Stand!

Zechariah 4:6 “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.

So if “by” His Spirit and He will make “it” happen, what is my part?  I mean I’ve heard the saying you can’t steer a parked car.  So I have to do something, right?

The following is something that walking with the Lord for the past 15 years has taught me.  First, I am to believe what the Bible says is true.  Then, I am to test the waters and take a step out in faith.  After taking the step I am to stand.  Stand and wait till the opposition has left.  Then repeat the process.

I believe in my own personal/career life I am on the verge a big change. I have been building up to it for quite some time.  How do I know these things?  Well, sometimes it is revealed to me in dreams and other times I can feel a strong “pull” or “desire” for change.  I am waiting for my next assignment and wondering what it will be.  In the meantime, I believe the word of God, I test the waters, I take baby steps of faith and I stand.

 

Each component in the process is important.  You will not get very far cutting any of it short.  You must believe first, before you see.   (Romans 4:17 -  He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not.)  Now, you may have to call them into being a long time before you see results.  But the process is in place.  Believe first. 

The next step,  test the waters (using discretion) and step out in faith.  You may miss it but so what.  You simply try again with something different.  It sure is better than being parked on your butt in front of the television doing the same old same old again.  You need to get out of your comfort zone.

When you know your step is secure and you are in the will of God, then comes the really hard part.  Satan doesn’t like to give up any ground and he will do his best to make you retreat.

Ephesians 6:13 says, “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

The Bible says the word “stand” 4 times from Ephesians 6:11-14 My first thought years ago was, how redundant.  But oh, life has taught me how truly wise Paul’s words were.  It can be like watching a reporter during a hurricane. They are outside with the wind blowing and debris like street signs, etc., is flying all around them.  We are to be like that reporter, standing and holding our ground against the enemy’s rage.

 

The storm may not look on the outside like the wind and rain of a hurricane, but internally you can feel it.  Sometimes it is a great frustration in the workplace, a relative who is proving to be like sandpaper to you (always irritating), an illness that threatens to destroy your life, strife between people closest to you, old problems that seem to rear their ugly head after you thought they were long dead and buried.  It is different for everyone, but what is consistent if you are growing up in the Lord and taking ground from the enemy, you will face opposition. 

It is key to remember the storm will cease.  But the operative word there is to STAND!  If you back down I promise you, you will simply have to face it a different day in the future.  The names and faces may change but the enemy will be the same. 

This past week I have done my share of seeing the rage go on within me.  I won’t get into details, but the first wave, so to speak, came up from the old problems,  For several days I had to keep telling myself to just shut up.  I would not focus on it; as a matter of fact on one occasion I walked away from the person and simply said to myself, “STAND!”  I sort of rolled my eyes up to God and I knew that was my word for the day, STAND!  I vowed several years ago to never open my mouth on this particular subject again.  It gets me upset, I lose my peace and I look like the bad guy.  I can tell you I was baited.  The snare was set and I was to hold my ground.  

The same day, another issue came up with someone else as I was still reeling from the earlier one.  This one I knew was bait.  I simply said, “Do you really want to bring that up now?”  I was like, “Get thee behind me Satan.”  The situation was diffused in minutes.  Not too many years ago and I would have had a meltdown, seemingly getting attacked on two separate sides from people I love. But with the Lord’s faithfulness and strength, it did not happen this time.

Then another situation came up several days later and I thought, “Wow, I must really be taking some ground because Satan is working overtime to get me upset.”  I suppose it has to do with the fact that I’m going to speak to the women at a Wisconsin prison soon.  I am not doing anything fancy, just standing and refusing to move.  My battle isn’t against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12) and doing anything else to flesh and blood but standing is moving.  For example, if I even so much as move my lips with words I am no longer standing.  That’s pretty deep but no wonder it fails.  If I’m getting opposition from the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms throwing words at flesh and blood is just plain stupid!  Flesh and blood is not my enemy, or yours for that matter. 

I’m telling you God makes me so much smarter than I am in the natural!

I’ve recently been encouraged to study Ephesians 6:10-20 and I encourage you to do it, too.

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. 19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Zechariah 4:6 “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the Lord Almighty.

It is true. I just stood in the storm and didn’t fight it in my own strength (lose my temper) and He continues to transform me on the inside. 

I sometimes get feedback from my readers (and I love it) and I’m going to ask you all to pray for us on Super Bowl Sunday (February 5, 2017) as I make my debut speaking engagement.  I have spoken to small groups before but never anything this large.  It is very important to me as, from the time I can remember (about age 5), I’ve wanted to help “little girls” who cry themselves to sleep at night.  I’ve dreamed of this opportunity and “practiced” my speech for over 10 years!   Please pray that these ladies and the prison staff come to know God through my words and testimony.  I would be greatly encouraged to know that you are praying for all of us.

It is ironic but we picked out the songs weeks ago and one of them is “Standing on the Promises of God”.  We got the right song.

Walking with the Lord sure isn’t boring!