Exposing the Noonday Demon

 EXPOSING THE NOONDAY DEMON

The Demonic Structure of Distraction, Spiritual Weariness, Restlessness, and Abandoning Your God-Given Assignment

Primary Scripture: Psalm 91:5–6 (KJV)

“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.”

Supporting Scriptures: Galatians 6:9; Nehemiah 6:1–4; Matthew 26:40–41; Luke 10:38–42; 1 Kings 19:1–18; Ephesians 6:10–18; Hebrews 12:1–3.

INTRODUCTION — THE DEMON THAT WANTS YOU TO STOP PRESSING FORWARD

When we begin discussing demonic structures and spiritual warfare, many people immediately think about manifestations, witchcraft, oppression, or the more recognizable operations of unclean spirits. However, some of the most destructive spiritual attacks are not necessarily those that produce an outward manifestation. Some are designed to gradually weaken a believer's determination to continue pursuing God.

I want to introduce you to a demonic structure that was recognized and discussed among the early Christian desert fathers. They referred to it as the Noonday Demon.

What makes this particular structure so interesting is that its historical description centers on something that continues to challenge believers today: distraction, spiritual weariness, restlessness, discouragement, and the temptation to abandon spiritual responsibilities.

The enemy does not always have to convince someone to reject Jesus Christ. Sometimes the strategy of temptation is to persuade them that continuing to pursue God is no longer worth the effort.

They still believe in God, but they have lost their desire to pray. They still believe in the power of the Holy Spirit, but they no longer pursue spiritual intimacy. They still believe that God has called them, but they begin questioning whether they should continue in their assignment.

This is where the historical teaching concerning the Noonday Demon becomes particularly important.

The objective of this demonic strategy is not simply to interrupt what you are doing. It is to make you no longer want to continue doing it.

And there is a difference.

A distraction interrupts your attention temporarily. But when distraction develops into discouragement, spiritual indifference, and abandonment, the consequences become much more serious.

The church must learn to recognize spiritual warfare that targets perseverance, because not every attack is designed to knock you down immediately. Some temptations are designed to wear you down gradually.

POINT 1 — THE ORIGIN OF THE NOONDAY DEMON

Psalm 91:5–6 (KJV):

“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.”

The ancient Greek translation of this passage, known as the Septuagint, contains the expression traditionally translated as the “noonday demon.”

This expression became especially significant in early Christian monastic writings.

During the fourth century, a Christian monk named Evagrius Ponticus described what he called the demon of acedia, commonly associated with the Noonday Demon.

Evagrius lived among the desert monks of Egypt, who devoted themselves to prayer, fasting, Scripture, solitude, and spiritual discipline.

These monks deliberately withdrew from many of the distractions of ordinary society.

They were not going into the desert because they believed geography itself produced holiness. They sought an environment where they could devote themselves more completely to prayer and the pursuit of God.

But something remarkable emerged from their experiences.

Even after withdrawing from the noise, responsibilities, and attractions of society, they still encountered powerful temptations against their spiritual commitment.

They discovered that removing external distractions did not automatically eliminate internal spiritual battles.

Evagrius described the Noonday Demon as producing an intense dissatisfaction with their surroundings and spiritual responsibilities.

A monk might become restless, repeatedly look outside his dwelling, feel that the day was unbearably long, or become convinced that he could serve God more effectively somewhere else.

The temptation was to abandon the discipline he had undertaken.

Consider the significance of this.

THEY WENT INTO THE DESERT TO ESCAPE DISTRACTION, BUT THE BATTLE FOLLOWED THEM INTO THE PLACE OF CONSECRATION.

That is powerful.

The historical description teaches us that spiritual distraction is not always dependent upon what is happening around a person.

Sometimes the battle concerns what is taking place within their thoughts, desires, and willingness to persevere.

You can remove yourself from a distracting environment and still struggle to maintain your attention in prayer.

