Himself will prosper us; therefore we His servants will arise and build, but you have no heritage or right or memorial in Jerusalem.”

Nehemiah you can see his verse 19 Lets look at these 3 dream killers:

Sanballat (whose name is Babylonian and means “Sin (the moon god) Gives Life”) was Nehemiah’s prime enemy. He loosely aligned himself with Yahwehism, as seen in the Yahwistic names he gave his two sons. The Horonite likely means he lived north of Jerusalem in Beth Horon. He was governor of Samaria as late as 408 B.C.

Tobiah (whose name is mysteriously Yahwistic) was an Ammonite indicating he was a pagan. He was apparently Sanballat’s junior colleague. Geshem the Arab was perhaps governor of the Persian province of Arabia, just south of Judah, or he may have been a powerful tribal chieftain

The enemy will try and discourage you. We must not take the bait.

God encourages our dreams for him and from him

Romans 10:17 NKJV

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Full of Surprises

Never Give up and Never Surrender even if your journey is full of surprises

When you get a vision from God, it will never go the way you think it should have. It never goes in a straight line. After Joseph was given his dream 11 events happened spanning 23 years of his life. Thats a long time. He was:

Misunderstood by his family

Did he give up or go on?

Sold into slavery to Potiphar

Lived in a strange country far from home.

Given favor in Potiphar’s house

Falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife

Thrown into prison.

Put in charge of all the prisoners

Forgotten by the Chief cup bearer.

Remained in prison 2 more years.

Interpreted Pharaoh’s dream.

Became second in command in Egypt

Your life might feel like it looks the same as Joseph. The question is what are you going to do in that moment?

Here’s a word from God, as the dreamer keeps their ears (their hearing) what they hear, in the word of God, faith will stay available to bring fruit unto the dream!

In other words, as you stay in God’s word and continue to hear God’s word, faith will bring manifestation unto the dream!

It’s too late! Say it’s too late! Nehemiah had already prayed and received peace and confirmation from Almighty God! He had the king’s permission; He had his Jewish brothers behind him. (It’s too late!)

Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem could laugh and try to destroy all they wanted to but, it was too late, Nehemiah wasn’t coming down off the wall because he had a word form God!

The wall was already built in the heart and soul of Nehemiah; therefore, he wasn’t quitting just because some men didn’t like his dream!

Nehemiah 2:18 NKJV

18 And I told them of the hand of my God which had been good upon me, and also of the king’s words that he had spoken to me. So they said, “Let us rise up and build.” Then they set their hands to this good work.

Remember this, even though Nehemiah said these words in ‘chapter two’ his dream begin in ‘chapter one’ as he heard about the walls of Jerusalem being destroyed he wept, prayed and fasted. Then God gave him the dream!

Remember this, “When God gives you a dream He will allow you to rebuild what was lost and forgotten!”

How do we keep going? The same way Joseph and Nehemiah did. Relying on God being with them and giving them favor.

God says "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible."

Romans 8:28 NKJV

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

An Army Officer to General George Patton, "Sir, we're surrounded!" Patton said, "Excellent. We can attack in any direction!"

With our eyes fixed in the right place we can keep going even if it takes a long time to realize it

Remember it took 23 years, 2 years in prison. Here Joseph hes in Pharaoh’s court and he interprets the dream and everything happens the way he said hand he saved the day. He was the hero of Egypt. That’s the greatest part of the story but what do you do in the middle when you are in the hard times. When your in the dark parts, the dungeons, people lying about you or your in the pit. I like the way Habakkuk puts it in the New Living translation.

Habakkuk 2:3 NKJV

3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.

If it seems like its taking forever don’t give up. just be patient. God is always working patience… in our lives because He is more interested in our character than our comfort.

You Never Give Up and Never Surrender

Focus not on the Outward but the Inward

In other words focus on what happens in you and not to you.

Henry Blackaby said, "You never find God asking persons to dream up what they want to do for Him...Without doubt, the most important factor in each (Biblical) situation was not what the individual wanted to do for God. The most important factor was what God was ABOUT to do." When God came to Noah He didn’t ask, 'What do you want to do for me?' He came to reveal what He was about to do. It was far more important to know what God was about to do. It really didn’t matter what Noah had planned to do for God. God was about to destroy the world. He wanted to work through Noah to accomplish His purposes of saving a remnant of people and animals to repopulate the earth."

As you wait on him You will go through those difficult times. Look at Joseph. He was put in a Pit, Potiphar’s Wife, Prison with the Butler and the Baker. Then finally Pharaoh’s dream Starts Joseph rise to power where the dream will come to pass.

1 Peter 1:6–7 NKJV

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

You might have doubts if God will do what he’s put in your heart but maybe like Esther You were chosen for this. Maybe You feel like Moses and given every excuse your speech isn’t eloquent but He wants you to be his mouthpiece God has put something in your heart He has for you to do and wants you to do your in a incubation. Like a baby chick. It gets hot in that incubator but your greatest failure is the failure of not to try. Not to do what the Lord is speaking to you. Keep moving in Him

James 1:2–3 NKJV

2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.

It’s so easy to get mad and blame other people… but we need to focus on what God is teaching us.

Philippians 3:13–14 NKJV

13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Your response to the offense determines your future.

Joseph has the chance to get revenge on his brothers. They did not know who he was, but he knew them. He could have wiped them out. But he didn’t. This is where a lot of us get derailed. We hold into resentment and it will destroy your dreams. It’s not work it. Travel light. Get rid of that offense. Joseph revealed who he was and the first thing they said was… don’t kill us. Here is his response.

Genesis 50:20–21 NKJV

20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. 21 Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Joseph wanted to take them out but he realized that God used for good. He had a choice he had the power. He could of gotten revenege but then the dream would of never happened. Joseph Saved His Family and He served God Faithfully Joseph never allowed bitterness and forgiveness into his heart. Your God dream is the only thing that will satisfy your soul. don’t let anyone or anything rob you of your God dream He will always be with you

Psalms 48 1 Our God is our refuge and strength and ever present help in trouble. Jeremiah declares Not to be afraid for I am with you and will rescure you. Psalms 139 says no matter where we are at he will guide you and his right hand will hold you

Matthew 28:20 says and surley I am with you always to the very end of the age.

Remember God Is always with you so Never Give Up and Never Surrender!