I'm Still Standing

I'M STILL STANDING

One of the things I really love about the Bible is when it gives us in depth looks into the lives and the characters of people in the Bible. One of those individuals whose character and courage capture my attention is the Apostle Paul. We don't have time to do an in depth character study of this man today, but we will take a little peek into his life, and I'm pretty sure you will feel the same way I do.

In this first passage of scripture Paul is on board a ship as a prisoner, being shipped to Rome to be tried by Ceasar, the ship is destroyed, but because of Paul, all that are on board the ship are spared.

They swam into land, or floated in on boards and broken pieces of the ship.

Now we pick up our text...

Acts 28:3-5

And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.

This epitomizes the life of the apostle Paul, as soon as he hits land he goes to work. While he is working, he is bitten by a poisionous viper, but Paul shakes it off into the fire.

That's Paul's life in a nut shell. Working for God, attacked by hell, shake it off into the fire, and keep on working.

Now look at these verses...

2 Timothy 3:10-11 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; "what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me."

Now let's see what God delivered Paul from...

2 Corinthians 11:23-27 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.

I don't know what you think when you read these words of Paul.

Some may think that he is just whining and complaining, about all the hardships he has endured as a soldier in God's army.

But as for me I have many different thoughts. But that is not one of them.

*I think that Paul was a very strong, bold, and courageous person.

*I think that the devil knew that Paul was a threat to hell, and he was especially targeted by hell.

But then I think, maybe I'm looking at this wrong. Maybe it wasn't Paul who was the target.

*No as a matter of fact, I think it was the Kingdom of darkness that was targeted by Paul, and he is just revealing some of his battle scars from storming the gates of hell.

Paul acknowledges the fact that he has endured many persecutions, and been in many battles, but I love the way he ends it by saying... But out of them all, the Lord delivered me.

Paul may not have used these exact words, but it means the same thing. Basically Paul is announcing to hell, hey lookie here, I'm still here. Look over here, I'm still standing.

I think somebody needs to say it with me right now... Hey lookie here, I'm still here, and I'm still standing.

There is something you have to understand about Paul.

*He was a warrior.

*Paul was a soldier from the top of his head to the tip of his toes.

*Paul was not afraid of warfare.

*Paul did not shrink back from conflict.

*Paul lived his life leaning into the fight.

*Paul was comissioned into service by the Lord Jesus Christ himself, and Paul caught the DNA of his commander and chief.

Paul was a soldier.

In fact Paul was bred for the battle. He lived everyday as a soldier on the battlefield. Paul understood the element of spiritual warfare, and he knew the ruthless, murderous, hate of satans kingdom that believers would face. He was continually urging us to never under-estimate the devil, and his kingdom.