Stand!

As part of our Friday Night Watch on 4/23, I felt the Lord give me a series of scriptures. As I looked them up, they all had a prevailing theme - stand! Each also had a secondary theme, which I will get into later...

The story of Mary in Luke 1:26-38 shows the angel of the Lord coming to visit Mary and making a promise to her - she would birth the Messiah. We're familiar with the story - quite crazy and extreme...unbelievable even. Her response, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Let it be to me according to your word - this needs to be our response! The Lord has made some promises to all of us with regards to our own personal lives, our children, our communities, our cities, etc. We must stand on these words!

"Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for 'God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.' Be sober, be vigilant (watchful); because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." (1 Peter 5: 6, 8-11)

First off, let me note here the importance of humility. This is the Lord's work, and not our own - so as we take a stand, we stand on His Words - they are His works and not our own. The devil "walks about like a roaring lion" - he tries to bully and scare us into doubt and unbelief. After we have suffered, we are strengthened and established - we can stand. We tend to avoid suffering and try to "stand" for something we can wrap our natural minds around - something easier to grasp...but that's not what the Lord is after. Peter says to be vigilant and sober minded, other translations say to be alert or watchful. Why?

"Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!"(James 5:7-8)

This was especially meaningful for us as the Lord has been reiterating how the watch is like plowing. When a farmer plants seed in the ground, he does so expecting a harvest. If he plants tomato seeds, he expects to reap a harvest of tomatoes. But he also should expect to have to wait patiently - for the season of the harvest. He may also have to water, for there maybe a dry season or drought to endure. There also may be many weeds popping up trying to choke out the plants and prevent fruit. It is much the same way with us. The devil claims a drought and things will look bleak, maybe even wither or look dead, or maybe doubt will creep in thinking you didn't plant those seeds at all, maybe you're just not a good gardener, etc., etc. - we must wage war against these things and take these thoughts captive. We must continue to work the soil, till the ground, water, weed and prune our "spiritual gardens".

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. " (Ephesians 6:11-13)

We must recognize who and what we are warring against. We are not wrestling against flesh and blood - not people - but rather the spirit behind them at work. I find it interesting here in verse 13, "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand " - after having "done all" - stand. Keep standing! This is the faith the Father is looking for throughout the earth!!!

"So Jesus answered and said to them, 'Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses." (Mark 11:22-25)

Here we see again - "does not doubt!" This is so important - to stand on these things and not waver. But here we see the secondary theme behind all of these scriptures, which intrigues me - And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. Stand praying, seek forgiveness...

Each of the scriptures above had something to do with our relationships being in right order as we "stand". Jesus said when we're to stand praying, forgive. Peter said to walk in humility, but also stand in the faith, knowing our brotherhood endure these same kinds of trials - we're not alone, and we're not better than anyone else. Also, we see the humility of the younger to the elder - why? Chances are, the elder has lived through it - learn from it! We don't endure "super-trials" because we're these 'spiritual giants', better than every other believer. We need to submit to one another and learn from one another. James exhorts us not to grumble, while Paul wrote about the battle being spiritual and not flesh and blood. It seems so easy to fall into the snare of thinking more highly of ourselves then we ought, and grumbling about our brothers and sisters...if we are going to stand in faith, we need to stand together, expecting our adversary to come and subtly draw us into judgement, pride, grumbling, or isolation. Stand!