Prayer Thought

God desires His people to prepare for the soon-coming crisis. Prepared or unprepared, they must all meet it; and those only who have brought their lives into conformity to the divine standard, will stand FIRM at that time of test and trial. When secular rulers unite with ministers of religion to dictate in matters of conscience, then it will be seen who really fear and serve God. When the darkness is deepest, the light of a godlike character will shine the brightest. When every other trust fails, then it will be seen who have an abiding trust in Jehovah. And while the enemies of truth are on every side, watching the Lord’s servants for evil, God will watch over them for good. He will be to them as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. AA 431.2

Questions to Ponder

Where do we stand?

Stand Firm for the RIGHT and Stand Firm in the TRUTH>

What DOES God’s Word say?

“Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” Eph. 6:10-17

Stand F I R M

Faith – CET 81.1; 189.4; ChL 22.1; CH 521.2; CT 182.4
Integrity – PK 31; ChL 24.3;
CT 478.2; CW 52.2
Resiliency – ChL 25.1
Maturity – CCh 357.2; CFL 2.4

FAITH – True to principle

As favorable opportunities come, they will have a resurrection. Let us not forget that everything is to be shaken that can be shaken. The enemy will be successful in overthrowing the faith of some, but those who are true to principle will not be shaken. They will stand firm amid trial and temptation. The Lord has pointed out these errors; and those who do not discern where Satan has come in, will continue to be led in false paths. Jesus bids us be watchful, and strengthen the things that remain, which are ready to die. CET 81.1

We must have courageous Faith

So long as we choose the easy path of self-indulgence, and are frightened at self-denial, our faith will never become firm, and we cannot know the peace of Jesus, nor the joy that comes through conscious victory. The most exalted of the redeemed host that stand before the throne of God and the Lamb, clad in white, know the conflict of overcoming, for they have come up through great tribulation. Those who have yielded to circumstances rather than engage in this conflict, will not know how to stand in that day when anguish will be upon every soul, when, though Noah, Job, and Daniel were in the land, they could save neither son nor daughter, for everyone must deliver his soul by his own righteousness. CET 189.4

We must possess LIVING FAITH

Influence Reflected in People—There is need of Nehemiahs in the church today, —not men who can pray and preach only, but men whose prayers and sermons are braced with firm and eager purpose. The course pursued by this Hebrew patriot in the accomplishment of his plans is one that should still be adopted by ministers and leading men. When they have laid their plans, they should present them to the church in such a manner as to win their interest and co-operation. Let the people have a personal interest in its prosperity. The success attending Nehemiah’s efforts shows what prayer, faith, and wise, energetic action will accomplish. Living faith will prompt to energetic action. The spirit manifested by the leader will be, to a great extent, reflected by the people. If the leaders professing to believe the solemn, important truths that are to test the world at this time, manifest no ardent zeal to prepare a people to stand in the day of God, we must expect the church to be careless, indolent, and pleasure-loving. —Christian Service, 177. ChL 22.1

Stand firm in defense to principles

No line of our faith that has made us what we are is to be weakened. We have the old landmarks of truth, experience, and duty, and we are to stand firm in defense of our principles, in full view of the world. With hearts filled with interest and solicitude, we are to give the invitation to those in the highways and the byways. Medical missionary work is to be done. But this is only one part of the work that is to be accomplished, and it is not to be made all and in all. It is to be to the work of God as the hand is to the body. There may be unworthy ones connected with the ministry, yet no one can ignore the ministry without ignoring God. CH 521.2

Faith in the Lord and Obedience to His orders

Nothing else will avail but this—faith in the Lord of hosts, and obedience to His orders. Vast armies furnished with every other facility will avail nothing in the last great conflict. Without faith, an angel host could not help. Living faith alone will make them invincible and enable them to stand in the evil day, steadfast, unmovable, holding the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end. CT 182.4

Integrity

What is it?
It is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.
It is the state of being whole and undivided.
Christian Leadership—Praying Leadership—The path of men who are placed as leaders is not an easy one. But they are to see in every difficulty a call to prayer. Never are they to fail of consulting the great Source of all wisdom. Strengthened and enlightened by the Master Worker, they will be enabled to stand firm against unholy influences and to discern right from wrong, good from evil. They will approve that which God approves, and will strive earnestly against the introduction of wrong principles into His cause. —Prophets and Kings, 31.

Firm Integrity and Holy Boldness

God’s soldiers must put on the whole armor of God. We are not required to put on human armor, but to gird ourselves with God’s strength. If we keep God’s glory ever in view, our eyes will be anointed with the heavenly eye salve; we will be able to look deeper, and see afar off what the world is. As we discern its dishonesty, its craftiness, its selfish eye service, its pretense, and its boasting, it’s want of fair honest dealing in the ordinary intercourse of life, and its grasping covetousness, we can take our stand, by precept and example, to represent Christ, and convert souls from the world by our sound principles, our firm integrity, our hatred of all dissembling, and our holy boldness in acknowledging Christ.—Letter 4, 1896, pp. 13, 15, 16 (July 1, 1896 to Men in Responsible Positions). ChL 24.3

Stand Firm to Principle and Follow the Light

Stand firm to principle. At every step inquire, “What saith the Lord?” Say firmly, “I will follow the light. I will respect and honor the Majesty of truth.” CT 478.2

