A Mustard Seed, Angus Buchan (extraction) Stand fast - Isaiah 59:19(b) - ...When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. Preachers often say that people are so busy boarding up the front door to keep the devil out that he walks straight in through the back door. That means that you can do the works of the Lord, and its almost like the devil allows you to carry on. Then he comes straight in through the back door and plays havoc amongst your family. I would encourage each one of you who are walking by faith at the moment, especially if God is using you in a powerful way, to be careful, to make sure that the back door is also bolted. Faith is the substance of things hoped for; its the evidence of things not yet seen. So by faith we run this race. If the devil can shift your attention, if he can cause you to falter because theres a member of your family who is taking strain, or maybe youre having a problem in your family, he will stop you dead in your tracks. You need to leave the problem that you have, maybe with a wayward son, maybe a rebellious daughter, maybe a wife who is not fully behind what you are doing, and put it in Gods hands. You pray for them, you love them, and you press on with the work which God has put before you. The Lord says,When the enemy comes in like a flood, and sometimes he does, doesnt he? It just floods you. You cant see the wood for the trees. Maybe your production line is at its limit and the bank is saying it wants to foreclose. You start to panic. As soon as you panic, fear comes in, and fear is the opposite of faith. Fear gives you a distorted view of the big picture. You see, nothing has changed in the heavens. Youre going through a skirmish at the moment. You might be losing one battle, but youre winning the war, if you keep your eyes on Jesus. The Spirit of the Lord, the Holy Spirit, will lift up a standard against the enemy and he cannot come any further than that. I would encourage you you today by faith not to look at your circumstances but to keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith. He will see that vision, that programme, that work come to fruition if you do not stagger at the promises of God through unbelief (Romans 4:20). Remember Abraham. He became the father of many nations. He was a hundred years old, still with no child coming. He did not stagger. He remained faithful, and God gave Sarah a son, Isaac. If you love Jesus, Abraham is your father, and hes my father too. In this Christian walk we cannot afford to be directed by our feelings or emotions, otherwise today well be going like a train and tomorrow well be throwing in the towel. Ive just come back from one of the most successful campaigns Ive ever had in 30 years of preaching and yet, as I record this story now, I am being severely tested in my home. I have a choice to make. I can either throw in the towel - which is what you do when your boxer is taking such a hammering that you feel he cant carry on anymore - or I can get up again and keep fighting. If you know any boxer who is worth his salt, he will tell you that it is not the man who can deliver the biggest punch who is the champion. The man who actually wins the fight is the one who can take the biggest punch and get up again smiling, because his opponent doesnt know what to do to hurt him anymore and he starts to lose heart. Rocky Marciano is the only heavyweight champion ever in the history of the sport to have fought forty-nine fights and won forty-nine fights, undefeated. When he fought Jersey Joe Walcott for the world championship, on the fourteenth round he came out of his corner with his nose split in two. In those days the referee never stopped the match. He was a man half the size of Jersey Joe Walcott. He was one the smallest heavyweight boxers ever, but he was absolutely focused, absolutely disiplined, the finest man in boxing. He had the attitude that he would not give up. In the fifteenth round he knocked put Jersey Joe Walcott to become the heavyweight champion of the world and he never lost that title until he retired. As Christians we might be taking a bit of a pounding at the moment, and it might be coming right through the back door. But we are not of those who would stop. Being a good farmer, Im telling you that you will not plough a straight line if you keep looking behind you. Lets put that thing to rest, press on, and receive that victory crown which Jesus has for each one of us who remain faithful and just to the end! Glory to God! Amen!
Posted on: Sat, 22 Feb 2014 06:30:11 +0000