When You Feel Like Giving Up

Don’t Quit on Six

Scripture References

Primary text

• Hebrews 10:35-37
• Joshua 6

Other references

• Galatians 6:9
• Luke 18

Overview

This message is for anyone ready to throw in the towel—on a marriage, a dream, a ministry, an addiction battle, or simply on life itself. Drawing hope from Hebrews 10 and the battle of Jericho in Joshua 6, the pastor urges us to persevere when we can’t yet see God’s promise. Two common obstacles—our limited perspective and invisible progress—often tempt us to quit, but God calls us to keep marching in faith. “Don’t quit on six” becomes the rally cry: you may be closer to the breakthrough than you think.

Main Points

The call to persevere (Hebrews 10)

• God commands: “Do not throw away your confidence…you need to persevere.”
• Perseverance is staying power until “He who is coming will come and will not delay”—God is rarely early, never late.
• Virtue highlighted: perseverance—not a burst of emotion but sustained obedience.

Grit beats giftedness

• Resource: Angela Duckworth’s research on cadets, teachers, and spelling-bee champions showed success is tied to AQ (Adversity Quotient) more than IQ.
• Definition of grit: “passion and perseverance for long-term goals.”
• Followers of Christ need that same long-term grit in parenting, chronic illness, serving, and praying.

Lessons from Jericho (Joshua 6)

• Context: God promised Israel the city, yet its walls looked impenetrable.
• The assignment: march around the city once a day for six days; on the seventh day march seven times, blow the horns, and shout.
• Key observations
  • The problem wasn’t city size but wall height—promise was close, obstacle tall.
  • Verse 1 shows locked gates; verse 2 shows God saying, “I have given you Jericho.” God speaks past-tense certainty before present-tense reality.
  • Israel knew the next step, not the whole plan. Joshua never told them it was a seven-day process.
• Why we quit
  1. Limited perspective—only walls are visible, not the victory.
  2. Progress isn’t obvious—no bricks fell for six straight days.
• Silence order: Joshua told the army not to speak; unchecked complaining would have poisoned faith.

  • “Shut up and keep marching.”

• Refrain:

  • “Don’t quit on six.”

Modern parallels & illustrations

• Story: The pastor’s personal season of exhaustion in 2020—considered quitting ministry until God whispered one word: “Steady.” Remembering why he started kept him in the race.
• Illustration: The children’s song “Joshua fought the battle of Jericho” leaves out decades of wilderness wandering—reminder that we seldom see others’ hidden battles.
• Illustration: Swimmer Florence Chadwick quit in heavy fog only half a mile from shore—proof we may be closer than we realize.

Apostle Paul’s reminder (Galatians 6:9)

• “Let us not become weary in doing good…at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
• The harvest is guaranteed to the persevering, not to the perfect.

Key Truths

• God can declare a victory in past tense even when we see locked gates in the present.
• Obedience often precedes understanding; revelation follows perseverance.
• Complaining amplifies discouragement; silence can protect faith.
• Visible progress is not the proof of God’s presence—His promise is.
• You may be one lap away from breakthrough; perseverance keeps you moving.

Response

• Refuse to throw away confidence; choose to persevere today.
• Keep walking in the assignment God already revealed, even if results are unseen.
• Silence faith-killing talk—internally and externally—and replace it with trust.
• Remember why you started following Jesus, and pick the towel back up.
• Encourage someone else who is on “lap six.”

Closing

The enemy urges you to fling your towel in defeat; Jesus invites you to pick it up, wipe the sweat, and serve again. You might be only one more march from the miracle.

“Don’t quit on six.”

Hold the promise, keep the pace, and the walls will fall in God’s perfect timing.

Prayer

The pastor asked God to supply what our strength lacks: that by His Spirit we would keep walking, trusting, and believing until every promise is fulfilled, and that those weary of waiting would receive fresh faith to persevere.