Standing Firm

Don’t you just love the fact that our God proves Himself faithful and trustworthy over and over? Because He knows the end from the beginning, we can always trust Him—confident that He is working behind the scenes on our behalf. In every situation, He has our best interests at heart and will turn everything around for our good and for His glory if we choose to trust Him. 

I experienced God’s faithfulness several years ago when I worked as a secretary in sales. On my second day there, I discovered it was going to be a challenge after my boss told me to lie whenever a sticky problem came up. I was so disappointed in being asked to compromise the truth and thought to myself, Well, that won’t work! During a few years of pressure, God enabled me to find other avenues to solve problems instead of stooping to lies. I lost that job because I kept taking a stand for righteousness, and my boss lost his biggest client due to lying. Later, the Lord led me to the best job I’d ever had by working at CBN, a ministry of amazing integrity and sincerity. 

Many of you have already encountered something similar or you might in the future. As lawlessness increases in our culture, we are called upon by God to make a choice—and take a stand for the Lord when someone asks us to compromise. In His faithfulness, the Lord will help us stand. He will deliver us, and He will reward us. We know that it is ultimately Christ we serve, not man. 

In Daniel 3, three Hebrew friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego faced this issue when working with King Nebuchadnezzar. They were upright men, fully devoted to the Lord God, who held respected positions in the King's affairs. So, when Nebuchadnezzar demanded that all the people in his kingdom bow down and worship him, they had a choice to make. They knew the consequences of choosing God’s ways could be severe, and they were. As we read the story, into the fire they went—but they didn’t go in there alone. The fourth man, Christ Himself!—was with them, and He is with us. When Nebuchadnezzar saw this, he had the men released immediately.  

Because Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego took a stand for God, the king and the nation noticed and turned to worship God. When we stand for righteousness, people will take notice and it will make an impact. Although some may not like it, others may turn to the Lord. The way we live, including the choices we make, is a testimony to the life of Christ in us—and it shows people what righteousness looks like. 

David once asked if there was a cause (1 Samuel 17:29). Our cause is Christ. Joshua 24:15 NKJV reads,

“... choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.”

First Corinthians 16:13 tells us to stand firm in the faith. Because of our faith, it is not in us to live like those in the world. We are people of God’s kingdom and live by a higher standard. Our faith compels us, and God enables us, to choose righteousness and stand firm against compromise and overcome it.

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith (1 John 5:4).

Oh Lord, we choose to live for You. When we are faced with choosing to be like the world or You, help us choose You. We know that by Your power and grace, we will stand for righteousness, a stand for truth. Amen.

~

Scripture is quoted from the Holy Bible, New King James Version, copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.