NEVER GIVE UP!

Relentless Determination to Overcome Lifes Challenges

Interactive Workbook and Devotional Journal

Chapter 1
DVD & CD
SESSION

An Attitude of Determination
Determination: The act of making or
arriving at a decision. Firmness of
purpose; resolve.1

Hopes, dreams, and plans! These very words lift our hearts and minds
as we imagine all sorts of great things. Strong, satisfying relationships,
happy homes, spiritual growth, health, careers, nances, and more! However, if you have no hopes or dreams, or if you somehow lost them, you
wonder if and how they might be restored.
The great news is, God will provide for you! But seeing your hopes and
dreams actually become reality wont just magically happen. You must
learn to live so that you never give upfor yourself and also as you reach
out to love and help others. So lets begin our attitude of relentless determination to overcome lifes challenges right now!
Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but when dreams come true, there is life and joy.
~Proverbs 13:12, NLT
Never giving up is an ________________________________ you have to
have about many different things in your life if you ever want to see the
____________________ of your ________________________. You have
to have the attitude of I cannot be ________________________, and I will
not ____________________.

NEVER GIVE UP! Interactive Workbook and Devotional Journal

Double for Your Trouble

Return to the stronghold [of security and prosperity],
you prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I
will restore double your former prosperity to you.
~Zechariah 9:12
What responsibility do you have, so God can bless you with double for the
things you have gone through in the past?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

Hope is the happy anticipation

of goodthe condent expectation that something good is
going to happen to you!

What kind of attitudes does God not work

through?
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________

JOYCE MEYER

_________________________________________________

God only works through an attitude of faith, but what do you need before
you can have faith?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
How is hope related to a positive attitude?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
2

An Attitude of Determination

Prisoners of Hope!
Describe how God wants you to be a prisoner of hope and
how this makes it possible for you to be a winner in life.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

Your Words: Disappointment and Death

or Discipline and LIFE!
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who
indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].
~Proverbs 18:21
Lets get specic. Write down the hopes and dreams you have for yourself
and for others in your life. Weve provided some examples to help you get
started.
My hopes and dreams for
Spiritual growth
For myself (for example: walk with God more intimately, spend time in the Bible
and prayer each day, go on a missions trip, or have boldness to witness to others)

_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
For others (for example: see a friend or relative be saved or ask someone at
your school or ofce to come with you to lunch to talk about the Lord)
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

NEVER GIVE UP! Interactive Workbook and Devotional Journal

Relationships
For myself
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
For others
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
My home
For myself
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
For others
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Health
For myself
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
For others
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

An Attitude of Determination

Finances/career
For myself
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
For others
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Other hopes and dreams
For myself
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
For others
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Writing those down takes faith, but it is also a big part of an attitude of
determination
We often undermine our success with our own words! Instead of being
people of faith and speaking Gods Word, we tend to fall into the devils
trap of speaking negatively.
Look at your hopes and dreams above. Be honest, and describe how you
generally respond at this time in your life when things dont go the way
you planned or happen in your timing.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

NEVER GIVE UP! Interactive Workbook and Devotional Journal

Do you respond based on Gods Word or simply on your emotions or

frustrations?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
What is your attitude when things dont seem to go your way? Do you
throw in the towel and declare faith doesnt work and isnt real, or do you
dig deep and trust God?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
In general, at this time in your life, do the words you speak reveal an attitude and lifestyle of faith, or do they reveal something else? If not faith,
what are your words revealing about your attitude?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

Its Not MagicIts Discipline

Our words dont create magic formulas, but they DO affect our lives in profound ways. The rst words out of our mouths when we get disappointed
sometimes set the stage for the rest of what happens in that event. They
can stop the process of what God wants to do.
What is one of the best disciplines we can cultivate in our life to bring our
hopes and dreams to reality?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

An Attitude of Determination

Write below how a prisoner of hope would speak in response to things

not going the way he or she wants them to.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Being a prisoner of hope means you cannot get out of the prison of hope
you are in. You cannot get negative! You have to believe that __________
_________________________ is going to happen.
Explain what evil forebodings are and how they can affect your life, even
if you are not aware of them.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Lets think about this idea of evil forebodings versus faith. Fear is a powerful force in the lives of many. Lots of things can cause us to be afraidfear
of sickness and disease, fear of failure, fear of nancial ruin, fear of relationships, fear of violence, and more. The devil and the world offer plenty
of opportunity to let dread seep in and control us. Yet, Jesus provides
answers for them all!
Take a few moments to reect on your life. Are there subtle (or not-sosubtle) things you realize now that are bothering you, hindering you, or
putting a feeling of fear or dread in your life?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

NEVER GIVE UP! Interactive Workbook and Devotional Journal

Overcoming the Culture of Fear

One of the most prevalent sources of fear is todays media-driven culture. Fear and dread are communicated minute by minute right into our
homes, our cars, shopping centersnearly everywhere we gothrough
the news, television, Internet, movies, music, and more. Advertisers and
newscasters sometimes use fear to manipulate us.
Take an inventory. How much of the evil forebodingsanguish and fear
you feel in life is creeping in through the media you are watching, listening
to, and reading? It can be very subtleoftentimes we dont even notice it,
yet the devil uses these to create negative strongholds in our hearts and
minds. Write down what you are allowing to inuence you and what positive changes you could make. (Should you let some of it go? Stop viewing so much TV or Internet? Cancel the morning newspaper or monthly
magazine? Turn off or change the radio station?)
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
______________________________
8

Remember, God has a great

purpose for every person. In
response, the devil strives
to knock us off course and
cause us to lose all hope.
However, the biggest enemy often resides in our own
minds and is manifested in
negative attitudes.

