Only those who keep going get there; only those who continue get to their destination. In 1 Corinthians 15:58 we are enjoined,
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding (increasing) in the work of the Lord, For as much as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord".
As long as you continue and are increasing in the work of the Lord, you can be too sure that your profiting too will know no bound; because in all labor, there is profit. If you refuse to give up, you will soon go up. Jesus says in Luke 22:28-29,
"Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I will appoint unto you a kingdom, as my father hath appointed unto me".
Jesus is implying here that, there are many people that started with him, but have left him, but to you that continued with him, he shall appoint a kingdom. Continuity is the key to your dignity in the world, and continuity is also the key to beauty in God's kingdom. God demands continuity; only those who continue have a place with him. Continuity is the key to getting a kingdom from God. All the principles to deliver, depends on whether you continue in them or not. If you don't continue, your life will not be renewed. Success comes to the man who continue. Scripture says in Galatians 6:9,
"And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not".
Every relationship thrives by continuity. You are to serve God as commanded not as convenient. If you want to serve God only when things are convenient, you will never serve him. But when you serve him as commanded he makes things convenient for you.
There are the deceivers camp in the Church today, if you only hear Gods word and never continue (to practice) in what you have heard, according to James 1:22-25, you are in the deceivers camp.
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass; for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straight way forgotteth what manner of man he was. But whosoever looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed".
The man that continues is the man that shall be blessed. In 1 Corinthians 11:14a, scripture says,
"Doth not even nature itself teach you?..."
That means even in the natural world, anything you don't continue in does not profit you. For instance, a student that does not continue in his academics can not become a graduate, neither can two people that does not continue in courtship end up in marriage. Everything that will bring profit require continuity. It is the cumulative effect of hammering a wall continually that actually bring it down and not just the last blow only. Some people, the time God was to visit them is the time they are absent because of inconsistency and lack of continuity. In John 8:31,
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, if you continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed".
Continuity is the mark of a disciple - you are a true disciple only if you continue.
Dangers of Not Continuing
1. Self deception: No matter how powerful a massage is, if you don't continue in it, it won't benefit you. Some Christians are inconsistent in the Church, they pray with the pastor, yet they go to consult a 'witch doctor'. They are only deceiving themselves. Only those who are regular are popular in God's kingdom, angels knows them and all heavenly creatures too. Some Christians, even demons don't know them with God. That is the story of the seven sons of sceva, demons told them while using the name of Jesus to cast them out "Jesus I know, Paul I know, but who are you", and the demoniac pounced on them, giving them severe injuries. Continuity gives you an identity that the devil can not do anything about.
2. You either loose or weaken your identity. In 1 John 2:19, scripture says,
"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been for us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us".
Those people from that scripture lost their identity because they did not continue. To begin something is not what matters, it is whether you continue to the end. The end is what brings out the benefit; And between the beginning and the end is continuity. Paul swore in Romans 8:5,
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword?... Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us".
3. You miss divine visitation: Examination of life are without timetable; you can write the exam of life anytime. Divine visitation also has no time table. May God find you when he comes to visit you. Some Christians because of lack of continuity will miss the rapture. To make heaven your ultimate goal you must imbibe the habit of continuity.
4. You waste your past efforts: The meaning of your not continuing is that you are not convinced of what you are doing. anything you are not convinced of, you lack faith in it and without faith you can not receive from God, hence the moment you discontinue, you forfeit every possible blessing. Whatever area of service you belong, make continuity a habit. Remember, only those who continue get there.
Shalom!