No one wants to come out of a tough situation by the skin of their teeth. We don’t want to drag ourselves to the finish line. We all wish and ultimately pray for a strong finish. So, how do we run this race and finish strong against all odds? How do we reach the goal that God has set for each of us?

Habakkuk 2:2-3 NKJV – “Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.” 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.”

Acts 1:8 NKJV – “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The most important message to the world is Jesus. People in the world need to know that Jesus loves and forgives them, and that Jesus saves. They need to know that Jesus gives eternal life. The world needs to know that Jesus is Lord. However, the most important message to the church is the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples that He had to go so that the Holy Spirit could come and that the church can be established.

John 16:1 NKJV – “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be offended.”

Jesus said we should not be offended. Now, I know that sounds strange and probably impossible, especially when living in a culture that is constantly seeking offense. As a believer, you shouldn't look for offense. You shouldn't be led by your emotions because they were never meant to be a guide as to what's right or wrong. They are a gauge of how we feel.

There are several misconceptions about the road to the Kingdom of heaven. Some of us think doing the best deeds guarantees our seat. Others believe that the church we go to will get us into heaven. But there’s only one way to heaven – Jesus Christ.

John 15:1 NKJV – “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.”

The difference between a good athlete and a great athlete is not talent or ability – it’s passion. This is true for every line of work and every area of our lives. Success does not come from talent; it comes from passion.

Telling others about the love of God should be one of the most natural things we do in our lives. Because God has been so good to me, I cannot keep him to myself. I have to open my heart and talk to people about how good God is, how wonderful He is, and what He's done for me. You’ve got to tell somebody how good God has been to you.

The thought of the supernatural can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. We live in a world that was created by a supernatural God. Everything about God and salvation is supernatural. You're a new creation because God did supernatural work in you. Prayer, communion, and laying of hands are all supernatural. In fact, everything about believers has a supernatural aspect to it.

I cannot think of anything more important than having supernatural joy in the life of a believer, especially for the days we're living in. We are living in dark days, and yet God has given us the fruit of joy in our lives to overcome no matter the circumstances.

Leviticus 6:13 NKJV – “A fire shall always be burning on the altar; it shall never go out.”

From the Old Testament to the New, there’s a lot of fire-related symbolism in Scripture. When Moses brought an offering to establish Aaron as a high priest, God came down as fire and consumed the offering. Then He said the fire shall ever be burning on the altar.

A lot of us tend to take credit for God’s work. When things go well, we often show gratitude for all the human actions that led to our success, forgetting the Creator. But the truth is that everything good in your life is because of God.

A lot of us want to know God. Now more than ever, we’re hungry for a deep, personal relationship with Jesus. How many times have we quipped about how great it would be if we went fishing with Jesus, or if we were around Him? We tend to forget that we have Him IN us. In fact, Jesus reminds us of His presence in our hearts before He ascends into heaven. So, how do we build that relationship with Jesus?

One of the greatest human desires is to know our purpose, not just in our lives but in the Kingdom of God. We want to know what God has called us to do, but we won't always know our purpose up front. For most of us, our purpose unfolds as we walk through this journey. But as we look forward to discovering this purpose, there’s one thing we can do – embodying the unconditional love of Jesus.