Stay on Your Feet

A friend of mine recently shared with me a new thought he had about John 14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled” He said that often we read that and think about the trouble, but he said the emphasis should be on our hearts. There can be trouble all around us, but that doesn’t need to affect our hearts. We can remain in peace, undisturbed by the trouble around us. That is how Jesus lived, and I believe that he wants to enable us to live the same way. The sea may roar and foam around us on the outside but inside we can be in peace.

Of course, some Christians don’t “get” spiritual warfare because their lives are so selfish and ineffective the devil will never give them any trouble at all. But just get serious about radical obedience to God and inevitably you will meet some opposition.

But if you stay in faith and fight the good fight, as Paul tells Timothy, you will eventually prevail. Sometimes it will seem like you are sinking, fading and wearing out but don’t give up. Anyone who wants to be effective in serving God on the earth will become enough of a threat to the powers of darkness and eventually they will try to discourage you or stop you. If you lose your peace and react in fear, they will get to you. If they can convince you to quit, they have accomplished their goal.

God instructs us in Eph. 6:13 to take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Sometimes it’s a huge accomplishment just to remain standing! We do need to take advantage of God’s provision for us to withstand evil, and we need to “do all” we can. But even if all we can do is remain standing, in faith, in peace and with our hope in God, eventually we prevail.

We see a common pattern exhibited in David’s life in 1 Chronicles 14. When the Philistines heard that David was anointed king, they came out against him. But as soon as David heard they were coming, he went out against them. He didn’t run or hide. Then there was war. Real war. But David won. He said, “God has given me the breakthrough by my hand”. The conflict was real, but he got the breakthrough. It didn’t fall out of the sky. Rather it says God gave it by David’s own hand.

So if you have sensed the call of God on your life and have responded with a “Yes”; have begun to take steps to obey but now you learn you have some opposition coming against you, stay standing and don’t give up! The warfare is often the most intense right before the point of breakthrough. Stay on your feet.