When you feel like running away as far as you can from the pain; stand.
When you want to throw in the towel and give up; stand.
When you just don’t know how to pray anymore; stand.
When everyone has abandoned you; stand.
When you’ll do anything to escape and stop the pain; stand.
This is the time to put your armor on. This is the time to stand.
As I watch a dear friend of mine in the fight of his life after surviving a horrific Four-wheeler accident that left him with several bones on the left side of his face shattered, I’m reminded of the importance of Ephesians 6:13: “…and having done all to stand, stand.” I’m also reminded of the importance of surrounding yourself with strong people to support you, pray for you, and speak the word of God over you as you maneuver your way through the never-ending maze of emotional highs and lows.
It’s a guarantee that life is going to hit you smack dab in the face. The bigger part of the picture is what you do in the moments after the hit.
How do you stand? What does that even mean?
Physically, when you take a stand, you plant your feet firmly on the ground and refuse to be moved from that spot. No matter what winds blow, or who tries to knock you down, you refuse to move. You continue to stand on that same spot, claiming it as your own. That’s what we have to do with the powerful Word, the armor of God. It’s our weapon against the attacks – the lies that the enemy tries to feed us every single day.
Satan says, “You’re pathetic; you’re alone; nobody wants you; you’re not worth loving; God isn’t listening to you. You always make the wrong decisions. Your life is a mistake.”
You literally have to take a stand and remind yourself, the enemy, and everyone else around you of what the truth really is.
That God says, “I am loved. I am cherished. He has a plan for my life. He is always with me. I am more than an overcomer. God hears me when I call to Him and He answers me. I hear His voice and won’t follow the voice of another.”
When you do this, you start the process of silencing the enemy and the lies that he likes to bombard you with. You have to make the constant decision to STAND on what God says is true about you and your situation. His TRUTH overrides the enemy’s lies and sets you free to live your life the way God designed for you to live; filled with hope, joy, and strength.
Remember that no one can do it for you…but it is SO worth it. When you start to live this way, it will soon become your default – instead of falling to defeat and depression, you will stand and not move off of the truth of what God says. Make the decision today, and watch your life be transformed from the inside out.
You are LOVED!
