Published by Too many Christians are too afraid to stand for what is right. They waffle and weasel rather than stand up and be counted when it counts.
There are several reasons for that.
1) Many don’t know God’s word or His nature well enough to know if they are right in their stand, they fear being wrong. They stand when they are challenged emotionally rather than when being directed by the spirit. These can be fixed with time in His Word and time with Him. Time with Him is not all praying, asking for things. Some of it needs to be praise, “God you are awesome, you are my rock, my stay, my fortress….” You do it the way God directs and you go on from there. I find the Psalms great in this area. When you know God, you begin to know his ways, you begin to know His voice, when you know that, you will not fear. You will not understand it all but the voice of the enemy will become obvious. I have found he speaks to me a lot. Sometimes I don’t listen, honestly, some times he speaks and I don’t even want to listen. When that happens he generally sends one of my brothers or sisters around to talk to me. I usually don’t want to listen to them at the time either because they have the same message.
John 16:13-14
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
(KJV)
2) Many have a fear of man. What will Rev. Soandso say if I did this, particularly if I say he is wrong? Let me answer that. He will pitch a fit. You can expect it. You can count on it. And you can expect him to try to destroy you in some way. But if you are right with God and in a right attitude, you are the one with the high ground. Rev. Soandso isn’t God. Let me repeat that so you get it. Rev. Soandso isn’t God. It is possible he hasn’t heard from God in an hour and needs correction and maybe he hasn’t heard from God in a decade or even two. I guess that would warrant some correction too. And if he is not following God he has no right to speak into your life. Let’s say that one a different way. If he is not following God you have no right to allow him to speak into your life. And given the right attitude on your part and the circumstances you may be God’s messenger to him. But be aware may not be received with open arms when you say it. After all he is probably thinking, why should a great man who preaches to 250 (or 500, or 1000, 2500) listen to you? How many people come to hear you every Sunday? Now that is pride gone to seed.
Look at what Jesus said….
John 16:1-3
1 These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
(KJV)
Let’s put this into perspective. Is being put out of the synagogue (or church) that bad if it is not teaching Gods Word? I’ve been there. It isn’t nice. But really, which is worse being put out or staying and having your soul vexed? If being put out is that important to you then you need to look carefully at why you are there. Taking a stand for right will always cost you something. Let me say that again. Taking a stand for right will always cost you something. It may even cost you nearly everything. But it will not costyou’re your relationship with God. Satan will try to show you that it will cost you much. It may cost you friends, positions, aspirations. It may cost you your life. In fact, to take that stand you will have to be willing to lay down everything. Believe me, I know and I know how painful that can be. But these are nothing compared to the being obedient to God. A role model for this is the Apostle Paul. He stood before Agrippa, a king that could have had him executed on a whim. In those days displeasing a governor could be punishable by death.
Acts 26:15-19
15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee;
17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee,
18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision:
(KJV)
I want to be where it counts. And that is where it can be tough. In the early 80’s there was a young woman in one of the Caribbean Islands. She was a fighter for freedom in her country, not in the military sense but in the sense of working in the government to legally bring about more freedom. She worked hard to help a good man become president. He was releasing some of the bondage on the people. When a friend asked what was her goal in life, she simply said, “To stand with my president when it matters.” Not too long after this an attempt was made on the life of the president. She was by his side. She was killed. He was wounded but survived the attack possibly because she was between him and the attacker and absorbed some of the bullets. Accounts of the attack indicate she did not throw herself into the path of the bullets in any valiant act. She was there in the path of the bullets because she was at his side. In an awful way she was there when she was needed. She was there when it counted. We need to be there when we are needed not hiding in a corner. Although we will probably never be asked to stand in the path of bullets we may be asked to do things that our flesh will revolt against because of the pain it will cause. And Satan will magnify the pain in our minds.
There are two old songs of the church that have been going through my mind. One is “Stand up stand up for Jesus.” It calls us the Soldiers of the Cross. Remember that we do not wrestle against flesh and blood. Several lines from it are “Where courage calls or danger, be never wanting there (don’t be AWOL)”. Never be off the line. A later one says, “Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength to strength oppose.” A modern phrase says, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” And as important, “The arm of flesh will fail you, you dare not trust your own.” When you step out don’t do it in your own strength, do it in the power of the spirit. When you step out it is His armor, not your might.
The second song is not as well known, “A Volunteer for Jesus”. It is not as well known but it carries a great message. Maybe the church should use it. It is well to remember always that the Army of God has no conscripts. Every soldier in it is a volunteer. These are the ones who step forward when the call to arms comes. Let show you the power of those who see a cause and put their all into it. On 6 March 1836 a force of 189 men from all over the US who saw the goal of liberty for Texas fortified a Mission near San Antonio with nothing but them and one small cannon. They were all volunteers. The Mexican general Santa Anna brought forces of over 12000 men with cannon to defeat them. It took Santa Anna 13 days to accomplish the task and take the Alamo. Although he killed all 189 men in the fort his losses were more than ten times that number. The volunteers stood firm. They did not budge. They lay down their lives for others. I am reminded that the “regulars” of the Texas army were miles away, their general afraid to commit them to battle.
Are we volunteers, ready to take up arms at the call of our commander? There are no conscripts in his army only volunteers that step up to the line. All others have gone AWOL. They are deserters.
Words: W. S. Brown, 1907.
Music: Charles H. Gabriel
A call for loyal soldiers
Comes to one and all;
Soldiers for the conflict,
Will you heed the call?
Will you answer quickly,
With a ready cheer,
Will you be enlisted
As a volunteer?
Refrain
A volunteer for Jesus,
A soldier true!
Others have enlisted,
Why not you?
Jesus is the Captain,
We will never fear,
Will you be enlisted
As a volunteer?
Yes, Jesus calls for soldiers
Who are filled with pow’r,
Soldiers who will serve Him
Ev’ry day and hour;
He will not forsake you,
He is ever near;
Will you be enlisted
As a volunteer?
Refrain
He calls you, for He loves you
With a heart most kind,
He Whose heart was broken,
Broken for mankind;
Now, just now, He calls you,
Calls in accents clear,
Will you be enlisted
As a volunteer?
Refrain
And when the war is over,
And the vict’ry won,
When the true and faithful
Gather one by one,
He will crown with glory
All who there appear;
Will you be enlisted
As a volunteer?
Refrain
