Strength to Stand | Discipleship Prayer Day 29
And when these things come, give me strength to stand firm.
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
― Proverbs 4:23
Temptations will come. Frequently…continuously…relentlessly, perhaps. But, when they come, we are neither hopeless nor powerless. The sincere believer who has placed their trust fully in Christ has been set free from the power of sin (Rom 6:7,18,22)! Whatever sins we may commit boil down to a conscious, willful choice on our part.
We will continue to be tempted and, at times, stumble. The battle against the sinful tendencies inherent in our humanness is an ongoing reality of living in this world. As people freed from the power of sin, however, we are never without hope.
Give me strength, Lord, to stand firm. Help me make good, wise, holy choices.
The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.
I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
― Psalm 37:23-25
When our delight is in the LORD – when we desire above all to live according to God’s will and to prefer what God prefers – then the Holy Spirit works with us to strengthen our step-taking feet, recover quickly from stumbles, and offer a hand to help us keep our balance. The righteous person who has responded to God’s grace in their lives and desires to walk in obedience to the will of the Father will never be forgotten or forsaken, no matter what trials may come their way.
Give me strength, Lord, to continue walking.
Help me to trust in you, even when the road is narrow, steep, and full of obstacles.
Be on your GUARD;
Stay awake and keep watch,
Keep your mind alert and sober,
Don’t be distracted by what seems good
at the expense of what is best.
STAND FIRM in the faith;
Be unwavering in hope,
Be resolute in your devotion,
Be unswerving in trust,
Be COURAGEOUS and STRONG;
Boldly compassionate,
Audaciously optimistic,
Fearlessly engaged in the lives of others,
And remember that all of these things
Begin and end with,
Are carried out by way of,
And find their ultimate purpose in,
LOVE
― 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 (extended paraphrase)
When things started heating up around Jesus, he did not withdraw and hide, nor did he attack and distract. He did not seek protection under the Law nor did he arm his friends with weapons of defense. Even as everything, from the human perspective of his followers, seemed to be unraveling before their eyes, Jesus responded:
With a prayer of consecration – “Not my will, but yours;”
By healing the ear of Malchus, a member of the party who had come to arrest him;
With the words that continue to challenge even his most faithful follower—“Father, forgive them because they do not know what they are doing.”
Jesus stood firm in the one thing that best represented the Father—AGAPE. He lived out his love for the Father as a means of demonstrating the love of the Father for humanity. And in his faithfulness to carry out the will of the Father, Jesus provides for us the example of a faithful, Father-centered, love-saturated, and hope-filled life that stands firm in Christ – everywhere, all the time, and with everyone.
Ladybugs--my favorite little critter. Been reading John Mark Comer's book: Live No Lies. I am praying that prayer you put at the end of this article: Give me strength, Lord, to stand firm in YOU; to follow Your example as I live my life in this world. Mom
Thanks!