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Simply Stand

 





It had been one of those weeks. Unexpectedly, I found myself amid a conflict that seemed to materialize out of nowhere. Caught in this without warning, I had no time to think through the situation much less determine how I should handle it. I was truly “in the moment.” With my mind racing back and forth, running through the options, weighing the risks and considering the fairness of it all, I knew no matter what stance I took, it was going to present a problem. There would be a struggle. I would be met with opposition. It might cost me something, and most likely, I would not be supported. Yet, I knew the decision I had to make, and I could predict the outcome, but God was calling me to obey His prompting in my spirit. As painful, unpopular and not well-received it would be, I had to simply stand.

James, the brother of Jesus wrote a book bearing his name for the very purpose of encouraging the early Christians to stand on Biblical truth in a world that was less than perfect. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."
James 1: 2-4 


This early New Testament message is still timely for believers today. We are called to stand in the difficult times that challenge our character and place us in positions of opposition to the norm. We are warriors doing battle, not with men, but rather with the evil spiritual forces with that so blatantly encourage us to make decisions that go against the Word of God. ​It is at times such as these, regardless of how they come to us, we must resist selling out to the evil one when we know it is contrary to God’s word. By simply standing against those things that can destroy our character, dilute the truth of God’s word thus causing us to be ineffective servants of Christ, we decide to trade the temporal endorsement of man for the eternal approval of God our Father, and it all begins when we decide to simply stand. 


Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:58

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