“If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” While that statement is true, there’s also another scenario that has a danger all it’s own. If you don’t stand for something, it’s likely you’re sitting… and sitting quite comfortably, with little concern of falling. In fact, while standing without a sure cause can result in falling for a lie, sitting down offers little danger of falling but much greater danger of failing. Sitting comfortably and watching as the world goes by, paralyzed by a lack of faith to act, results in missed opportunity, entrapment, and disregard of God’s will.
- How did a Pharisee and foe of the faith turn out to be the greatest apostle of Jesus Christ? Could the apostle Paul have led the early church by sitting comfortably in his blindness?
- How about what was required to slay the Giant Philistine Goliath? Could David have hurled the smooth stone sitting down?
- Have you ever wondered what it took to stand up to a fiery furnace? Could Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have faced the furnace sitting down?
- What did it take to walk on the water? Could Peter have walked toward Jesus on the water while sitting down in the ship?
Often, we get so comfortable where we are that we stop moving and we sit still. When God wants us to move, we sense the discomfort of the task he has for us (witnessing to others, serving in ministry, resisting evil, or maybe just attending church faithfully) that we just sit still…We claim to have FAITH…bur real faith requires us to stand.
Standing is a result of obedience to God’s Word. It isn’t easy, but it’s possible by faith and by the grace of God. With a humble spirit and a submissive attitude, we can stand faithfully in obedience to God’s Word.
Here are four ways that God expects us to stand in our faith.
Stand in the Freedom of God’s Grace
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
It’s easy to sit in a place where sin gives pleasure for a season or where you’re comfortable complying with rules and regulations rather than trusting in God’s grace. It takes work to resist temptation to sin and it takes real faith to trust God rather than a set of rules.
- Don’t get comfortable in sin, stand and get away from it
- To serve God, you must stand in His grace, liberated from sin and from the entanglement of man-made expectations and requirements
- There is no profit or victory in compliance; but there is great profit in Christ.
Think of the apostle Paul’s struggles. Before encountering Christ, he had great confidence in his own flesh and in his religion. But he still had a personal sin burden that he carried on his own. When Paul accepted Jesus as his Savior and Lord, he turned that burden over to Jesus and became free to be who God intended him to be and to make a difference for God. Paul could only be the great apostle of the faith because of God’s grace. Nothing could be accomplished apart from that. Paul demonstrated his understanding of this as he taught his young protégé Timothy:
15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Paul realized that by grace he was freed from his bondage to sin so that he could be obedient to his new King, Jesus Christ.
Stand in Strength against the Enemy
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
It’s easy to get comfortable relying on the human strength and worldly wisdom rather than being strong in Christ and trusting in His wisdom and His ways. It’s easy to give in, even to the point of shifting beliefs based on what culture or government decides is acceptable behavior. It takes work and determination to stand firm on the Truth and to fight for what is right in a wrong and disillusioned world.
- Don’t get comfortable with man-made plans for your welfare, stand for what’s right
- To serve God, we must stand as soldiers prepared for battle.
- Any victory claimed in the masses is a hollow victory; real victory is found by standing in strength by faith in Jesus Christ.
How about young David, a shepherd boy who found himself in the middle of a seemingly hopeless situation, as he accepted a challenge that no one else would even consider and took on Goliath, the Philistine giant. Disregarding the king’s armor and weaponry, David faced the giant equipped only with what God provided. His words to the giant:
45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46 This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
David’s stand against what seemed to be an insurmountable foe represents one of the clearest examples of God’s strength bringing victory in a grave situation through faithful obedience and trust. That victory would have never been realized if David sat on the sidelines of the battle with his brothers.
Stand in One Spirit Striving Together
27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;
28 And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.
29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
30 Having the same conflict which ye saw in me, and now hear to be in me.
It’s easy to get comfortable sitting in the crowd, going with the flow and blending in with the world rather than living a separated life set apart for the good work of God’s Kingdom. It takes effort and determination to stand against the crowd when they’re opposed to God. But don’t let their opposition cause you to sit still. God gives you His resources, His Spirit and His family to strive together courageously and to stand for what is right.
- Don’t get comfortable taking sides with the world (what’s wrong with this?), stand united with God
- To serve God, we must be Spirit-led, standing with the Spirit
- Your own efforts will never be enough to stand firm against an ungodly foe. To stand for what’s right, you need the strength found in a new life of striving together with others for the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Consider the three Hebrew young men who decided to stand together against unfathomable odds, a fierce king, and a fiery furnace. Rather than blending in with the crowd and bowing to Nebuchadnezzar’s idol, they took a stand together for God. It wasn’t easy as they faced a fate inside the intense heat of the furnace, but they didn’t hesitate when they told the king:
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
Although they were destined for the furnace, they stood in its midst for God. And they were not alone… God was with them! The remarkable observation of the wicked king as he looked upon those in the furnace testifies of the victory available when you strive together with God and each other:
24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
There is no doubt that it would have been far easier for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to sit in the comfort of conformity and compromise, but by standing in the face of a fiery trial they were victorious and their stand helped change the mind of a wicked king to recognize the one true God.
Stand Perfect in the Will of God
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
- Don’t get comfortable with selfish motives, stand in the center of God’s will
- To serve God, we must know God’s will and stand in it
- Sitting in a place outside of God’s will won’t achieve much. To make a positive difference for Christ, you must stand in the good, acceptable ad perfect will of God.
Consider Peter as he saw Jesus walking on the water.. when he saw Jesus, he desired to be with Him. Then Jesus beckoned for him to come. In any other situation, it wasn’t humanly possible for Peter to walk on water. But, because Jesus willed it, and Peter stood and stepped out of the ship by faith, God intervened supernaturally and Peter experienced something that no one else experienced. While Peter would not have experienced walking on the water if he remained sitting in the ship, it’s important to recognize that he also would not have experienced it outside of God’s will, trusting in Christ as He called. When Peter took his eyes off of Jesus and focused on the situation around him, rather than on Jesus, he started to sink and no longer could experience what God had for him by faith. Being in Gods will requires faith. This is clearly declared by Jesus after He stretched out His hand and rescued Peter from the water:
25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.
27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?
32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.
33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.
Being in God’s will is an ongoing process. Peter experienced God’s will in a number of ways. First by sitting in the ship and then by leaving the comfort of his seat and walking on the water when Jesus called to him. Sometimes you might get distracted from God’s will as Peter did and find yourself slipping away. But getting back on track is possible. Not only did Jesus rescue Peter from sinking in the waves (which led to Peter and the disciples understanding of Jesus as the Son of God), later He used Peter to preach and lead thousands to trust in Christ for salvation. Even if you’ve drifted away, Jesus can re-establish you in His will if you choose to stand and follow Him.
Summary
While it might be easy to sit on your salvation, comfortable with the security found in Jesus Christ, it’s much better to stand up outside of your comfort zone – free, strong, united and in His will!
