AND HAVING DONE ALL TO STAND
“STAND”
Brother James, OIC
Eph 6:10 -20 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; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
One of the greatest tools the enemy of the Cross, Satan, uses is religion doing his destructive work through religious people. Paul didn’t count wins, losses, expenses, etc., he just continued in the Faith loving others as Christ and teaching others the Truth in Christ. His attitude was:
2Co 12:15 And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.
Php 3:7-11 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Religion will have boards that dictates to ministers how they must serve God leaving being led by the Spirit totally out of the picture. And even some ministers are in it for the religious acceptance and not really to attain to nor be pleasing to Christ.
To be pleasing to Christ we must in all things Stand in Faith, doing as the Spirit of God leads. Jesus Himself only did what He saw the Father do and speak what He heard the Father speak and He never worried about the outcome nor the provision, He just knew and trusted Gods Promises that were substance by His Faith.
Recently a ministry vision I had was backed by a dear sister in Christ. A Benefit Dinner was planned to help open a much needed Labor of Christ’s Love. Some helped me during the time of planning to get women and their children off the street from being homeless. I put in what limited resources I could and used the last of my Food Stamps to purchase food for a lady and her child. This is what we are in ministry to do. The Benefit Dinner didn’t go and sadly for its backer thousands was lost but people who needed help got help and they heard the gospel which is the point. While others were religiously glad the benefit was cancelled the heart of the few God put together (you know who you are) to show His Love to those in need I pray that His blessing overflow them who without complaint gave not by compulsion but by love.
Now today I stand and trust God that His Promises are true and that I wont myself join the ranks of the homeless but if I do He is still God and is able to raise me up again to Labor in His Love. May God bless all that have given whose heart isn’t into counting beans but in those who we are given to help.
