BE STILL --- STAND STILL --- STAND FIRM
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes) (Two part lesson)
STAND STILL: waiting patiently, a condition or situation with no movement, not give up, hold on, continue, no rush, to be patient.
DO WE REALLY TRUST GOD KNOWS HOW TO DELIVER US? GOD HAS ALWAYS BEEN FAITHFUL TO DELIVER HIS PEOPLE… THE REAL QUESTION IS NOT CAN GOD DELIVER ME? THE QUESTION IS DO I TRUST GOD ENOUGH TO STAND STILL?
2 Peter 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
WHAT IS MY FOCUS? WHAT DO I REMEMBER? HAVE I CREATED MY OWN PROBLEMS, TRIALS AND CRISIS?
I THINK I WILL JUST RETURN TO MY OLD COMFORT ZONE. What if the Israelites had returned to Egypt? We are out here remembering the good stuff. WHAT AM I FORGETING?
Numbers 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic:
Do they remember the brick quotas, the killing the male sons and the mean task masters and slavery? WE REMEMBER LEEKS, ONIONS AND GARLIC…
HAVE YOU EVER DECIDED YOU WOULD FIGHT GOD? THERE IS A TIME TO QUIT BELLYACHING AND COMPLAINING. It may be easy to be stubborn and STIFFNECKED. WE WILL HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES IF YOU REFUSE TO LISTEN. I CAN HANDLE THIS? DO SOMETHING POSITIVE… BELIEVE AND RECEIVE… THE IMPOSSIBLE SITUATIONS BEFORE YOU COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TRUST AND RELY ON THE GOD OF POSSIBILITIES. STAND STILL?
MY FRIEND WE MUST EVALUATE OUR FEAR AND PANIC THAT CAN HINDER GOD’S MOVE. GOD ARRANGED THE PLAN OF THE RED SEA AND PHARAOH’S ARMY… GOD COULD HAVE SENT ANGELS TO KILL THE EGYPTIAN ARMY IN THE DESERT AND BURIED THEM THERE… AND A CRUISE SHIP TO CARRY THEM OVER THE RED SEA.
Fear is torture and bondage… FEAR is habitual…FEAR LIVES RENT FREE IN YOUR BRAIN… Fear kills faith deader than a door nail. Where there is fear one can never stand still and trust God’s plan. The first step to STAND STILL we must learn to deal with the bondage of fear. Be honest … what emotional fear are you bowing to…?
Romans 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
TRUST THE WORD: WE AGAIN COME TO A BIBLICAL IMPERATIVE COMMAND LIKE HAVE FAITH IN GOD, LET NOT YOUR HEART BE TROUBLED… THIS IMPERATIVE COMMAND IS CLEAR… 1. FEAR NOT! 2. STAND STILL…
Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
Exodus 14:13 (MSG) Moses spoke to the people: "Don't be afraid. Stand firm and watch GOD do his work of salvation for you today. Take a good look at the Egyptians today for you're never going to see them again.
14 "GOD will fight the battle for you. And you? You keep your mouths shut!"
I have been told that the Red Sea where Moses was directed was 12 miles wide and from 75 to 100 feet deep. The visual field before the people was hopelessness… beside that can you see the dust clouds that the best elite armed forces of the world were fast approaching behind them….
It is totally against human nature to stand still and do absolutely nothing when we are facing danger, troubles, trials and problems. Do we realize patience is not human nature… our natural expression is worry, fear, panic and taking things into our own hands. Listen to the battle cry: WHY? WHY GOD? WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME GOD? I GUESS GOD IS PUNISHING ME? How will I handle this crisis? This problem is an opportunity for me to make a mess or will I trust by
faith that MY GOD KNOWS HOW TO DELIVER… Do we come before God’s throne with an attitude I will wait on God… God knows how to deliver and God allowed this trial as a teaching tool to stretch our faith. Trials produce faith is we trust.
