LEARNING TO STAND
(week 26/13)
OLUBI JOHNSON
Ephesians 6:13-14 AMP: Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]. (14) Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God,
Here, the scripture instructs us to stand: to hold the spiritual ground we have taken from the devil and not to allow him to push us into retreat.
1Peter 5:8-9 NIV: Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (9) Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
But what happens when we fall?
We are to get up quickly and ‘counter attack’:
Proverbs 24:16 NIV: for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.
How do we rise? By the Lord upholding us:
Romans 14:4 AMP: Who are you to pass judgment on and censure another’s household servant? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he shall stand and be upheld, for the Master (the Lord) is mighty to support him and make him stand.
Micah 7:8-9 NKJV: Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The LORD will be a light to me. (9) I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against Him, Until He pleads my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness.
The Lord upholds us when we confess and forsake our sins and so receive mercy that will triumph over judgement.
Proverbs 28:13 NKJV: He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
James 4:7-10 NKJV: Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (8) Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (9) Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. (10) Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
James 2:13 NKJV: For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
We should avoid falling as much as possible; especially great falls (Jn. 19.11; Mt.7.27) that can cause us severe spiritual injuries that can hinder our walk with God even after we have been forgiven. Like David’s GREAT fall of adultery and murder, hindered him for the rest of his life (1 Kings. 12.7-14) not allowing him to fulfill the fulness of his destiny even after God had forgiven him: his son, Absalom, rebelled against him (2 Sam. 15.12-14) and he did not live long enough to build the temple (1 Chr. 22. 7-8). From small falls like losing concentration or sleeping when praying (Mt. 26.40-43) you can easily get up with little or no injuries.
In fact, it is the PERFECT will of God that we learn how to operate so that we NEVER FALL according to
2 Peter 1:2-10 MKJV: Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, (3) according as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and virtue, (4) through which He has given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, so that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (5) But also in this very thing, bringing in ALL diligence, filling out your faith with virtue, and with virtue, knowledge; (6) and with knowledge self-control, and with self-control, patience, and with patience, godliness, (7) and with godliness, brotherly kindness, and with brotherly kindness, love. (8) For if these things are in you and abound, they make you to be neither idle nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (9) For he in whom these things are not present is blind and cannot see afar off and has forgotten that he was purged from his sins in the past. (10) Therefore, brothers, rather be diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things, you shall never fall.
So, we should avoid falling as much as possible, especially great falls: by giving ALL diligence to praying with all kinds of prayer in the spirit and travail (Eph. 6.18, Gal. 4.19) and walking in the Spirit; and if and when we do fall, we should arise again quickly and having done ALL to STAND, continue to STAND!
