Intro: during a professional golf tournament a few years ago a bad storm came up and people headed for safety. One man felt a good place was under a tree, but was struck by lightning and killed. It was stated in the news that night that the worse place to be in a thunderstorm is under a tree. As Christians we face storms, and many times people don’t know where to go for safety. Today I will give you some good places to stand in the midst of the storm.
Places Where Christians Stand
As Lauri faces breast cancer surgery this Wednesday we have found some good places to stand in the storm. Maybe you are facing some hard trials in your life, maybe you are trying to face them alone, but there is a better way, these are great places to stand for every Christian.
I. God’s Abilities—2 Corinthians 10:4—the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds. When you face a test or trial in life, a good place to stand is in God’s abilities and not yours.
· If you face them in the carnal, or in the natural, you will be defeated. So many times we try to do things in our own strength only to fail. In times like these, it is not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit saith the Lord.
· Strongholds: fears, doubts, unbelief tries to over-whelm your mind in the difficult times. We trust in the Lord with all our heart, and lean not on our own understanding, in all our ways acknowledging him, and he will direct our paths.
· Mighty through God—God can move mountains, God can pull things down. God says, is there anything to hard for me? If God is for us, then who can be against us.
II. The Anointing of the Spirit—Isaiah 10:27- the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. God wants you to stand in the anointing of the Spirit of God.
· Everything that Satan tries to put on you, the anointing of the Spirit of God will destroy. No weapon formed against us will prosper.
· All principalities and all powers are broken by the anointing of God.
· Once again—Satan tries to put yokes, burdens on your life. It can be depression, it can be defeat, it can be the feeling of giving up or giving in. But the anointing of the Spirit—destroys those yokes. Instead of you carrying your burden, the Spirit of God carries you.
III. God’s Word—John 8:32—ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.
· When you are facing any battle the first thing Satan attacks you with is lies. He paints the worse picture for you every time. But you don’t have to listen to his voice, you listen to God’s promises that are yes and amen.
· You stand on the promises of God. You speak against the lies of the enemy with the powerful Word of God. Heaven and earth will pass away but His Word will never pass away.
· Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.
IV. The Exalted Christ—Ephesians 1:20-22 when you are facing trials the place to stand is in the Name of Jesus, the Victory of the Cross, the Empty Tomb, the one exalted above all dominions and authorities.
· All things under His feet—there is nothing that He hasn’t already defeated. All enemies are under His feet.
· Jesus sitting at the right hand of God—He has rested from His labor, there is a rest for the people of God. Through faith we enter into the victory that is provided for us.
· Every name that is named—Jesus has got it covered—it really doesn’t matter what the enemy tries, Jesus defeated it all when He said, It is finished.
V. The Blood—Revelation 12:11—overcame him by the blood of the Lamb
· One of the first lessons you learn as a young Christian from the older saints of God, is that nothing can penetrate the Blood. The enemy can’t get through the bloodline of the cross.
· We are made over-comers—we aren’t going under, we are going over.
· Plead the blood—every day I plead the blood over my mind, heart, body, soul, spirit. Over my family, over our church, over our finances, over our community, our nation, over our President, Israel, and our missionaries. Like the songs says, the blood will never lose it’s power.
Close: if you are in a battle, there are some good places to stand.
In God’s Abilities, in the anointing of the Spirit, on God’s Word, in the Exalted Name of Jesus Christ, and in the blood of the Lamb.
Having done all to stand, stand.