An Attitude of Determination

Overcoming in Prayer!
Pray now and ask God to help you uncover evil forebodings and negative attitudes in your life.
Father God, I come to You now in the name of Jesus, and I ask
You to reveal Yourself to me in this area of evil forebodings. Show
me now any specic areas where the devil, the world in general,
the media, circumstances from my childhoodor any area of my
lifehave brought me to a lifestyle of evil forebodings, a constant
fear or dread. Lord, show me these strongholds now, so I can
overcome patterns of fear and dread and live a life of hope, joy,
faith, and power in You.
Holy Spirit, show me where I have negative attitudes. Jesus gave
me the victory at the cross, and I praise You, God, for giving me
wisdom and victory right now to overcome fear and negative attitudes! Lord, I look to You to work within me for the positive attitude of the Holy Spirit and Your Word as I enjoy everyday life!

Journal what the Lord is showing you about:

Evil forebodings, fear and dread, and how to overcome them:

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

NEVER GIVE UP! Interactive Workbook and Devotional Journal

Negative attitudes and how to overcome them:

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

What is the truth that most stands out to you in this session? How can you
live it in everyday life?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

1. determination. Dictionary.com, The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifin Company, 2004, http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/determination (accessed
June 8, 2008).

10

When was the last time you felt that way?

______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
It is easy to ignore the suffering from half a world away. As we go
through our busy lives, the devil will try to persuade us to keep
our minds solely on our own troubles. If we cant get past our own
personal feelings of hopelessness, how can we ever have hope
for those in greater need?
What percentage of your thoughts dwells on your own personal life?
____ Almost never
____ 25%
____ 50%
____ 75%
____ Almost always

For the needy will not be

forgotten forever; the hopes
of the poor will not always
be crushed.
Psalm 9:18, NLT

Some people question whether God

has forgotten the starving people
of Ethiopia (or people with desperate needs in any other country of the
world). Many look at these situations
as hopeless. But not God. He has an
answer for even the most despairing
situations.

Have you ever stopped to think that His answer might be you?
First Kings 17:716 tells the story of a woman whose situation
looked as hopeless as that of many people in modern-day Ethiopia. Widowed and desperately poor with a child to care for, she
was preparing to cook the last morsel of food she had before she
and her son died from starvation. It is likely there was no one to
help her, as the whole land was suffering from a severe drought.

12

Based on Never
Give Up: Relentless
Determination to
Overcome Lifes
Challenges, Chapter 12, Your
Own Worst Enemy

It is because of the Lords

mercy and loving-kindness
that we are not consumed,
because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are
new every morning; great
and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness.

What is more relentless than the light

of each new day? God never gives up on
us. Stop and think about that verse for a
minute and make up your mind to tap
into Gods relentless love, stability, and
faithfulness.
We can all wish and planbut in the
end, the results we hope for can only
Lamentations 3:2223
come about with an attitude of determination. If youve given up in the past and are not very confident about
your future, theres good news for youyou can change your attitude!
But it doesnt come from just trying harder. Remember, you didnt
receive salvation by trying to be good.

LOOKING BACK
Lets look for any record of giving up in your life. What are some
things that youve given up on?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

14

An Attitude of Determination

Why do you think you gave up?

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Many people who love God simply havent learned to depend on
His power in their everyday lives. They try to attain things in their
own strength. Then when they quit, they feel more disconnected from
God, and the cycle continues.
God knows we make mistakes and give up. But He will never give up
on you, even if youve given up on yourself. His faithful love can carry
you through any setback, whether that setback is self-imposed or not.

START FRESH
If we could be perfect in our attitude and behavior, we wouldnt
need God, and we would miss out on the enjoyment of a relationship
with Him. Accepting that God knows us completely and loves us unconditionally will keep us from guilt, which can trap us in a cycle of
giving up. This only adds more guilt and hinders our walk with God.
In Philippians 3:812, Paul was basically saying he wanted to be
perfect, but he knew he had not yet arrived. Read his words in verses
13 and 14: I do not consider, brethren, that I have captured and
made it my own [yet]; but one thing I do [it is my one aspiration]:
forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I
press on toward the goal to win the [supreme and heavenly] prize to
which God in Christ Jesus is calling us upward (emphasis added).
What was Pauls one thingthe thing he knew would help him
make more progress than anything else he could do?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

15

NEVER GIVE UP! Interactive Workbook and Devotional Journal

To break out of this cycle and start fresh, stop and consider areas youve
given up on in the past. Were you going it alone, relying on just your
own strength and knowledge? Describe the new mind-set you want to
have about living every day in partnership with God and how it differs
from the way youve tried before.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Your past experiences of giving up did not surprise God. Are you ready
to look ahead with a new attitude of determination that flows from
Gods ability to work in you?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how confident are you that you will not give
up on the next meaningful thing you try? Be completely honest here;
there are no wrong answers.
(Circle one) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
In detail, explain why you chose the number. What memories, thoughts,
and feelings contributed to your decision?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

PRAYER
Father, forgive me for trying to succeed in my own strength.
Thank You for mercy that is new every day. I am determined to look
beyond my own willpower and abide in You on my journey.

16