Are You Standing?

Believe it or not, we're establishing precepts we need to become more than conquerors in Christ. With certain subjects, like Spiritual Warfare we fail to successfully apply the precepts of the subject because we didn't have the foundational precepts established to support it.

That's why I point to other precepts...so we can have a better foundation on which to build our spiritual houses.

There are several other subjects in this series that will help establish this foundation for the Spiritual Warfare study. If you'd like to review them, they are:

Are You Living?
Are You Breathing?
Image Bearing...Who's Image Do We Bear?
Don't Let the Devil Eat Your Cookies!
Are You Standing.
Spiritual Warfare 1: The Warrior Is A Child.
Spiritual Warfare 2: The Warrior's Refuge.



And now the question at hand is...Are You Standing?

There are two contexts I think of when I consider Biblical "standing". The first one is the context of salvation.

Each of us has a testimony. Each of us had been broken and cast down into the pit. But His lovng hands found us, lifted us up and set our feet upon the Rock.

Lord, hear my voice: let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. If Thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with Thee, that Thou mayest be feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in His word do I hope. Psalm 130:2-5

I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Psalm 40:1-3

I WILL extol You, O LORD, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O LORD my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me. Psalm 30:1-2

In this context, I am completely incapable of standing. Like the demoniac in Mark 9, the devil had cast me down, I couldn't get up by myself...it looked like I was dead.

BUT Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose. Mark 9:27

We can only stand today because Jesus took us by the hand and lifted us up.

Now I KNOW that the LORD saveth His anointed; He will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God. They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright. Psalm 20:6-8

Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Psalm 24:3-5

It isn't by our strength that we stand, it is entirely by His grace and mercy. If you don't know what it is to stand...if you're still "in the pit", there is a mighty hand reaching out for you. Just reach out by faith, and He will lift you up.

This might be appropriate here. Its one of my all time favorite songs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBzxgkDbfPI






Are You Standing?

The Lord is my banner said:

Your youtube link isn't working for me - it starts and stops so badly I can't make out what the song is - can you give the track name and band so I can look for it elsewhere please?

Maybe it's just a temporary glitch in youtube?

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that's odd...sorry...anyway its Petra, Just Reach Out

No matter who we are, where we've been or what we've done, His mercy and grace are greater still. No matter how far down we've fallen, He will still lift us up to sit with Him in the heavens. How awesome is that?

The thing is that once we've been raised up, there is one who would put us right back down again. He only knows how to steal, kill and destroy...and that's what he has in mind for us.

What makes it even worse is that he often deceives other people into attacking us and that has the potential of doing twice the damage.

Do not lie in wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; do not plunder his resting place; for a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity. Proverbs 24:15-16

I may stumble in the attack, and that's not only bad for me, its bad for the people he uses, too.

I'll get back up again. But the people who offend us, or cause us to stumble...Jesus said it would be better for them to tie a big rock around their neck and drown themselves.

Its not all about me. It is crucial for me to stand, not only for myself but for others as well.

In Proverbs 24:10, Solomon tells us, "If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small." So when the day of adversity comes, we can do like his daddy did.

From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:2

In Him we live and move and have our being. He is our breath, our guiding light, our strength and our sure foundation. Only in His might and only because of His mercy and grace can we stand.

Are You Standing?

Now we're moving into the second context of Biblical standing and that is perseverance.

Let me start this off with an old song written and sung by Johnny Cash...I Won't Back Down. You probably know the song, Tom Petty sang it too.

Well I won't back down, no I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down

Gonna stand my ground, won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin' me down
Gonna stand my ground and I won't back down

Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground and I won't back down
No I won't back down.

Well I know what's right, I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin' me around
But I stand my ground and I won't back down

Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground and I won't back down
No I won't back down.

Here is the essence of standing in perseverance...it is my decision...my commitment not to be moved...You can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won't back down.

Are You Standing?

millerrod said:

STAND and breath the Holy Spirit upon this place

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We're gettin' there, bro!

irenemcg said:

BELIEVERS AUTHORITY
...
Irene McG 2007

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I really appreciate your gifting Irene, Thank you and please don't stop sharing it with us

So IF I can only be raised up by the power of Christ, then I can only stand by the same power that raised me up in the first place.

If I stumble, it isn't because He's weak. Its because I tried to stand in my own strength. Guess what...I CAN'T DO IT!

When the strong bulls of Bashan surround me thirsting for my blood, I'm afraid because I know I can't defend myself against them.