MY FRIEND WE MUST EVALUATE OUR FEAR AND PANIC THAT CAN HINDER GOD’S MOVE. GOD ARRANGED THE PLAN OF THE RED SEA AND PHARAOH’S ARMY… GOD COULD HAVE SENT ANGELS TO KILL THE EGYPTIAN ARMY IN THE DESERT AND BURIED THEM THERE… GOD COULD HAVE BUILT A BRIDGE? The first element we must deal with is bondage of fear…
MOSES HAD A 5 POINT SERMON OUTLINE ON LISTEN TO ME: STAND STILL AND TRUST GOD…
1. YOU WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD.
2. YOU WILL SEE GOD’S HAND WORK TODAY.
3. THE EGYPTIANS THAT YOU ARE SEEING ARE BIRTHING FEAR IN YOU, YOU WILL NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN. THE NEXT TIME YOU SEE THE EGYPTIANS THEIR DEAD HORSES AND DEAD BODIES WILL BE FLOATING IN THE WATER AND ON THE SHORES OF THE RED SEA.
4. THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU.
5. YOU WILL NOT HAVE TO TAKE UP YOUR WEAPONS AND FIGHT THE EGYPTIANS…
LISTEN SAUL: QUIT FEAR AND PANIC ATTACKS. WAIT ON THE MOVE OF GOD…THERE IS A HUGE BATTLE IN FRONT OF KING SAUL. THE OLD PREACHER SAMUEL AND GOD INSTRUCTED SAUL TO LISTEN AND WAIT FOR GOD’S ANOINTING.
FEAR REFUSES TO STAND STILL--- RUN LIKE A CHICKEN WITH ITS HEAD CUT OFF…
1 Samuel 13:5 And the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the sea shore in multitude: and they came up, and pitched in Michmash, eastward from Bethaven.
Never forget SAUL WAS NEVER AUTHORIZED TO LEAD IN WORSHIP AND PERFORM A SACRIFICE. The Philistines are a terrible foe… Panic, fear, impatience, and EGO ISSUES… The Preacher tells SAUL, WAIT… FOR THE PROPHET…
Be honest would you have patiently waited? The old preacher is old and slow? Samuel has clear instructions: WAIT!
1 Samuel 13:6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in a strait, (for the people were distressed,) then the people did hide themselves in caves, and in thickets, and in rocks, and in high places, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul, he was yet in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.
SAUL GETS TIRED OF WAITING… HE REFUSES TO BE STILL… SAUL WILL YOU TRUST GOD? I HAVE AN EXCUSE TO NOT WAIT… I DID WAIT 7 DAYS… IT IS THAT OLD PREACHER’S FAULT.
1 Samuel 13:8 And he tarried seven days, according to the set time that Samuel had appointed: but Samuel came not to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9. And Saul said, Bring hither a burnt offering to me, and peace offerings. And he offered the burnt offering.
SAUL, YOU ARE PLAYING THE ROLE OF THE FOOL BY NOT OBEYING WHAT THE PREACHER ORDERED… WAIT--- BE STILL--- TRUST GOD’S PLAN…
1 Samuel 13:11 And Samuel said, What hast thou done? And Saul said, Because I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that thou camest not within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered themselves together at Michmash; 12 Therefore said I, The Philistines will come down now upon me to Gilgal, and I have not made supplication unto the LORD: I forced myself therefore, and offered a burnt offering.
SAUL WAS ANGRY: SAUL REFUSED TO WAIT ON THE PREACHER AND ON GOD… SAUL REFUSED TO BE STILL. SAUL JERKED THE MANTLE OFF SAMUEL… THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO REFUSING TO BE STILL…
1 Samuel 15:27 And as Samuel turned about to go away, he laid hold upon the skirt of his mantle, and it rent. 28 And Samuel said unto him, The LORD hath rent the kingdom of Israel from thee this day, and hath given it to a neighbor of thine, that is better than thou.
IN THE REALITY OF LIFE THERE ARE TIMES WE BETTER NOT STAND STILL… SPUR THEM HORSES…
Genesis 19:17 And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
Genesis 19:17 (MSG) When they had them outside, Lot was told, "Now run for your life! Don't look back! Don't stop anywhere on the plain—run for the hills or you'll be swept away."
CONCLUSION: We can find there is power in stillness. We must learn to be silent and be quiet and keep our mouths shut when our brains are in neutral. Be still and KNOW THAT GOD IS GOD… 7x’s in God’s word he says BE STILL… Other times God says: STAND FAST. I can see how we can run fast, but God asks us to STAND FAST… Be stationary and persevere… stay the course. We must stay focused on seeking God first. Guard your heart. Stand firm. Give no ground to fear, discouragement anxiety. BE FAITHFUL.
Psalm 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
Joshua 3:8 And thou shalt command the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com (YouTube: Wade Hughes) (Two part lesson.)