As a people we are to stand firm on the platform of eternal truth that has withstood test and trial. We are to hold to the sure pillars of our faith. The principles of truth that God has revealed to us are our only true foundation. They have made us what we are. The lapse of time had not lessened their value. —Special Testimonies, Series B, No. 2, p. 51 (1904). CW 52.2

Resiliency

What is it?
It is the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.
It is also the ability to withstand difficulties and hardship.
Individual Methods of Labor—The leaders among God’s people are to guard against the danger of condemning the methods of individual workers who are led by the Lord to do a special work that but few are fitted to do. Let brethren in responsibility be slow to criticize movements that are not in perfect harmony with their methods of labor. Let them never suppose that every plan should reflect their own personality. Let them not fear to trust another’s methods; for by withholding their confidence from a brother laborer who, with humility and consecrated zeal, is doing a special work in God’s appointed way, they are retarding the advancement of the Lord’s cause. —Testimonies for the Church 9:259. ChL 25.1

Master of Circumstances

He is Master of Circumstances. He is thankful in the face of the most disheartening difficult situations or environment. He does not dissipate his energies in complaining and repining, and he does not seek to escape responsibility and unpleasant facts. Nor does he allow himself to be beaten down in time of crisis, but he is ever on hand to “stand his post,” and he draws on his spiritual resources to attain a mastery of his circumstances. He does not fall behind ancient Joseph, he is even ahead of him for he knows that he is living in an advanced season. CFL 2.4

Maturity

We are to stand firm as a rock to the principles of the word of God, remembering that God is with us to give us strength to meet each new experience. Let us ever maintain in our lives the principles of righteousness, that we may go forward from strength to strength in the name of the Lord. We are to hold as very sacred the faith that has been substantiated by the instruction and approval of the Spirit of God from our earliest experience until the present time. We are to cherish as very precious the work that the Lord has been carrying forward through His commandment-keeping people, and which, through the power of His grace, will grow stronger and more efficient as time advances. The enemy is seeking to becloud the discernment of God’s people, and to weaken their efficiency; but if they will labor as the Spirit of God shall direct, He will open doors of opportunity before them for the work of building up the old waste places. Their experience will be one of constant growth, until the Lord shall descend from heaven with power and great glory to set His seal of final triumph upon His faithful ones. CCh 357.2

Principles in God’s Word

Let truth telling be held with no loose hand or uncertain grasp. Let it become a part of the life. AA 75.3
Those who preach the truth of God will meet the wily foe in many different forms. Sometimes it will be in the person of learned, but more often of ignorant, men, whom Satan has trained to be successful instruments to deceive souls. AA 169.1 – It is the duty of the minister of Christ to stand faithful at his post, in the fear of God and in the power of His might.
In his ministry, Paul was often compelled to stand alone. He was specially taught of God and dared make no concessions that would involve principle. At times the burden was heavy, but Paul stood firm for the right. AA 199.3 – The advance of the gospel message must not be hindered by the prejudices and preferences of men, whatever might be their position in the church.
Let these workers hold the beginning of their confidence firm unto the end, remembering that the light of God’s truth is to shine amid the darkness that enshrouds our world. There is to be no despondency in connection with God’s service. AA 242.1
The pastor who fulfills his high commission must give his people faithful instruction on every point of the Christian faith, showing them what they must be and do in order to stand perfect in the day of God. AA 393.4 – He only who is a faithful teacher of the truth will at the close of his work be able to say with Paul, “I am pure from the blood of all men.”

Those who have served their Master when the work went hard, who endured poverty and remained faithful when there were few to stand for truth, are to be honored and respected. The Lord desires the younger laborers to gain wisdom, strength, and maturity by association with these faithful men. AA 573
In comparison with the millions of the world, God’s people will be, as they have ever been, a little flock; but if they stand for the truth as revealed in His word, God will be their refuge. They stand under the broad shield of Omnipotence. God is always a majority. AA 590.1
The Lord desires through His people to answer Satan’s charges by showing the result of obedience to right principles. CME 34.1
They are to be taught to love truth because it is truth; they are to be sanctified through the truth, that they may stand in the grand review that shall take place erelong to determine the fitness of each to enter the higher school and become a member of the royal family, a child of the heavenly King. Manuscript 12, 1898. CG 482.1
“When the power of God testifies as to what is truth, that truth is to stand forever as the truth. No after suppositions contrary to the light God has given are to be entertained. Men will arise with interpretations of Scripture which are to them truth, but which are not truth. The truth for this time God has given us as a foundation for our faith. He Himself has taught us what is truth. One will arise, and still another, with new light, which contradicts the light that God has given under the demonstration of His Holy Spirit. A few are still alive who passed through the experience gained in the establishment of this truth. 1SM 161.1

Conclusion

Although we may be tried, as it was mentioned, God is the majority. Standing FIRM (FAITH, INTEGRITY, RESILIENCY, and MATURITY) is what we need in these last days. Inspiration say,
The World’s Greatest Need.–The greatest want of the world is the want of men,–men who will not be bought or sold; men who in their inmost souls are true and honest; men who do not fear to call sin by its right name; men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole; men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall.–Education, p. 57. (1903) {CM 54.4}
As the scripture says, “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
The time is hastening on when who stand in defense of the truth will know by experience what it means to be partakers in Christ’s sufferings. The great oppressor sees that he has but a short time in which to work, that soon he will lose his hold upon man and his power be taken from him, and he is working with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish. Superstition and error are trampling upon truth, justice, and equity. Every power that is antagonistic to truth is strengthening. —The Southern Watchman, October 31, 1905. ChS 157.4

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