Leading into each new year, I ask God to prepare me for what’s ahead at the close of the last, and He faithfully provides me a word, a theme, and most often a verse from which it emerged. Sometimes His response surprised, and others left me trepidatious. This year I’m encouraged with His two words for 2015:
STAND FIRM
If not for the boldness I shot towards heaven seven years ago, one year after uprooting the family and moving 725 miles west of where I ever thought I’d be…if not for the assurance of why we relocated to begin new lives…if not for the syllabus of the past few years that have fed into my challenge to God, I just might be shaken. I dared Him: Bring it on. And if we attempt to live a life that’s brazen enough to dare heaven, the decibels in His response seem to reverberate louder, clearer, stronger…quaking the comfortable, shaking the predictable, forsaking the pragmatic. But…
bring it on also meant I picked a fight.
Yep, with the devil.
And seven years later, I’m wondering if that creep just upped his game.
But God says: STAND FIRM.
Vanilla faith always appears blessed, right? When it all goes right and falls into place we receive it as reward. But if the forces of heaven are prepared to unleash a little bit more of the holy on an earth that the enemy prowls and preys on through my three short words…well then my Lord’s voice got louder this past month, “Stand Firm”. Ephesians 6 is rightly clear when Paul reminds me that I won’t be wrestling people and problems, but against powers and spiritual wickedness.
Roadblocks ahead? Stand firm.
Betrayal and cheating? Stand firm.
Discouragement? Stand firm.
Conflicts? Stand firm.
Temptations? Stand firm.
And when all seems right and blessed I will stand firm knowing the belt of truth surrounds me and God and His righteousness goes before me.
I “get” that there’s a battle, but
I will not be fighting people. I will not be fighting circumstances. I will not be fighting emotions. But I will fight.
I will stand firm against the munitions fired by dark forces with Truth. His Word, His truth will go securely in front of me, and His righteousness will be my protection. My feet are prepared to stand my ground for His glory. It’s His battle and He wins.
I will stand firm.
Ephesians 6:14-15
Have you asked God what your word or theme is for 2015? Be encouraged, it’s His blessing!