Did you see Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt demolish three Olympic records this summer?

The guy was so doggone fast that he started celebrating before he crossed the finish line and still left everyone else in the dust! He was widely criticized for being so boisterous, but something was lost amidst all of the criticism of his swagger.

Usain Bolt trained like a madman to lead the pack in the start of the race, the middle of the race, and in the end as he crossed the finish line.

He knew that if he was going to break "unbreakable" records and win gold medals, being a great starter was not enough. Getting a quick start and pushing hard through the middle wouldn't be enough either.

Usain knew that he was going to have to use all that God gave him from the starting block to the yellow ribbon, if victory was really going to be his!

Hear my heart - in this season the Lord wants you to get a fast wind behind you so that you'll get a quick start, but far too many of our dreams, our ministries, our business, and even our marriages, launch with the loud, flashy boom of July fireworks, but fizzle out at the first sign of bad weather.

This isn't good enough. God did not just call you to get married; He called you to stay married. The Lord didn't just plant a vision in your heart to start a ministry or business in your community; He called you to start a ministry of business that would endure the challenges of our time and still be alive and kicking to tell the story on the other side!

While staring into the face of his young son Solomon, David said in 1 Chronicles 28:20: "Be strong and of good courage, and act. Do not be afraid or dismayed; for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you, until all the work or the service of the house of the LORD is finished."

In his prayer for the Philippians, the Apostle Paul said it this way, "I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ." (Phil. 1:6)

Overnight wonders and fast starters are a dime a dozen. The true test that you and I must pass is whether or not we have prepared to win the entire race. My prayer for you today is that you will allow the Spirit of God to give you the endurance that you'll need.