HOW TO STAND TALL FOR JESUS WHEN THE WORLD IS CONSTANTLY TELLING YOU, YOU SHOULD SIT DOWN.
1. BE DEFINITELY SURE YOU ARE STANDING.
A. Pursue Righteousness, follow after what is right and good, live a righteous life, what God approves of.
B. Pursue godliness, living a godly life, living a holy life before God and others, a life of wonder. This means living a life characterized by a God ward attitude and wanting to only do that which is well pleasing to him. Abraham it says was a friend of God. Moses it says talked with God as a man face to face.
C. Pursue Faith. Steadiness. Have a high opinion for God¡¦s Word. Being a Christian is not so much as to what doctrine you believe as to the relationship you have with Christ. It is recognizing Real success comes from God. ¡§If you will you can make me clean.¡¨ Jesus said, ¡§I will.¡¨
D. Pursue Love. Have adoration for. Love is only seen by the actions it prompts. Love is a decision.
E. Pursue Endurance, persevere, determination, patience, steadfastness, abiding in Him, longsuffering. We need this when going through trials. When we are under discipline by God to improve our character. When we are being persecuted. When we are doing well. While we are bearing fruit. As we are running the race.
F. Pursue Gentleness, being meek, courteous, humble, not being self-centered.
2. BE ALERT OF WHAT YOU ARE STANDING FOR. Fight the good fight for what we believe. Run hard and fast in the faith. Fight the good fight for the Christian faith. It is God¡¦s fight and not our own. 2 Kings 6:8-17 ¡§When the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he would confer with his officers and say, "We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place." But immediately Elisha, the man of God, would warn the king of Israel, "Do not go near that place, for the Arameans are planning to mobilize their troops there." So the king of Israel would send word to the place indicated by the man of God, warning the people there to be on their guard. This happened several times. The king of Aram became very upset over this. He called in his officers and demanded, "Which of you is the traitor? Who has been informing the king of Israel of my plans?" "It’s not us, my lord," one of the officers replied. "Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!" The king commanded, "Go and find out where Elisha is, and we will send troops to seize him." And the report came back: "Elisha is at Dothan." So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city. When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. "Ah, my lord, what will we do now?" he cried out to Elisha. "Don’t be afraid!" Elisha told him. "For there be more with us than be with them!" Then Elisha prayed, "O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!" The Lord opened his servant’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. Ps 34:7¡¨The angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear him, and delivers them.¡¨ 91:11 ¡§For he shall give his angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.¡¨ MT 26:53 ¡§Don’t you think that I could call on my Father to send more than twelve legions of angels to help me now?¡¨
Our motivation is everything. If you are doing anything you are doing that is not for God you are wasting your time.
3. DECIDE WHERE YOU ARE STANDING. Grab hold of the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses. Hold tightly to the eternal life that God has given you, which you have confessed so well before many witnesses. Take hold of everlasting life to which you were called and about which you made a good testimony in front of many witnesses. You know you are born of God. Your inheritance is from God. No matter what is going on now we win if we are with God. The battle is already won you can not lose if you do not quit. In 2 CHR. 20 we find a story of when the singers went in front of the army and victory came. ¡§Later the Moabites, Ammonites, and some of the Meunites came to wage war against Jehoshaphat. Some men reported to Jehoshaphat, "A large crowd is coming against you. Frightened, Jehoshaphat decided to ask for the Lord’s help. He announced a fast throughout Judah. [Jehoshaphat stood in front of the people. He said, "Lord God of our ancestors, aren’t you the God in heaven? You rule all the kingdoms of the nations. You possess power and might, and no one can oppose you. Didn’t you, our God, force those who were living in this country out of Israel’s way? His descendants have lived in it and built a holy temple for your name in it. They said, ’If evil comes in the form of war, flood, plague, or famine, we will stand in front of this temple and in front of you because your name is in this temple. We will cry out to you in our troubles, and you will hear us and save us.’ "The Ammonites, Moabites, and the people of Mount Seir have come here. However, you didn’t let Israel invade them when they came out of Egypt. The Israelites turned away from them and didn’t destroy them. They are now paying us back by coming to force us out of your land that you gave to us. You’re our God. Won’t you judge them? We don’t have the strength to face this large crowd that is attacking us. We don’t know what to do, so we’re looking to you." Then the Lord’s Spirit came to Jahaziel. This is what the Lord says to you: Don’t be frightened or terrified by this large crowd. The battle isn’t yours. It’s God’s. Tomorrow go into battle against them. You won’t fight this battle. {Instead,} take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the Lord for you. Don’t be frightened or terrified. Tomorrow go out to face them. The Lord is with you." Jehoshaphat stopped and said, "Listen to me, people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem. Trust the Lord your God, and believe. Believe his prophets, and you will succeed." After he had advised the people, he appointed people to sing to the Lord and praise him for the beauty of his holiness. As they went in front of the troops, they sang, "Thank the Lord because his mercy endures forever!" As they started to sing praises, the Lord set ambushes against the Ammonites, Moabites, and the people of Mount Seir who had come into Judah. They were defeated. The people of Judah went to the watchtower in the desert and looked for the crowd. Corpses were lying on the ground. No one had escaped. When Jehoshaphat and his troops came to take the loot, they found among them a lot of goods, clothes, and valuables. They found more than they could carry. They spent three days collecting the loot. On the fourth day they gathered they thanked the Lord there. The fear of the Lord came over the kingdoms in that area when they heard how the Lord waged war against Israel’s enemies. Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was peaceful, since his God surrounded him with peace.
4. DO NOT SLUMP WHEN YOU STAND. 14] That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, that you obey his commands with all purity. Then no one can find fault with you. Keep this command to the letter, and don¡¦t slack off. I insist that, you obey this command completely. Then you cannot be blamed for doing anything wrong. Spot (Actual sin) or Blemish (appearance of sin). If you do not live like a Christian you are affecting the witness of this church in the wrong way.ƒnƒnƒnƒnƒnƒnƒnƒnƒnƒnƒnƒnƒn
5. UNDERSTAND YOU WILL NOT BE STANDING FOREVER. Until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. From now until our Lord Jesus Christ returns. Our Master, Jesus Christ, is on his way. Until our Lord Jesus Christ appears, Hold on He is coming. 27For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven. The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. According to the Lord¡¦s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 7Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord¡¦s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. 8You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord¡¦s coming is near. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 7¡¨Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.¡¨ Yes, I am coming soon.¡¨ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 12¡¨Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done.
6. KEEP IN MIND WHO IS STANDING BESIDE YOU.
God is the blessed and only ruler. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the blessed and only almighty God, the King of kings and Lord of lords, no man can approach unto, He alone can never die, and he lives in light so brilliant that no human can approach him. He is the only one who cannot die. He lives in light that no one can come near; Honor and power belong to him forever! He is the One who stands beside you.
BE DEFINITELY SURE YOU ARE STANDING. BE ALERT OF WHAT YOU ARE STANDING FOR. DECIDE WHERE YOU ARE STANDING. DO NOT SLUMP WHEN YOU STAND. UNDERSTAND YOU WILL NOT BE STANDING FOREVER. KEEP IN MIND WHO IS STANDING BESIDE YOU.
