Stand up and stand firm.
I wanted to share with you all a little ‘mini sermon’ I shared at church so you can take a peek into what I’ve been learning recently. And honestly, I feel like I have to share this with you simply because of what happened when I shared it with our Mozambique church last night…
“Hi everyone, my name is Melissa and I’m very excited to have the opportunity to share with you tonight. I want to share with you what God has recently been teaching me. He has shown me a lot lately about what our relationship is supposed to look like.
I gave my life to the Lord at a fairly young age, but for the majority of the years following I lived a very passive faith. I didn’t read my bible all that much and I usually only prayed when I really needed something. I would “show up” to my relationship with God when it was beneficial to me. Because of the passive way I approached my relationship with the Lord, I was never really living in or experiencing the fullness that He had for me.
A couple months ago I read the book of James again and a hard truth in James 1:22 has really stuck with me: “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”
-A real relationship requires action; it requires movement on our part.
I love the verse in Jeremiah 29:13: “You will seek me and you will find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
-He gives us the great promise that He will be found by us. But it is a conditional promise…we must first seek Him with all our heart.
-I think it’s safe to assume that the opposite would also be true: It is pretty hard to find the Lord if you are not actively seeking Him.
Since I’ve come on this mission trip I’ve been learning more and more about what a mutual loving relationship can look like between me and God. I’ve learned about the fullness He brings when we pursue His friendship and He pursues us back. It’s really a beautiful and wonderful experience.
This past week the Lord has been pointing out to me one specific word of action that he desires: STAND.
-Ephesians 6:10-13 says “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.”
–There is a very real spiritual battle in our everyday life. If there is one thing I’ve learned more clearly in this week in Mozambique it’s that spiritual warfare is real…”
**Side note: …literally right as I said “spiritual warfare is real” all the power shut off in the building and left us standing in complete darkness. You had to speak English to understand the full effect of what just happened because the translator didn’t even have time to translate what I had just said before the power shut off. It was a crazy out-of-body experience and I just had to laugh…Yep, spiritual warfare is very real.
In Mozambiquan churches when there is any sort of transition, one person leads and the whole church sings impromptu worship. When the power shut off they didn’t miss a beat and began to worship. Although most of them didn’t understand the gravity of what just happened, it was so powerful to stand in complete darkness as they raised their voices in praise 🙂
Thankfully, in typical World Race fashion a headlamp saved the day and after the chaos died down we were able to continue, and with even more passion than before…ready to stand against the devil’s schemes.
-“I also wanted to share Exodus 14:13 with you: “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.”
-He desires to bring us deliverance daily with one requirement from us…stand firm.
At first I didn’t think the act of standing was very powerful. I mean we stand on a daily basis…then the Lord began to reveal to me how important it can be
-Standing requires getting up out of your comforts, standing up out of complacency.
-By standing you give the Lord the opportunity to move you forward. If you don’t follow through with the action of standing, you don’t give the Lord permission to move you.
-The act of you standing encourages others around you to stand firm as well. Standing requires endurance, but if you’re willing the Lord will always give you the strength to stand. Sometimes that strength comes by standing together in community. The saints of the Lord standing together can form a great army.
I encourage you, brothers and sisters, to stand together as the body of Christ. Together, you are a powerful force in this community. Together, you can stand in victory against the enemy’s schemes because “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4)
-There is victory and fullness in the choice to stand. Stand up and stand firm.
Please stand with me as I read 2 Thessalonians 2:15-16 over you as a blessing:
“So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed onto you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” “
*Oh PS– In case you were wondering, the power came back on later as we were praying and worshipping 🙂 Thanks, Jesus.
…Also, keep in mind I wrote my previous blog ‘Spiritual warfare is real’ about 5 days before I gave this talk last night. He continues to blow me away 🙂
