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Rosa Parks once said, “Stand for something or you will fall for anything. Today’s mighty oak is yesterday’s nut that held its ground.”

It’s time to stand for something so we don’t fall for just anything. It’s time to stand up. To stand firm. To make sure our feet are in the right place.

1 Corinthians 10:12 says “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” We need to stand firm, but we also need to be careful about where we’re standing, our posture and position.

With all that is currently going on in our country, we need to “be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). We need to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8).

A few weeks ago my counselor gave me this timely advice: “Keep planting, stand firm, bear fruit.” It tied in beautifully with my verse that day, Hosea 10:12 – “Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and showers righteousness on you.”

How can I plant? How can I stand firm? How can I bear fruit?

How can I sow righteousness? How can I reap the fruit of unfailing love? What unplowed ground can I break up in my heart today? How can I seek the Lord in this moment?

I’ve been continuing with my daily quiet time, and finding that many of my verses are being woven together. There’s a theme of standing firm, of resting in God and all that He’s done to bring us near.

I was reflecting on this theme of standing firm, and a few words of encouragement came to mind.

1. Find your footing

Get planted. Discover your purpose, your position, your stance. Who you are and whose you are. Figure out how YOU stand, how YOU fit in the grand scheme of things. Find your footing.

Ephesians 6:10-18 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Find your footing so that you can stand firm – and after you’ve done everything, to stand. Have your armor and weapons ready and in place. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood!

Acts 17:26-27 – “… He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.” Find your footing for this season that you’re in. You were created for such a time and place as this. Rest in this truth!

Ephesians 2:12-13 – “… remember at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenant or the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.” Find your footing in Jesus – you have been brought near to God through Jesus!

1 John 3:1 says “How great is the love Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are!” Find your footing in His love, and stand firm in it!

Hebrews 10:32, 35-36 – “Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering… do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.” Find your footing so that you can stand your ground in the face of suffering, so that you can persevere..

2. Don’t forget your freedom

Don’t forsake or despise the gift of your freedom, of your adoption into God’s family. Remember that you are His, and that He is your victory. Remember your freedom.

Galatians 5:1, 13 – “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery… You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” You’ve been set free on purpose and for a purpose – to serve others humbly in love.

2 Corinthians 3:17 – “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” There is freedom in His presence. Spend time with Him!

3. Fix your eyes on the Father

Target fixation. You’ll go where your eyes are fixed. Get your gaze in the right place. Fix your eyes on God.

Philippians 3:20-4:1 – “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!”

Hebrews 12:2 – “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him ensures the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Exodus 14:13-14 – “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Colossians 3:1-3 – “Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.”

2 Chronicles 20:11-12, at the end of King Jehoshaphat’s prayer – “‘See how they (the enemy) are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.’ All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.”

4. Face fear with faith

I’m learning that fear isn’t bad. Fear is an emotion; emotions are real and they can be helpful. We can shut them out or we can befriend them and get curious. God gives us courage to face our fear and respond with faith.

Following Jehoshaphat’s prayer, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel and he spoke these words in 2 Chronicles 20:15-17 – “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow, march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.'”

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 – “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Psalm 11:3-4 – “‘When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?’ The Lord is in his holy temple; the Lord is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them.” Even in uncertain times, God is on the throne. He’s in control. We can respond to our real fears with real faith. Our foundation might be shaken, but with Jesus as our chief cornerstone, we can stand firm!

Proverbs 30:1 – “I am weary, God, but I can prevail.” We may be weary, but with God, we can prevail.

It’s time we stand firm by finding our footing, remembering our freedom, fixing our eyes on the Father, and facing fear with faith.

We have an opportunity in this season to learn to respect others’ opinions while we also learn to stand up for our own. We can learn to disagree on the non-essentials, or maybe we can stop disagreeing long enough to agree on the essentials. Now is a great time to let go of judgment, comparison and condemnation.

The way forward is through – walking by faith, not sight. Our battle is not against people (flesh and blood) – it’s against the enemy, in the unseen things. It’s not a time to cower in fear or retreat and go back the way we came.

It’s a time to rise up, to listen and grow, to stand firm.

❤️

This week’s song suggestions:

• Stand In Your Love covered by Jon Wright
• Revival’s In The Air by Bethel

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 – “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.”

2 Thessalonians 2:15 – “So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.”

Luke 21:19 – “By standing firm you will gain life.”