How to Stand Fast in the Face of Adversity
Today, the Lord wants to help you with the age-old problem of how to stay
strong in the face of adversity. How do we stand fast in the faith?
It is easier to have faith in God when all is well. But when things are hard, when
sickness comes in, when provisions seem scant, when jobs are insecure, when
relationships are strained, when desires seem to be beyond our reach, what
then?
The demons come in and start prowling around. Our faith slides away, silently,
unseen.
Why?
Because it is your faith that the enemy has come to attack.
1. Galatians 1:23:
But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches
the faith which he once tried to destroy.”
That was Paul, then known as Saul – an enemy of the church, and what was
his tactic? – to destroy the faith.
Why?
Because in the Christian faith, we need faith for everything!
Why is Faith so Important?
Look up these verses in Galatians that show us why faith is so important.
1. Galatians 2:16
We need faith to be justified before God – to be made righteous, innocent, no
blame, no guilt.
2. Galatians 2:20
We need faith to live our lives as the new creation, a completely new kind, a
spiritual being inhabited by the fullness of the Godhead.
3. Galatians 3:2
We need faith to receive the Holy Spirit, by whose power we live a blameless
life and see God’s miracles worked among us.
4. Galatians 3:5
Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among
you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—
5. Galatians 3:7-9
We need faith to receive God’s blessings.
6. Galatians 3:26
We need faith to be children of God.
Can you see why it is the enemy’s mission to remove your faith?
Faith is the currency of the Kingdom of God. No faith, no access to the
Kingdom or its blessings.
So what can I do?
How to Stand Fast in the Faith
Paul tells us in Ephesians:
1. Remember who you are in Christ……..
2. Live as the divinely royal offspring that you are…….
3. Finally….
Ephesians 6:10-18
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on
the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities,
against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against
spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole
armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all,
to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate
of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of
peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all
the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of
the Spirit, which is the word of God; 18 praying always with all prayer and supplication
in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all
the saints—
This shows us where the battleground is. It explains the tactics of the demons.
They must take away your assurance of what Jesus has done for you because
only then can they cause you to forsake the benefits of the abundant life Jesus
bought for you. It also tells you how to stand strong and successfully overcome
the wiles of the devil:
You must protect the TRUTH. The truth is that God loves you, He is for you, He made a way for you. If He did not withhold His only Son, how will He not with Him also freely give you all things.
You must protect your RIGHTEOUSNESS. God does not condemn you. You have been judged already and He has found you pure, spotless, without blame, innocent. The penalty for your sin has been paid in full by Jesus Christ on the cross. He has removed your sin as far as the east is from the west.
You must protect your PEACE. You have peace with God through the blood of the cross. Nothing can separate you from God’s love. You have direct access to His throne because He has made a way where there was no way to reconcile you to Himself as His son.
You must protect your FAITH - above all!. Can we see why? You will be able to quench ALL the fiery darts of the enemy. He wants to attack your faith. By removing your faith, the enemy removes, in one go, every blessing of the Lord in your life
You must protect your SALVATION. Through Jesus you have been given health, help, victory, provision, deliverance and well-being. Do not let the enemy cause you to lose it.
You must use the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT – THE WORD OF GOD. Praying and declaring appropriate scriptures is how Jesus overcame the testing of the devil in the wilderness.
You must PRAY ALWAYS WITH ALL KINDS OF PRAYERS IN THE SPIRIT. God hears the prayers of the righteous, and if He has heard then He will answer.
You Must MAKE SUPPLICATION FOR ALL THE SAINTS. A very powerful action that causes the enemy to leave is to turn your attention away from your own battle and to help someone else in their battle. The demons don’t know what to do with that, and go and find someone else to devour.
Hold on to Your Faith
So, hold on to your faith. Stand strong in it. It is most valuable to you. If you
recognize that the enemy’s plan is to remove your faith, you will know how to
protect yourself and gain the victory in times of testing.
You need your faith for everything in the Christian life. It is the currency of the
Kingdom of God.
HEBREWS 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must
believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Matthew 17:20
I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain,
‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for
you.
Matthew 21:21-22
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith
and do not doubt, if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into
the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you
will receive.”
Stand fast in the faith. Be brave, be strong. Guard your faith. You need it for
everything. If the devil cannot take away your faith, he cannot touch you, and
if he cannot touch you, he will flee.