You can turn off your phone and still find your mind wandering.

You can withdraw from unnecessary activities and still experience resistance toward studying the Word of God.

This is why consecration must involve more than changing our surroundings.

It must involve surrendering our minds, desires, and wills to the Lord.

POINT 2 — THE DEMONIC STRATEGY OF MAKING YOUR ASSIGNMENT FEEL UNBEARABLE

Galatians 6:9 (KJV):

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

One of the most significant characteristics associated with the Noonday Demon was its attack upon perseverance.

The monks were not necessarily being tempted to commit some obvious outward sin.

They were being tempted to stop doing what they had committed themselves to do.

Prayer began to feel exhausting.

Solitude began to feel unbearable.

Spiritual discipline began to feel meaningless.

Their surroundings became a source of dissatisfaction.

And the temptation was to believe that leaving their assignment would bring relief.

Now bring that into the modern church.

A believer begins attending Bible study and growing in the Word. Initially, they are excited. They are learning, asking questions, and developing spiritually.

But after some time, the excitement begins to fade.

They start finding reasons not to attend.

They become distracted by other activities.

Eventually, the very thing that was helping them grow becomes something they feel burdened to continue.

A person serving in ministry can experience something similar.

They begin with excitement and dedication. But when responsibility becomes repetitive, when recognition is limited, or when difficulties arise, they become dissatisfied.

Instead of seeking God for renewed strength and direction, they begin entertaining thoughts of abandoning their responsibilities.

The danger is that discouragement can begin to influence decisions that should be governed by obedience.

Paul understood the importance of perseverance.

He did not simply instruct believers to begin doing good.

He instructed them not to become weary in continuing to do good.

There is a difference between starting an assignment and finishing it.

The enemy does not have to stop you from starting if temptation can persuade you to quit before you finish.

The attack against perseverance seeks to make the responsibility feel greater than the purpose.

It encourages the believer to focus continually on the difficulty of the assignment rather than the faithfulness of the God who called them.

And if that perspective is entertained long enough, discouragement can become a doorway to spiritual withdrawal.

POINT 3 — DISTRACTION IS ONE OF THE GREATEST WEAPONS AGAINST DEVOTION

Luke 10:40–42 (KJV):

“But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Martha was not involved in something inherently sinful.

She was serving.

But her attention had become consumed by responsibilities while Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Jesus identified that Martha was troubled about many things.

This passage exposes an important principle concerning distraction.

Something does not have to be sinful to become a distraction from something God has made a priority.

The early desert monks recognized this problem.

They understood that the constant demands and attractions of ordinary life could compete with spiritual devotion.

That was one reason they sought solitude.

But the historical accounts of the Noonday Demon reveal an even deeper struggle.

When external distractions were reduced, the temptation appeared in another form: restlessness, dissatisfaction, and the desire to escape the discipline of prayer.

In other words, the distraction did not always have to present something pleasurable.

Sometimes it simply had to make the present responsibility seem intolerable.

Think about how this can operate in the life of a believer.

They sit down to study Scripture, but suddenly everything else seems important.

They begin praying, but their thoughts repeatedly move toward unfinished responsibilities.

They commit to a season of consecration, but become increasingly preoccupied with what they are missing.

They begin questioning whether their spiritual discipline is accomplishing anything.

The problem is not that every wandering thought represents demonic activity. The spiritual danger emerges when distraction is continually entertained until it displaces devotion.

Jesus taught His disciples to seek first the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 6:33 (KJV):

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

The issue is priority.

When everything becomes more important than pursuing God, spiritual growth suffers.

And when believers continually surrender their attention to competing interests, their spiritual disciplines become increasingly difficult to maintain.

THE ENEMY DOES NOT HAVE TO REMOVE YOUR BIBLE IF HE CAN KEEP YOU TOO DISTRACTED TO OPEN IT.

He does not have to close the church doors if believers become too occupied to gather.

