Stand!

Well, God wants us comfortable in ALL situations, able to walk with confidence - with HIM! - in any area where our witness is needed. Whether that is a social situation, a speaking engagement or performance before an audience, we are to lean on Him in any area where we feel weak. He’s promised to help us through, comfort and strengthen us.

(I read that some very high percentage [maybe 80% or so] of all people have a fear of public speaking which usually has to do with feeling that the audience is “judging” us as unworthy. This is unscriptural (and therefore a lie against God’s truth) because even if others attempt to judge us, Jesus defends us. And before God we’ve already been approved of and judged as righteous by the blood of Jesus.)

These things may seem trivial or inconsequential, but it is usually a lot of small things that add up to a big loss. We need to take the small things seriously. Because as we learn to stand firm in faith in small things, God begins to trust us with bigger and bigger situations. But we all start small, one baby step at a time until we learn to walk, run, and then fly on wings as eagles! (Is. 40:31)

When we are told to “fear not”, I don’t think God meant for us to get into works of the flesh, trying to literally make the feelings go away. I also don’t think we are to delude ourselves or pretend bad feelings don’t exist. God told us not to ACT on them. (“Be angry and do not sin.” Eph. 4:26) We are to admit our weaknesses to our heavenly Father and ask for His strength to help us. As we humble ourselves before Him, His power comes to life in us.

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest in much. (Luke 16:10 ESV)

Since fears have to do with believing lies, we need to learn the TRUTH. God has given us the Truth - His Word - which tells us who we REALLY are. Not who the world tells us we are, or what others expect us to do, or how others expect us to act, but who we really are, in Christ. The truth sets us free.

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Gal. 5:1 ESV)

Who are we, in Christ? More than conquerors, victors, lights to the world, God’s chosen elect. What can man do to us? We can do all things through Christ, who strengthens us.

“Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!” (Ps. 31:24 ESV)

“The following night the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify in Rome.’” (Acts 23:11 ESV)

“Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.” (Joshua 1:6 ESV)

The word “courage” in Hebrew (#553) “amats” means ‘to be alert, on foot, steadfast, established, hardened, strong.’ It means you take a stand and decide not to run; gird up your loins with the belt of truth; and face what makes you feel weak so that God can bring you past it and into the victory over it. He wants us above, not beneath!

How do we take courage? By receiving it. By believing that courage is God’s will for us. “For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Rom 10:10 ESV) Even though Paul is speaking of receiving salvation in this verse, the same principle applies to anything we want to receive. We hear the truth and our spirits are moved into agreement, we set our will into agreement with what we want to believe, we say the words, we hear our own voices speaking, we believe, and we begin to act on our new beliefs.

Sometimes it comes easy and sometimes it doesn’t, but when we want to learn, God teaches. That’s actually one of the jobs of the Holy Spirit, whom God gave as a gift to us, so He does want us to know the truth! (In fact, He says we are destroyed by what we don’t know.)

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... (Hosea 4:6 ESV)

“Therefore My people go into captivity [to their enemies] without knowing it and because they have no knowledge [of God]â€|” (Is. 5:13 AMP)

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (John 16:13 ESV)

So the next time fear, or doubt, or dread comes upon you, cast the cares onto Jesus who destroyed the yoke of bondage and set us free! (Is. 10:27) And walk into the situation with the power of the Holy Spirit within you. Don’t forget that you aren’t alone. Jesus lives in you; God commands the angels to bear you up; and the Holy Spirit guides you as you acknowledge your need for God. Go with power - "power, and love and a sound, calm, well-balanced mind and self-discipline."

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Tim. 1:7 ESV)

If ‘a spirit of fear’ doesn’t come from God, then by contrast it must be of the enemy and we are not to receive anything Satan offers us. We are to speak the Word of God against anything that is not from God, anything that tries to exalt itself over God’s word, to set itself up as an idol before Him. Stand firm in your faith, depending on the power of God. Speak against the thoughts that aren’t in agreement with God, “It is written." The Word does not fail. Use it - it’s your weapon, and trust God to bring His words to pass.