Proverbs 24:16 Though a righteous person falls seven times, they will get up, but the wicked will stumble into ruin.

      “I cut this board three times and it is still too short!” The foolishness of this line is apparent, even though it is funny. Some people live their lives in the same manner of activity. They repeat the failure that is obvious to many over and over and complain that the result is the same. 
      They spend their grocery money on cigarettes, alcohol, and junk, and then complain there is no money for food, rent, and payments due. They hang out with abusive and dishonorable people and complain of unfaithful friends. They do the same things over again, claiming to be right in their actions. Prov. 12:15 Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.  
      You cannot defeat the devil you like to play with. You cannot beat the sin you enjoy participating in. Until you develop a bulldog tenacity and say “No” to the sin that so easily besets your life, you will remain captive to the mess you are in. 
      Until you pick up the weapons of God’s grace and power with the mindset to use them, you will not be able to defeat the bondage holding you back. 2 Cor. 10:4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
      Yes, scripture says we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. It is true that God will give us the strength and ability to overcome every temptation that comes our way; however, we will have to step forward by faith and decide to be tenacious about going forward in righteousness. 
      We will have to yoke our heart to the Lord’s and walk together and not contrary to each other. Matt. 11:30 For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light. The yoke may be easy and light, but it is a yoke nonetheless. It will take a bulldog tenacity to remain and walk with Christ through all of life for now and evermore. We cannot put God’s grace and yoke on and take it off at the whim of our fickle feelings. This relationship with our Lord is permanent and eternal and not an on again and off again soap opera.
      Elijah was looking for someone to take his mantel and came across Elisha who had a bulldog tenacity. 1 Kings 19:19a So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Elisha plowed with twelve yokes of oxen. The amount of strength and will power it took to control such a large bullock team is understated in this scripture verse. The brute force and work it took for one man to control these big beasts of burden would have to take talent, patience, and tenacity to keep the row being plowed straight. 
      It is interesting the attitude and character that came out of Elisha when Elijah asked him what he wanted before Elijah was taken away. Elisha wanted a double portion of the anointing that was on Elijah. 2 Kings 2:9  After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken away from you?” “Please, let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. 
      Elisha got what he asked for and I believe it was the bulldog tenacity of character that helped Elisha receive the promise. He was used to working hard and doing it right.
      A bulldog tenacity is something that is learned and acquired. You must exercise your faith day by day and pick yourself up with the Lord’s help when you fall, fail, and mess up. Prov. 24:16 Though a righteous person falls seven times, they will get up, but the wicked will stumble into ruin. 
      Elisha had the right stuff because he wanted more of God on God’s terms. God’s heart is that none of us perish because of our own foolish ways, but He wants us to grow up and be tenaciously solid in His love and gift of eternal life through Jesus our Lord. Blessings.