He does not have to eliminate prayer if believers continually postpone it.

This is why distraction must be taken seriously in spiritual warfare.

POINT 4 — THE NOONDAY DEMON AND THE SPIRITUAL CONDITION OF ACEDIA

The early Christian term acedia is central to understanding this historical demonic structure.

Acedia describes more than ordinary laziness.

In the writings of Evagrius, it involved a complicated struggle of spiritual indifference, restlessness, discouragement, and resistance toward one's spiritual responsibilities.

The individual could simultaneously feel unwilling to continue their present assignment and desperate to be doing something else.

This is a significant characteristic.

The temptation did not always produce complete inactivity.

Sometimes it produced a desire for constant movement.

The monk wanted to leave his dwelling.

He wanted to visit someone.

He wanted to find another place.

He began imagining that spiritual life would be easier somewhere else.

But the underlying temptation was the same: abandon the present discipline.

This is where we need spiritual understanding.

Not every form of busyness represents productivity.

A person can remain constantly active while avoiding the very responsibility God has placed before them.

Someone can spend hours discussing spiritual warfare while neglecting personal prayer.

They can attend conference after conference while refusing to establish consistency in their local church.

They can pursue prophetic words from multiple people while neglecting the written Word of God.

They can become fascinated with spiritual manifestations while resisting the discipline of discipleship.

And they may mistake constant spiritual activity for spiritual maturity.

But activity and maturity are not the same thing.

A PERSON CAN BE SPIRITUALLY BUSY AND STILL BE SPIRITUALLY UNDISCIPLINED.

Acedia, as described by the desert fathers, exposes the temptation to escape the demands of faithful spiritual practice.

This makes it especially relevant to the church today.

We live in a culture that continually encourages immediate gratification, constant stimulation, and endless alternatives.

If something becomes difficult, people are encouraged to replace it.

If something becomes repetitive, they search for something more exciting.

If commitment becomes demanding, they begin looking for an easier arrangement.

But discipleship requires endurance.

Luke 9:23 (KJV):

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

Jesus did not describe discipleship as something governed by convenience.

He said to take up the cross daily.

That means faithfulness must continue even when feelings change.

POINT 5 — THE TEMPTATION TO BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING BETTER IS ALWAYS SOMEWHERE ELSE

Nehemiah 6:2–3 (KJV):

“That Sanballat and Geshem sent unto me, saying, Come, let us meet together in some one of the villages in the plain of Ono. But they thought to do me mischief.

And I sent messengers unto them, saying, I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down: why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?”

Nehemiah was engaged in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.

His enemies attempted to draw him away from the work.

They presented an invitation, but their intentions were destructive.

Nehemiah recognized that leaving his assignment would interrupt the work God had entrusted to him.

His response was simple.

“I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down.”

This is a powerful biblical illustration of resisting distraction.

The historical description of the Noonday Demon included the temptation to believe that one's present location or responsibility was no longer suitable.

The monk might imagine that he could accomplish more somewhere else.

He might begin believing that his present spiritual discipline was unproductive.

He might become convinced that a change of environment would solve his dissatisfaction.

But the temptation often involved escaping the very discipline through which he had committed himself to pursue God.

Consider how this applies to believers.

Some people continually move from one ministry to another because they become dissatisfied whenever accountability increases.

Some abandon responsibilities when the excitement of beginning something new fades.

Some continually search for a new spiritual experience while resisting the consistent obedience required for maturity.

Of course, God can direct someone into a new season or assignment. The issue is not whether change is ever appropriate.

The issue is whether the desire for change is being governed by obedience or by the temptation to escape responsibility.

EVERY OPEN DOOR IS NOT AN INSTRUCTION TO WALK AWAY FROM YOUR PRESENT ASSIGNMENT.

Nehemiah understood that remaining faithful sometimes requires refusing an invitation.

He would not allow an apparent opportunity to become a distraction from obedience.

