The Daily Word

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The passage we will be looking at over the next few days is Philippians 4 and it contains the most spiritual advice in the shortest number of verses. It commences with a challenge and builds on from there. The challenge Paul issues as he writes, “Stand firm in the Lord”.

The word ‘Standing’ in the Bible can on many occasions be linked to inactivity, almost a reprimand. However, bearing in mind the teaching Paul has passed on to the church, and the warnings that he has given to all the young churches about false teachers and false doctrines, the definite thought here is not inactivity but rather resistance to anything not taught by Paul. 

I have been watching pictures of flash floods in Nepal and the sheer rush of water was beyond belief and no-one could have withstood the rush which swept away everything in its path. However that is exceptional and we will never be called upon to withstand such force spiritually. Note that Paul doesn’t just say, ‘Stand firm’ but gives us the reason and source of strength, why we can stand firm, ‘in the Lord’. We can only resist the power of evil with the Lord’s strength.

But we have also to be rooted and grounded in the truths of the Gospel. The Lord will help us to stand firm, but we need to know what we are standing firm for, so it is essential that we study the scriptures, again asking the Lord to guide us into His truth. We can then better resist the wiles of the Devil. To stand firm, we must be on solid ground as the hymn says, ‘On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand’.

Article written by Brian Preston, Elder @SFGH Church 

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