Are you prepared to take a stand?

Are you standing firm in your faith? The phrase, take a stand, means:

to take a position in opposition to someone or something; to oppose or resist someone or something.”

Many people today blast their opinions on Twitter and Facebook, simply based on what they’ve read online or what they’ve see others share. Few people take the time to investigate and find the source of the information to determine if it is accurate or not before speaking out for or against it.

Yesterday, I had the privilege of listening to my daughter deliver a message to a youth group about standing firm in their faith. She served as a summer intern with the youth department of our church and part of her responsibilities included teaching. It was a proud mama moment for sure. Her message was powerful and something we could all benefit from. I thought I’d share my notes with you this morning.

1. First and foremost, we must know what we believe. We can’t profess to be Christians if we don’t even know what that means. It’s more than simply praying a prayer. We need to discover the truth. We do so by diving into the Word of God so we know what it says [Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, Psalm 119:105, and Romans 15:4].
2. We need to let our actions speak for what we believe. Saying we believe one thing and doing something else is hypocritical and will destroy any witness we may have [James 1:22, Acts 1:8]. In the story of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10:30-37, the priest and the Levite were assumed to be men of God, yet their actions did not line up with one who serves God. The Samaritan, however, took action, not for notoriety or because of title, but because it was the right thing to do. He was the most Christ-like in his actions.
3. We need to stand up for our faith, even if it means standing alone [1 Peter 3:15].  Jesus taught us how to do this in Matthew 4:1-11 when he was tempted in the wilderness. He used the Word of God as His weapon to defeat the enemy. If we know the Word and it is planted deep in our hearts, then when temptation comes our way, we can stand [Deuteronomy 6:6-9, 1 Corinthians 10:13].

Our world is changing every day, and not always for the better. There are many things that are widely accepted in our society today that are in direct opposition to the Word of God, and the list is growing longer every day. As Christ followers, we are called to the standard of Romans 12:2,

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is– his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Are you able to do so? Have you filled your heart, mind and spirit with the Word so you’ll be prepared for the challenge? What are you willing to stand for today? Even if you’re the only one standing?