And that is something the modern church desperately needs to understand.

You do not have to respond to every criticism.

You do not have to participate in every controversy.

You do not have to chase every spiritual experience.

You must learn to recognize what God has entrusted to you and remain faithful until He directs otherwise.

POINT 6 — THE ATTACK AGAINST THE WILL TO PRAY

Matthew 26:40–41 (KJV):

“And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

One of the central disciplines practiced by the desert monks was prayer.

Their lives were intentionally structured around communion with God.

This helps explain why the historical descriptions of the Noonday Demon focused so heavily upon resistance toward prayer and spiritual discipline.

The temptation sought to make prayer feel burdensome.

The individual became restless.

Time seemed to pass slowly.

Attention wandered.

The desire to continue diminished.

Now consider the words of Jesus.

“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation.”

Jesus connected watchfulness and prayer with resisting temptation.

Prayer is not merely a religious activity.

It is communion with God.

It is a place of surrender.

It is where believers seek His wisdom, receive strength, and align their desires with His will.

The enemy has reason to oppose the believer's devotion to prayer because prayer strengthens dependence upon God.

And this is why believers must develop consistency rather than relying entirely upon emotional motivation.

There will be days when prayer feels effortless.

There will also be days when prayer requires intentional discipline.

But spiritual maturity involves learning to pursue God beyond emotional excitement.

Romans 8:26 (KJV):

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

The Holy Spirit helps believers in their weaknesses.

And as Pentecostal believers, we understand the importance of praying in the Holy Ghost.

Jude 1:20 (KJV):

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,”

Prayer in the Spirit is an important part of the believer's spiritual life.

But we must remember that spiritual discipline is not sustained merely through determination.

It is sustained through dependence upon the Holy Spirit.

WHEN YOUR FLESH DOES NOT WANT TO PRAY, DO NOT ALLOW YOUR FEELINGS TO BECOME THE FINAL AUTHORITY OVER YOUR DEVOTION.

Submit yourself to God.

Seek His strength.

And continue developing a life of prayer.

POINT 7 — THE ATTACK AGAINST SPIRITUAL ENDURANCE

Hebrews 12:1–3 (KJV):

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

Pay particular attention to verse three.

“Lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

The writer of Hebrews understood that perseverance involves the mind.

There is a battle against discouragement.

There is a battle against distraction.

There is a battle against the temptation to stop pressing forward.

And the instruction is to consider Jesus.

Why?

Because Christ endured.

He remained obedient to the Father's will despite suffering, rejection, and opposition.

This passage gives us a powerful answer to the temptation associated with acedia.

The believer must learn to endure.

Not because endurance earns salvation, but because perseverance is part of faithful discipleship.

The Noonday Demon, as described in early Christian writings, attacked the monk's willingness to continue his spiritual discipline.

Hebrews teaches believers to lay aside weights, run with patience, and keep their attention fixed upon Jesus Christ.

THE DEMONIC STRATEGY IS TO MAKE YOU FOCUS SO MUCH ON THE DIFFICULTY OF THE JOURNEY THAT YOU LOSE SIGHT OF THE ONE WHO CALLED YOU TO WALK IT.

And this is where believers must regain their spiritual focus.

You cannot continually measure your calling by your circumstances.

You cannot allow every difficult season to convince you that obedience is no longer necessary.

And you cannot permit temporary discouragement to become the governing influence over your decisions.

The Christian life requires endurance.

POINT 8 — EXPOSING THE STRUCTURE THROUGH SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT

First Corinthians 12:10 (KJV):

“To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:”

As deliverance ministers, we understand that spiritual discernment is essential.

The Holy Spirit reveals what natural observation alone cannot establish.

But discernment must remain subject to the Holy Spirit and grounded in the Word of God.

When examining the historical description of the Noonday Demon, several recurring characteristics deserve attention.

The first is distraction from devotion.

