Stand
Here is a verse in scripture that is not so popular with some people, but I like it, it is found in Proverbs 24:16 “For a just [man] falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.” Or from the Message Bible; Proverbs 24:15-16 “Don’t interfere with good people’s lives; don’t try to get the best of them. No matter how many times you trip them up, GOD-Loyal people don’t stay down long. Soon they’re up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces.”
You see “GOD Loyal People,” take baby steps, they are always moving forwards and getting stronger with each step, and whenever they are down, you can be so sure that they will spring right back up again stronger and better than ever. But there is a real problem, “how can you ever fall over when you are already flat on your face?” It is impossible, falling is only for those who are already standing tall, and who always remain standing, only standing people are able to fall, saints fall but sinners just lie there on the ground, and often stay there.
Ephesians 6:10-18 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
Paul uses the term “Stand or Withstand” repeatedly, and for a good reason, soldiers cannot fight sitting or lounging about, in confrontations it is to stand up straight, and to look the enemy straight in the eye. Quote; “It should be the first work of all connected with his institution to be right before God themselves, and then to stand in the strength of Christ, unaffected by the wrong influences to which they will be exposed. If they make the broad principles of the word of God the foundation of the character, they may stand wherever the Lord in His providence may call them, surrounded by any deleterious influence, and yet not be swayed from the path of right.” {4T 562}
For a building to fall, it has firstly to be disconnected with its foundations, so if you are built in and upon the strong and immoveable solid rock foundation of Jesus Christ, then you are pretty much immoveable, just like a light house in the North Sea withstands the wildest gales and mountainous seas, just stand in the strength of Christ, rooted and grounded. Ephesians 3:17 “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,” It is the “Love of God,” and the “Love for God,” that makes a believer stand tall, immoveable, dependable, if you can ever somehow knock him down, he will always be back up before you can say “Boo.” 1 John 4:19 “We love him, because he first loved us.”
It is the love of a parent that gets a toddler back up again, it is the Love of God in Christ Jesus that compels us, it continually woos us, draws us, and empowers us to arise each time from the ashes of seeming defeat, as you can’t keep a good man down. The Prodigal Son, may well be at the end of his tether, but he was still standing, though deep in the mush, but he was standing, and then heading straight back home to “Father.” As they say, “When the going gets tough then the tough get going.” To get going, guess what, you must firstly be “Standing!”
Proverbs 24:15-16 “Don’t interfere with good people’s lives; don’t try to get the best of them. No matter how many times you trip them up, GOD-Loyal people don’t stay down long. Soon they’re up on their feet, while the wicked end up flat on their faces.” {MSG} So, what’s got you or what is harassing and beating you down? Some say, “What does not kill you, strengthens you,” and there is probably a lot of truth in that, and King Solomon says about any Christian who is down, or losing their footing, “Very soon they’ll be back up on their feet.”
We have this verse from, Matthew 18:22 “Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” Now mathematically 70×7=490, so if we can “Forgive somebody that many times for the same sin,” then each of us should be able to get up once more, dust off, fresh plaster on the knees, stand tall and hit the road running. So have you tripped more than 490 times? 1 Peter 2:11 “Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;” Now Adam was made out of Dust, so in a sense, we “Stand Up,” brush off “The Flesh,” as forgiven we put on “The Robe of Christ’s Righteousness” and walk in “The Spirit.” Romans 8:1 “[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” So let us all “Stand immoveable in the Spirit.”
