HOW DO WE STAND ?

THIS IS NO EASY ROAD 2 WALK, WHEN FOLLOWING THE LORD. NOW I'M NOT A WIMP, WHINER, OR COMPLAINER, BUT I AM HONEST AND THERE COMES A TIME WHEN EVEN THE STOUTEST OF HEARTS IS SHAKEN 2 IT'S VERY CORE.

IF GOD DIDN'T ALLOW OUR FAITH 2 B TRIED AND SHAKEN HOW WOULD WE EVER KNOW IF IT EVER WAS FAITH, OR HOW WOULD WE EVER DISCOVER GREAT FAITH.

PAUL KNEW WE WOULD REACH A POINT OF ABSOLUTE EXHAUSTION IF WE TRULY ATTEMPTED 2 FOLLOW GODS PLAN. SO IN THE LATTER CLAUSE OF EPHESIANS 6:13 HE INSTRUCTS THAT AFTER WE HAVE TRIED EVERY HUMANLY POSSIBLE EFFORT 2 ADVANCE IN THIS JOURNEY AND ALL HAVE FAILED HE SAY'S "STAND".

A SEEMINGLY SIMPLE INSTRUCTION BUT WITH CLOSER EXAMINATION WE'LL DISCOVER HOW DIFFICULT IT TRULY IS TO STAND AT THIS STAGE OF THE BATTLE.

I'M SPEAKING OF BEING COMPLETELY, AND TOTALLY WHIPPED, EXAUSTED, BATTLE WEARY, PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY, JUST ABSOLUTELY DRAINED WHERE WE WANT 2 NOT ONLY SIT DOWN AND REST, BUT ACTUALLY MAYBE EVEN LAY DOWN AND DIE.

I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE SKIRMISH WITH SATAN WHERE UR PAYCHECK WAS SHORT THIS WEEK SO YOU COULDN'T BUY THAT OUTFIT U DIDN'T REALLY NEED.

I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN WE R ENGAGED IN THE MOTHER OF ALL WARS WITH THE DEVIL. THE ONE THAT IS GOING TO COST U EVERYTHING, FRIENDS, FAMILY, FINANCES, HOUSING, FOOD, HEALTH, MARRIAGE, DEATH OF LOVED ONES, MAYBE EVEN UR OWN LIFE, THIS IS THE ONE WHERE JUST STANDING, SOMETHING YOU'VE BEEN DOING SINCE BEING A BABY IS NOW ALL BUT IMPOSSIBLE.

DO U REALIZE HOW DIFFICULT IT IS 2 STAND ON A BOAT TOSSED AND DRIVEN IN A STORM, OR 2 STAND IN HURRICANE FORCE WINDS ? HAVE U EVER ATTEMPTED 2 STAND WHILE BEING PHYSICALLT PULLED IN 3 SIMULTANEOUS DIRECTIONS ?

TO STAND AT THESE TIMES WILL REQUIRE MORE THEN SIMPLY THE DESIRE, IT WILL REQUIRE THE SUPERNATURAL GIRDING OF THE MASTERS HAND, 2 FACE GALE FORCE WINDS, GIANT WAVES CRASHING DOWN ON U, AND UNSEEN FORCES TUGGING ON U IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. THIS TIME SATAN CAME 2 CRUSH, AND KILL U !

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

HERE IS OUR GIRDING, HERE IS GOD'S HAND HELPING US 2 STAND. IT IS HIS WORD !

WE WILL STAND WHEN BY FAITH WE PEER THROUGH THOSE WAVES, AND WIND AND STILL MANAGE 2 SEE THE MASTER CROSSING THROUGH THE STORM 2 MEET US ON THE OTHERSIDE AS HE INITIALLY TOLD US.

WE HAVE 2 LEARN 2 SEE WHAT OTHERS CAN'T, WE MUST LEARN 2 BELIEVE IN WHAT OTHERS WON'T, WE MUST BELIEVE WITH SUCH TENASITY THAT GOD'S WORD IS TRUE AND EVEN THOUGH IT APPEARS HOPELESS, WE STILL HAVE HOPE.

HOW DO WE HAVE HOPE ? THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THE SUBSTANCE OF THINGS HOPED 4. THE WORD SUBSTANCE IS DEFINED AS: SOMETHING THAT EXIST BY ITSELF.

THAT TELLS ME THAT BY FAITH THE THINGS I HOPE 4 IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE LORDS PLANS 4 ME, DO NOT REQUIRE FACT OR PROOF OF IT'S BEING, BECAUSE IT EXIST IN, AND OF ITSELF SIMPLY BY MY FAITH AND HOPE!

THIS IS WHAT ALLOWS SAINTS 2 NOT WALK BY SIGHT, DUE 2 THE FACT THAT THE SELF-EXISTING SUBSTANCE OF OUR FAITH AND HOPE IS EVIDENCE ENOUGH OF THE UNSEEN THAT WE ARE ASSURED IS THERE THOUGH OTHERS CAN'T SEE IT.

THIS IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT 2 HAVE A VISION FROM THE LORD 4 OUR LIFES. THEY DON'T NEED B GRAND , SIMPLY OF GOD. IT IS THESE GODLY VISIONS 4 OUR LIVES THAT GIVE US THIS HOPE, THIS FAITH, THIS UNSEEN SUBSTANCE THAT BECOMES EVIDENCE ENOUGH 2 STAND WHEN BY ALL ACTUALLITY WE SHOULD BE CRUSHED AND KILLED.

IT USUALLY REQUIRES LIFE ALTERING, LIFE THREATENING INCIDENCES THAT SHAKE OUR VERY FOUNDATIONS BFORE WE TRULY TAP INTO THIS SUPERNATURAL SOURCES OF STRENGTH KNOWN AS FAITH AND HOPE.

BEFORE WE GET THERE THOUGH WE MUST POSSESS A VISION, A PURPOSE, A GOAL FOR GOD OTHER THEN JUST MAKING IT 2 HEAVEN. HEAVEN IS GOOD, BUT HE HAS 1ST CALLED US 2 LABOUR, AND WE WON'T KNOW WHERE WITHOUT HIS VISION.

REMEMBER VISIONS ARE GIVEN 2 THOSE HE TRUST, SO SHOW YOURSELF FAITHFUL, SEEK GODS WILL AND HE'LL GUIDE YOU.

OTHERS WILL BE BAFFLED AS 2 HOW WE SURVIVED OUR STORMS, AND MANAGED TO STAND, BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WE KNEW, OR SEE WHAT WE SAW.

2DAYS PROPHETIC ADMONITION: SEEK GOD, SEEK HIS PURPOSE, LOOK 4 HIM ESPECIALLY IN THE STORMS, AND STAND ON THE FAITH AND HOPE THAT HIS WORD IS TRUE INSPITE OF THE SEEN EVIDENCE.


I PRAY GOD'S PEACE UPON U AND URS !!


G-TEP aka K.J. DUMPSON