The Art of Success: Never Give Up 
By Jerry Savelle

Success:

Starts with your decision
Unwaver in your commitment
Compromise is not an option
Continue what you start
Eliminate failure and defeat
See yourself as a champion
Start your journey to success today!

Carolyn and I have been in the ministry since 1969. I can sum up in three words what we have done for the last thirty years and that is simply this: Never give up. When you refuse to give up, then you can never be defeated.

You have to understand that refusing to give up was not some kind of inherited character trait that was in me. I was a quitter before I came to Jesus.

When Carolyn and I first got married, I was in the automotive business. I kept the tailgate of my pickup down when I went to work just in case I wanted to quit and had to load up my toolbox real quick.

I think I worked for about seven different dealerships the first two years we were married. I would always find some reason to quit, particularly if there was some kind of pressure applied.

But I’ll never forget when I surrendered my life to the Lord in 1969. I read a Scripture that changed my life forever. It says:

“If you continue in My Word, you shall be My disciples indeed, and you’ll know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

The word continue jumped out of my Bible. I thought right then, Dear Lord. I have never continued anything in my life! I have started a lot of things, but I have never continued anything.

I realized it was a missing ingredient in my life. If I was ever going to be successful at anything in my life, then I was going to have to learn the art of continuing. If I was going to be successful in my walk of faith, in the ministry, as a husband, a father, or any other endeavor, then I was going to have to stop quitting.

Someone once said, “The biggest obstacle between you and your success is a lack of total commitment.” Someone else said, “Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others let go.” That’s what success is all about. Galatians 6:9 says:

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

Weary means worn out from exertion; tired; fatigued.

You find that people who determine in their lives that they’re never going to give up are the ones that God blesses the most. God is no respecter of persons. He wants everybody to be extremely successful. But you have to obey His Word. As I’ve already stated, there are people who are more blessed than others. It’s simply because they determined that they were never going to give up. No matter what they go through, no matter what kind of adversity they experience, they just declare, “I’m going to stand, and having done all to stand, I’m going to stand some more. And when the dust settles, God and I will still be standing.”

These are all characteristics of people who become extremely successful and extremely blessed in life.

#1. You have to become resolute. When you’re resolute, you don’t compromise. You can count on it, there will be opportunities for you to back off, but you must absolutely refuse to be moved.

#2. You have to become determined. Not enough people are determined to win. There are a lot of people trying, but they’re not determined. You cannot try to live by faith. Trying won’t get it. When you say, “I’m going to try,” what the devil heard you say was, “I’m not committed. Create a few barriers or a few obstacles and I’ll probably quit.”

#3. You must become unwavering and uncompromising. Walking by faith and becoming uncompromising are linked together. You can’t walk by faith and be a compromiser. You’ve got to stand fast until you win.

Winners are rarely discouraged. Winners seldom walk around with their heads down in depression. They may have concerns, they may even experience doubt from time to time, but it doesn’t last very long.

There’s hope for you today if you’ll make up your mind to never give up. When you’re on the brink of a breakthrough, the pressure always intensifies. When you’ve got more pressure on you than you think you can handle, that’s always an indication that your breakthrough is at hand. Set your face like flint and refuse to quit. Stay committed. Commitment builds spiritual and mental toughness. It enables you to persevere no matter how impossible your circumstances may be.

When you’ve done all you know to do, and it looks like nothing is working, then remember this: The anointing of God is in you, and the anointing will get you over every time.