The second is dissatisfaction with spiritual responsibilities.

The third is restlessness and the desire to escape.

The fourth is discouragement concerning the value of spiritual discipline.

The fifth is a temptation to abandon what was previously embraced as a calling.

These characteristics help us understand the pattern described by the desert fathers.

In ministry, however, we must discern rather than simply assume.

A believer may be experiencing genuine exhaustion and need restoration.

Another may be struggling with spiritual immaturity and require discipleship.

Another may be resisting conviction concerning disobedience.

And where demonic oppression is present, the Holy Spirit can reveal what must be confronted through the authority of Jesus Christ.

The goal of discernment is not merely to identify an enemy.

It is to understand how to minister effectively to the person.

Second Corinthians 2:11 (KJV):

“Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

Paul teaches that believers should not remain ignorant of Satan's devices.

That is why exposing spiritual strategies is important.

When people recognize the temptation to abandon prayer, withdraw from fellowship, or surrender their commitment to God, they can begin resisting those influences rather than passively accepting them.

EXPOSURE REMOVES THE ADVANTAGE OF A STRATEGY THAT DEPENDS UPON REMAINING UNRECOGNIZED.

POINT 9 — HOW TO OVERCOME THE NOONDAY DEMON

James 4:7 (KJV):

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

Notice the order.

Submission comes before resistance.

We cannot effectively confront spiritual opposition while refusing to submit our own lives to God.

The biblical response to the temptations associated with the Noonday Demon involves several important disciplines.

First, believers must renew their commitment to prayer.

Prayer must become a priority rather than an activity reserved for moments of convenience.

Second, believers must guard their attention.

Not every distraction deserves a response. Not every opportunity deserves participation. And not every thought deserves agreement.

Third, believers must renew their minds through Scripture.

Romans 12:2 teaches that transformation occurs through the renewing of the mind.

Fourth, believers must remain accountable within the body of Christ.

Isolation can become spiritually dangerous when it develops into withdrawal from encouragement, correction, and fellowship.

Fifth, believers must learn to persevere.

The Christian life cannot be governed entirely by changing emotions.

Finally, believers must depend upon the Holy Spirit.

The fruit of the Spirit includes faithfulness, patience, and self-control. These qualities are essential for enduring spiritual challenges.

Ephesians 6:13 (KJV):

“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

There are times when the instruction is not to pursue something new.

It is to stand.

Remain faithful.

Continue praying.

Continue studying.

Continue obeying.

Continue serving.

Continue pursuing holiness.

THE ENEMY WANTS TO CONVINCE YOU THAT THE ANSWER IS TO ABANDON YOUR ASSIGNMENT. BUT SOMETIMES THE BREAKTHROUGH COMES THROUGH REMAINING FAITHFUL TO WHAT GOD HAS ALREADY TOLD YOU TO DO.

POINT 10 — THE NOONDAY DEMON CANNOT REPLACE THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Isaiah 40:29–31 (KJV):

“He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

The promise of God is not that believers will never experience difficulty.

The promise is that He gives strength to those who depend upon Him.

This is the answer to the spiritual weariness described in the historical accounts of acedia.

The Holy Spirit empowers believers to continue when the demands of obedience become difficult.

He strengthens us to resist temptation.

He leads us into truth.

He develops spiritual maturity.

And He enables us to remain faithful to Christ.

The Noonday Demon became associated with the exhausting middle portion of the day, when the monk's work seemed endless and the desire to escape became intense.

That provides a powerful picture of spiritual perseverance.

Many believers begin their assignments with excitement.

They also look forward to the fulfillment of what God has promised.

But the most difficult part is often the middle.

The place where the excitement of beginning has passed, but the fulfillment has not yet arrived.

The place where obedience has become repetitive.

The place where the results are not immediately visible.

The place where perseverance is required.

And that is where the temptation to abandon the assignment can become particularly strong.