When the waters rise and rush upon me like a tidal wave, when the cyclone bears down on me wasting everything in its path, I'm trembling because I have no place to hide.

When the fires rage out of control, consuming the world around me, I'm terrified because I'm just a man. I know I can't stand up to any of this stuff myself.

BUT the same power that raised me up abides within me. What shall I fear when the greater One is within me?

He is my buckler and my shield...the enemy can't get to me!

When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord lifts up His standard against him!

"...Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame kindle upon you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior..." Isaiah 43:1-3

Wow! That's shoutin' ground! But...but...how do I stand for sure in this kind of mess? How do I persevere my way through it?

Simple faith.

The floods and winds will come, you WILL see the destruction all around you.

The enemy will come, a thousand will fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand...you WILL see it!

The fire will come, you WILL see it burning everything around you...you WILL walk through it.

When you're standing by the gates of hell and it all breaks loose around you, we almost instinctively go into a "panic" mode.

Bill Cosby put it quite delicately when he said, "First you say it, then you do it." And if you didn't get it, don't worry about it

Its the same out of control feeling we get when we've reached the highest point on a roller coaster ride. You haven't started falling yet, but you've just gotten your first look down to where you will be in about 1/2 a second. All you can do is ride it out.

When we stand in adversity, that's a lot like what we do...at least in the beginning. We see the adversity coming...we might close our eyes...scream...or even cry as the storm rages around us. And that's OK.

Because in the morning, the storm will be over...and you WILL be standing.

Others will see and ask, "How come you didn't fall with everyone else?"

They saw the storm, too. They stand puzzled at us saying, "You should be DEAD!"

Yeah, guess what...I am dead...and yet I live...and yet not I, but Christ lives within me.

When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever. Proverbs 10:25

Are You Standing?

So now that the storm has passed and you find yourself still standing...what just happened to your faith?

It grew a little didn't it?

You might say, "No, may faith didn't grow any. I cried like a little school-girl all the way through the storm."

Maybe so...but will you cry like a little school-girl all the way through the next storm?

Not if you're sincere about your relationship with God. If you're breathing and spending time before the mirror of His image trying to be like Him...you will grow from faith to faith and glory to glory.

Its part of the morphing process. As we exchange the lies we believe for the truth about God, our faith in Him and likeness of Him will continue to increase.

One day, we'll look back at our lives and say, "Wow! Look what the Lord has done!"

Are You Standing?

irenemcg said:

STANDING ON THE PROMISES OF GOD.

The promises of my Lord and my God are yes and amen,
And what God promises He is faithful to deliver,
So I take hold of His promises and say amen.
I will place my trust in the Lord my Saviour.

My Lord and Saviour is the restorer of my soul,
The blood He shed was for me to be made whole.
He has wiped away all of my iniquities,
And He is the healer of all sickness or disease.

The scourging He took was for my healing,
Bodily, Spiritual and financial healing,
He is even the one who provides me with faith,
My Lord has spoken promises and they come to pass.

I am a believer so I shall lay hands on the sick,
The power of God within me will bring forth that healing,
For it is Christ in me that is the hope of glory,
I will boldly proclaim the full gospel story.

God has promised to prosper me and not to harm me,
So I know that He will provide for all my needs,
He has promised never to leave me nor forsake me,
So I will stand on the promises which in His Word I read.

Irene McG 2007

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Irene are these fresh inspirations or do you have this archive of wonderful material stashed away somewhere? Either way, they're a blessing, thank you.

OK, so we've discussed how standing is not only important for us, it is important for others, too. But perseverance isn't easy...is there something in it for me beyond today's victories?

The truth of the matter is YES there is. In fact, the only things in all of Christianity that we can actually earn are the rewards for standing and enduring. There are other things that can earn rewards, but the prerequisite to them is still standing and enduring. So if we expect to earn rewards, what should we learn to do?

Here are some examples:

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of Life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him. James 1:12

Feed the flock of God which is among you, (if you don't think the job of a pastor requires endurance...just ask one) taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away. 1 Peter 5:2-4

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. Revelation 2:7

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. Revelation 2:10-11

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Hidden Manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Revelation 2:17

And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 2:26-29

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3:5-6

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3:12-13

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3:21-22

Now I'm not going into a study of depth about these rewards. Let it be sufficient at this point to say that they can be earned...but not without at least standing in faith.

I don't know about you, but I simply MUST have some of that Hidden Manna! How about you?

Are You Standing?