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Ten Reasons to Get Up and Stand Firm

You do not have to be a victim anymore. Get up, stand firm, and make the proper response! What you need is a game plan, a road map, that will take you from where you are now to where you need to be. The action plan you need to stand firm again is found in God's Word. The materials in the lessons are taken from Dr. Mark Flattery's book Stand Firm: What to do When Life Knocks You Down.

Reasons 1-3

Taken from Dr. Mark Flattery’s book:

Stand Firm: What to do When Life Knocks You Down

1. You must stand because your life depends on it

Whatever happened to you was horrible. It may have been undeserved completely and it was wrong. But even if the offense was your fault, you cannot allow yourself to wallow in self-pity or to stay down. If you stay down, then it is over; you are defeated. The one who knocked you down wins because you were knocked out. This will define you for the rest of your life.

You must get up and live another day. If you are willing to be healed, then God will provide the means to overcome the defeat, to learn from the defeat, and use the defeat as fuel to live a meaningful and fulfilling life. God’s work in your life is so powerful that there is a guarantee: If you submit your heart and will to Jesus in this dark hour, you will grow closer in your relationship with Him. You will be amazed at how He will turn what was meant for evil into good. The road to a thriving life begins with “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” You must stand because your life depends on it!

2. You must stand because you are equipped by God to stand

I remember the first time I jumped off the high dive at the local swimming pool. I was about nine or ten years old at the time. I was deathly afraid of heights and was not at all a strong swimmer. However, I let the taunts of my brother’s friend get me at the high dive and manipulated me into the most death-defying act of my life up to that point. I was scared as I climbed the ladder. I was speechless as I surveyed the view from such epic heights. I remember praying and asking the Lord that if he would forgive me for my stupidity and allow me to survive that I would never, ever do something that crazy again. I did find the courage to jump. It seemed like a fraction of a second until I hit the water and plunged into the deep end. I was surprised that I almost touched the bottom of the pool. I was prepared for this adventure at this juncture. However, I was utterly unprepared for the eternity it took for my body to make it back to the surface. I could not breathe! I knew enough to keep my mouth closed for if I opened it I would swallow water and drown. My body would remain then at the bottom of the pool and it would not be found until they drained it at the end of the summer. So I kicked my arms and legs and fought for my life! I struggled and finally cut through the surface gasping for air.

Your knock-down punch left you feeling isolated and alone. You feel as if you are the only one who has had to endure such punishment at this moment. You had plans, dreams, visions, and ambitions which were all built on the premise that you will succeed! But that came to a crashing halt and you are wondering if you will ever be the same again. Like my diving story, you feel that you were forcibly submerged and seeking desperately for the day when you can reach the surface and just breathe again.

You probably do not realize it, but God has equipped you to breathe again and stand in spite of your circumstances. The first part of 1 Corinthians 10:13 teaches us that, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability.” Your spiritual battle is not fought outside of God’s view. He sees what has happened to you. He knows your mental and physical battle. He knows what your future will be!

You probably do not realize it, but God has equipped you to breathe again and stand in spite of your circumstances.

While you feel as if you are the only one enduring your difficulties, the truth is that you are not the first one to encounter this battle and you will not be the last one either. God really is protecting you and will not allow you to drown in a sea of despair. His protection keeps you from being overrun by sin, and His Word will be your strength to overcome this current trial. If you will be faithful to God, then He will be faithful to you, and thus, you will find His strength to get up and stand again.

God’s promise to Joshua applies to you in this very moment. “Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5b). God will never leave you nor forsake you! You are equipped to stand again if you will align yourself with God because His presence in your life is a guarantee; you can bet your life on it! You are equipped to stand!

3. You must stand because Jesus is fighting for you

The completion of 1 Corinthians 10:13 provides hope; “but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” God provided you a way out of your nightmare! There is hope that your circumstances will change. There is hope that this season of suffering will end and that you will dream and soar once again. But the foundation of your future is not built on your abilities to stand again and to fight. In fact, the secret of your success will be not to summon your inner strength but to release the entirety of your being to Jesus Christ and to live by His rules. The exit sign from your predicament leads you to Jesus.

Matthew 11:28–30 records a teaching by Jesus that speaks clearly to you right now. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

You are weary and burdened by the battle. You can find rest in Jesus. He is the Master Teacher who loves you so much that He died for your sins. If you submit your heart and your will to Him and if you are obeying Him, then you will find the way out of your trial and you will find rest. If you are willing to live your life by following Jesus completely, then you will be able to stand again because He will be your strength and He will fight your battles for you. Jesus provided you the way to stand!

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