THE MIDDLE OF YOUR ASSIGNMENT IS NOT PROOF THAT GOD HAS ABANDONED YOU. IT MAY BE THE VERY PLACE WHERE YOUR ENDURANCE IS BEING DEVELOPED.

James 1:4 (KJV):

“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

Perseverance develops maturity.

And maturity prepares believers to remain faithful regardless of changing circumstances.

CLOSING — DO NOT ABANDON WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO FINISH

I want to return to the desert fathers.

These men withdrew from many of the distractions of society because they desired a life of greater devotion to God.

But they discovered that removing the noise around them did not automatically remove the battle against their spiritual discipline.

They described a temptation that made prayer feel burdensome, solitude feel intolerable, and perseverance seem pointless.

They called it the Noonday Demon.

And although our surroundings are different today, the spiritual challenge of distraction and discouragement remains relevant.

There are believers who have become so distracted that their prayer lives have suffered.

There are ministry workers who have become discouraged and are considering abandoning their responsibilities.

There are people who continually search for something new because they have not developed the discipline to remain faithful in what God has already entrusted to them.

And there are believers who have confused spiritual excitement with spiritual maturity.

But today, the call is to return to perseverance.

Return to prayer.

Return to the Word.

Return to obedience.

Return to holiness.

Return to the assignment God has entrusted to you.

Do not allow temporary discouragement to determine the direction of your spiritual life.

Do not allow distraction to consume your devotion.

And do not allow restlessness to persuade you that faithfulness has become meaningless.

Galatians 6:9 (KJV):

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

The promise is connected to perseverance.

YOU CANNOT ALLOW THE WEARINESS OF THE MIDDLE TO ROB YOU OF THE FRUIT THAT COMES THROUGH FAITHFULNESS.

The Noonday Demon represents a historical Christian understanding of spiritual temptation directed against devotion and perseverance.

But Jesus Christ is greater than every temptation and every power of darkness.

And through the Holy Spirit, believers can remain steadfast.

CLOSING PRAYER AND DECLARATION

Father, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, we come before You today asking that You expose every distraction, every temptation, and every influence that has been working against our devotion to You.

Where discouragement has weakened our commitment, strengthen us.

Where restlessness has caused us to lose focus, establish our hearts in Your truth.

Where spiritual complacency has developed, awaken within us a renewed hunger for Your Word and Your presence.

We submit ourselves completely to You.

We resist the devil and every strategy designed to draw us away from obedience to Your will.

In the authority of Jesus Christ, we renounce agreement with discouragement, spiritual indifference, and the temptation to abandon what You have called us to do.

Holy Spirit, renew our strength.

Teach us to persevere.

Teach us to remain faithful when the assignment becomes difficult.

Teach us to recognize distraction before it begins to govern our decisions.

And let our churches become places where believers are not merely excited about spiritual experiences, but established in holiness, sound doctrine, prayer, and discipleship.

We declare that our devotion belongs to Jesus Christ.

Our obedience belongs to Jesus Christ.

Our lives belong to Jesus Christ.

And we will continue pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

In Jesus' mighty name, Amen.

FINAL DECLARATION

THE NOONDAY DEMON SEEKS TO DISTRACT YOU FROM YOUR DEVOTION, DISCOURAGE YOU IN YOUR ASSIGNMENT, AND WEAKEN YOUR WILLINGNESS TO CONTINUE.

BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SURRENDER YOUR PURPOSE TO DISCOURAGEMENT.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO ABANDON YOUR ASSIGNMENT BECAUSE THE JOURNEY HAS BECOME DIFFICULT.

STAND FIRM. REMAIN FAITHFUL. KEEP YOUR EYES UPON JESUS CHRIST.

THE ENEMY WANTS YOU TO QUIT IN THE MIDDLE, BUT GOD IS CALLING YOU TO PERSEVERE UNTIL THE WORK IS FINISHED.