Standing My Ground
PSALM 1:1-6
1. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the paths of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord. And in his Law He meditates day and night.
3. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, that brings forth its fruit in its season.
4. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
JOSHUA 7:1, 7:19-26
1. But the children of Israel committed a trespass regarding the accursed things, for Achan the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed things; so the anger of the Lord burned against the children of Israel.
19.So Joshua sain to Achan, “my son I beg you, give glory to the Lord God of Israel, and make confession to him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me”
20. And Achan answered Joshua and said, “indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done”
21.”When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, 200 shekels, of silver I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the Earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.”
22. So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was hidden in his tent, with the silver under it.
23. And they took them from the midst of the tent, brought them to Joshua and to all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the Lord.
24. Then Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, the silver, his daughters, his oxen, his donkeys, his sheep, his tent, and all that he had, and they brought them to the Valley of Achor.
25. And Joshua said, “Why have you troubled us? The Lord will trouble you this day.” So all Israel stoned him with stones; and they burned them with fire after they stoned them with stones.
26. Then they raised over him a great heap of stones, still there to this day. So the Lord turned from his fierceness of His anger. Therefore the name of that place has been called the Valley of Achor to this day.
David had already experienced the ability to stand his ground.
He had gone up against the giant, Goliath, and the hand of God gave him the ability to take his sling and shoot down the Giant.
He knew what it was to be like a tree planted by the river of God, and what it was like to swim in that river.
He never took counsel from the wicked.
He trusted God’s counsel, the Word of God.
He meditated on God’s law day and night.
His strength came from obeying God’s law.
The fruit on his tree didn’t wither; whatever he did, he prospered in it.
It is because of where he stood! David would not be moved!
David stood his ground.
I’ve entitled this “Standing My Ground”. Are we standing our ground?
If we’re standing our ground in Christ, we will not be moved.
It’s time we stand on what’s ours.
Sometimes we wonder why the wicked prosper, and it seems we struggle.
The wicked will have their day!
At times it seems we struggle, but compared to a lot of people in this world, we’re rich.
We have a roof over our head, we have food. If we don’t, we have the resources to get it.
Some people don’t have these luxuries.
In the book of Joshua, Joshua had just taken over as leader of the Israelites.
God promised Joshua just like He was with Moses, He would be with him.
Joshua had just had a great victory at Jericho; remember they never had to raise a weapon of war.
The walls of Jericho came tumbling down because of obedience to God, God works through obedience.
All Joshua had to do was to be obedient to God and stand his ground.
Jericho had already been given to him.
Israel’s next battle was against Ai. (Read Joshua 7:1)
Achan had taken what wasn’t his.(stuff from the Battle of Jericho)
Because of this act, Ai defeated Israel.
This should have been an easy victory for Israel.
But Achan took what wasn’t his to take.
Achan was not standing his ground, when you take something that isn’t yours, you’re not standing your ground.
Do we steal anything from God? Maybe tithes, time.
It’s time we stand up and stand our ground.
What’s been given to me is mine, what’s been given to you is yours.
Don’t let Satan sneak in your back door.
DREAM 5-8-2005
I dreamed I was at the back door at where I work. The door had been opened and Satan was able to come part of the way in. It was only right as you walk in. John, a guy I work with, was going to throw him out. I walked over and stood my ground. I knew the ground He was standing on was mine. In the name of Jesus, I threw him out. I prayed and he had to go. I woke up. It was 2 o’clock in the morning.
INTERPRETATION
Work, our jobs,
Back door our lives
A lot of times our front doors our guarded, we’re ready for the attack.
Satan tries our back doors where we’re not paying attention to.
John represents the world; the world cannot throw out Satan.
I walked over and stood my ground, God placed me at my job.
Our work place is our ground.
I had the authority to throw Satan out.
One day last week, I was listening to a conversation at my place of employment.
One of the guys used a word of profanity, in some peoples’ eyes, what He said might not have been that bad.
As nice and as kind as I could, I presented him a question.
I asked him why people used that kind of language. I knew this guy used to go to church.
He gave me an answer. I knew He didn’t like what I said, but I presented it in such a nice way, he couldn’t get mad and show his anger.
He just walked away.
Where I work is my ground, God placed me there to be a witness.
I’m standing my ground!
Are you watching your back door? If you don’t watch, Satan will try to come in.
At first, He might not get very far, but if we don’t stand our ground , he will get farther.
Take what was given to us or someone else will enjoy what’s ours.
Achan sinned and took what he was told not to do; He let the enemy all the way in his back door.
Don’t let the enemy in your back door.
Achan’s sin led to his death and the death of his family.
ROMANS 6:23
23. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Achan’s sin led to him being stoned.
Now that the problem was taken care of, Israel was able to defeat Ai.
Closing
PSALM 1
1. Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the paths of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.
2. But his delight is in the law of the Lord. And in his Law He meditates day and night.
3. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, that brings forth its fruit in its season.
4. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
I’m not going to take advice from a sinner, my delight is in Jesus.
I’m going to be like a tree planted by the river of God.
My fruit will prosper!
I shall not be moved!
After I woke up from my dream, I wrote this song!
I’m going to take my stand .I’m going to take my stand.
Since Jesus came into my life, I’m going to take my stand.
I’m going to do what’s right. I’m going to do what’s right.
Since Jesus Christ came into my life, I’m going to do what’s right.
I won’t be moved. No I won’t be moved.
When Satan tries to come thru my doors, No I won’t be moved.
I’m going to slam that door. I’m going to slam that door.
When Satan tries to come thru my doors, I’m going to slam those doors.
I’m going to take my stand. I’m going to take my stand.
Since Jesus Christ came into my life, I’m going to take my stand.
Are we standing our ground?
