kingdom
Having done all, stand
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Sometimes we just need to get eternal truths applied correctly to the situation that's making us unsure if we can keep standing steadfast in our convictions and assignments.
I can feel like the prophet Isaiah is uttering, that my wrongdoings pile up before God and that my sins stand up and accuse me! It's like my wrongdoings can stare me down, because I know in detail what I've done. (Isaiah 50:12-15 AMP)The most important truth we can let us be penetrated with, is that of our standing in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3 AMP). We stand on His salvation through faith, and not by our works. Such an amazing grace. We are safe when we desire like David to fall into the hands of the Lord when we are in great distress over our own mistakes. His mercies are very great! (1 Chronicles 21:13)
We want to fall down at Jesus' feet, because only when we put Him at His rightful place by worshipping Him, will we ever be able to stand victoriously:
This is how God tackled Israel's disobedience after Israel was defeated at Ai. He approached Israel's leader, Joshua, for his lack of standing, and He might say the same to you:"Get up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face?"
God's questions are so tender and convicting at the same time. His questions remind us of our convictions about getting back up and stand tall, even when life-and kingdom battles seem to knock us down.
Like God exhorted Joshua and the people, I believe He is exhorting us today to rise up and consecrate ourselves, because God knows we cannot stand victorious before our enemies until we walk in obedience to what He has said to us. Get back up and take courage!
So divinely loved one, let's be on our guard, so we can stand instead of fall from our own steadfastness of mind, knowledge, truth, and faith. (2 Peter 3:17 AMP)
The two only places in scripture it's speaking about withstanding is concerning God's power that no-one can withstand! That's why we can stand. We can be secure and trust in the Lord's withstanding against evil. He will resist it and stop it's progress in our lives. The weapons will be forged but they will not prosper:
"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will remain secure and rest in the shadow of the Almighty [whose power no enemy can withstand]." Psalm 91,1 AMP.
Sanda.
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If you need an extra boost to STAND, whether it is to stand up for righteousness, to withstand the enemy or standing tall on your convictions and assignments, read these scriptures loudly over yourself and experience faith arise as you preach gospel to yourself: 💥💥💥
"Cast your burden on the Lord [release it] and He will sustain and uphold you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken (slip, fall, fail)." Psalm 55,22
"When He arrived at the place [called Gethsemane], He said to them, “Pray continually that you may not fall into temptation.” Luke 22,40 AMP."Therefore let the one who thinks he stands firm [immune to temptation, being overconfident and self-righteous], take care that he does not fall [into sin and condemnation]." 1 Cor. 10,12 AMP.
"A thousand may fall at your side And ten thousand at your right hand, But danger will not come near you." Psalm 91,7 AMP"I will set no worthless or wicked thing before my eyes. I hate the practice of those who fall away [from the right path]; It will not grasp hold of me." Psalm 101,3 AMP
"For You have rescued my life from death, My eyes from tears, And my feet from stumbling and falling." Psalm 116,8 AMP.
"You [my enemy] pushed me violently so that I was falling, But the Lord helped me." Psalm 118,13 AMP.
"Do not rejoice over me [amid my tragedies], O my enemy! Though I fall, I will rise; Though I sit in the darkness [of distress], the Lord is a light for me." Micah 7,8 AMP
Photo by Lasse Hultén.
Foundations or stepping stones?
"How are you feeling 'project human' with the thought of a demon whispering you in the ear that everything is temporal, and nothing is supposed to be repeated?"
This is one of the confronting lines of a book called "Projektmennesket" (project human) of Anders Fogh Jensen I'm currently studying for my Masters in Diaconia. The author describes our current society as a project society all about saying yes to as much as possible. It's about constantly optimising one's chances for getting a new project, whether work-related or in our free time. This new normal in society demands endless initiative from each individual to pursue the next project in order to not land in a place of unemployment or boredom. The spirit of project society is 'next' and 'new' while repetition is the enemy. Instead, there is a constant search for openings when what is often needed is boundaries.
When rarely no one is resisting this pace, life becomes about keeping up on the threadmill of the thrill of a new exciting project. Overbookings become a way of life. Because there is no collective opposition to the race and pace, there are instead individual breakdowns manifesting as stress, depression and burnout. When project society does not think in foundations but in stepping stones, it has a price.
Whether you agree totally in this author's description of today's society or not, I bet you can recognise some of the dynamics...
Do you feel caught up in all this madness sometimes? Ready for some more rest, rhythms and repetitions instead of constantly chasing the next stepping stone for the life you are building? I am with you. 🙋
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To build for a lasting impact, foundations are key. What's your foundation? Jesus talks about foundations' significance this way:
"Everyone who hears my teaching and applies it to his life can be compared to a wise man who built his house on an unshakeable foundation. When the rains fell and the flood came, with fierce winds beating upon his house, it stood firm because of its strong foundation.
But everyone who hears my teaching and does not apply it to his life can be compared to a foolish man who built his house on sand. When it rained and rained and the flood came, with wind and waves beating upon his house, it collapsed and was swept away." Matt. 8,24 TPT.
This is the cure for anxiety, to apply His transformative words to our lives in order to have a strong, firm and unshakeable foundation in Him.
Another illustration on foundations is the act of filling up a see-through vase. The vase is a picture of our life. First, the vase is filled up with sand which symbolises hobbies, cleaning, phone calls, emails, sport etc. It's all the stuff that needs to get done for our daily lives to be sorted. After filling the vase up with sand, stones are laid on top to symbolise substantials like bible, prayer, community, worship and church. It will quickly be evident it can't all be stuffed in the vase. It's cramped, over the top and overwhelming. But if the order is changed and the foundational stones are laid in the bottom first, all the sand, symbolising less important things, seems to find its place, even with the complete same amount of ingredients. This is the mystery of life. The upside down kingdom. The way of Jesus.
Have you ever experienced that what you start with really matters? What's most important to you?
I pray it will be our reality that as we continuously above all constantly chase after the realm of God's kingdom and the righteousness that proceeds from him, all these less important things will be given to us abundantly. Matt. 6,33 TPT.
Let's not only adapt to society's frantic search for stepping stones but let's be more intentional about the invisible: roots, foundations and our inner heart from where life flows.
Let's build wisely together on the rock that is higher than us, remaining in Him so that what we build last into eternity.
Bless you,
Sandra.
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