Today I want to do a word study on the phrase “stand firm.” I call it Standing Firm in 3D because I was impressed with its multidimensional meanings. We can think too much in black and white. We often look at things too simplistically. We must remember that we have a multidimensional God - someone whom we cannot exhaust with our thinking or analysis. His ways are just too complex. He thinks “multidimensionally.” As I've often stated, He speaks to the present and the future with the same words. Some of the concepts He presents to us are multidimensional like “standing firm.”

Now, these are real days when we need to stand firm. You've heard it again and again, but what does “standing firm” mean? Well through the help of technology (and the Holy Spirit of course) we can get a bit more clarity. The technology I'm talking about is www.biblegateway.com. This site allows you to not only do simple word searches like my NIV hardbound concordance but also multiple words or phrase searches. This is very difficult to do with a one-dimensional concordance but simple with a tool like biblegateway.com. That's what I did with this study. I simply searched for Bible verses with “stand firm” in them and I will now present those to you, at least the ones that spoke to me and demonstrated its multidimensional nature. I encourage you to use this resource and do studies like this as well.

1. Exodus 14:13 NIV

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.

Difficult times are ahead. For the Israelites, this was the most difficult time in their history to that point. The stakes were at a point that most of us cannot and will not ever imagine. They were facing genocide. Now look at what the Lord requires of them because He will NOT require more from you.

Do not be afraid...

First of all we need to get something clear. Something that I cannot say enough or remind myself enough.

When the Lord tells us to do something we have the ability to do it. He doesn't tease us. He speaks to our new capacity and new ability in Him.

We have the resources to keep ourselves from being consumed, paralyzed, and overwhelmed by fear. Period. That doesn't mean we aren't consumed, paralyzed or overcome by fear. It means that we don't have to be. It means that overcoming fear is “now” within the scope of our ability in Christ. There are many things that are now within in our reach. This is one of them.

Paul told the Romans this:

For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
Romans 8:15 NIV

We can overcome fear – by design.

Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today.

The Lord is telling us that this problem is on him. Deliverance is on him. Our job? Don't be consumed by fear - which means don't panic. Don't run. Don't change your mind, but, hold your ground. Deliverance is what he brings to the table.

So this verse teaches us that standing firm is not being afraid which is well within our design parameters in Christ.

2. 2 Chronicles 20:17 NIV

You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”

Just reading this verse is exciting. Can you see what this verse adds to the equation. This verse takes place much later than the previous verse. Israel is now a nation and is faced with an invading army. The Lord gives them similar instructions but he says more specifically:

You will not have to fight this battle.

Some of us are so ready and eager to fight our battles. These are battles we have no business fighting and many of them are battles we will never win. You know what I mean. Some of these are battles that you have spent a lifetime struggling with. Look at the words of comfort of the Lord. But look what he adds.

do not be discouraged

Your job is not to give up. Do not quit. Do not let go. Do not for any reason stop believing. You do that and let the Lord do his thing: deliverance. He says do not be discouraged as if it is in my power to not be discouraged. Yes it is. How do I know this? Again, because he said it. He designed us, so he must know what our abilities are for those of us who are now in Christ. Still he adds one more thing.

Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.

The Lord is not giving them a free pass. Deliverance doesn't come with denial. Deliverance doesn't come pretending we don't have issues. He didn't tell the Israelites that they could just stay under their beds and come out when the coast was clear. They had to show up. We have to show up. God is not a God of denial. He tells them and us to face whatever it is that we are dealing with. Face it.

Pretending is for the religious and that is not our destiny. It is a contradiction to be afraid to speak about the problem for fear of giving it power. It is a contradiction to lie about our pain because we think it reflects poorly on our faith.

When Jesus healed the blind man in Mark 8:23-25. He asked him a question:

Do you see anything? He was not asking him to go away and to claim that he was healed. He wanted to know what if anything had actually occurred. To paraphrase he said: What is your reality? Not there yet? Now try he said. Get the picture? Whatever it is face it. Don't be in any type of denial – even religious denial.

So this verse teaches us that standing firm is about facing our issues, not avoiding them. This leads us to the very next verse in line.

3. Job 11:15 NIV

then you will lift up your face without shame; you will stand firm and without fear.

Can you see the beauty of these verses as they come together. Face your issues the Lord says in the previous verse. But in this verse he says lift up your face

...and without shame

The energy of our fear, the reason we don't want to face our problems, the power behind a lot of these things is shame.

The shame that we have this problem in the first place. The shame that we got ourselves in this situation. The shame that we have this disease. The shame that we are in need. The shame we need help. The shame that we are being threatened. The shame that someone is pursuing us or bullying us. For some of us, the pain of the shame is greater than the pain of the thing.

What is shame? It is easier to define shame for what it lacks.

Shame is disgrace. Shame is the lack of grace.

We face issues. We think it reflects a total lack of grace in our lives. We can think to ourselves that the Lord didn't help us. He hasn't extended his grace upon us. That is shame. Shame is one battleground. The only way to deal with shame is to trust him. His death on the cross is the source of eternal grace. Don't forget it. Don't doubt it. He will not put you to shame.

There is no shame in admitting weakness and coming to Him. His kingdom is built on this idea.

As Peter reminds us:

For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”
1 Peter 2:6 NIV

We've been given glorious grace.

...he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Ephesians 1:5-6 NIV

So this verse (Job 11:15) teaches us that when we stand firm and face our issues we're going to have to deal with the shame. Be warned. Be prepared. Trust that he has no intention of putting you to shame and remind yourself of His glorious grace.

4. Psalm 20:7-9 NIV

Are you getting a good picture of the multidimensional aspect of standing firm? Here's another one.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.

There are those who trust in the might of this world, the knowledge of the world, the resources of this world. We the people of God rise up and stand firm. Standing firm here is paired with rising up. This is slightly different than showing up. Rising up is like taking position. He doesn't want us to recoil and stand firm or to run and then stand firm. He wants us to rise up. Stand up.

When we rise up we will be seen. We don't do justice to standing firm if we are hidden in the process. Rising up adds another dimension. It adds a dimension of confidence to standing firm. Confidence is good not bad. The dispute should only be about the source of the confidence – in ourselves or in the Lord. However, confidence is a good thing.

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
Hebrews 10:35 NIV

But what is confidence (without launching into another word study)?

Confidence is when the truths of God resonate in us enough to the point we believe it. It builds a bit of faith, and that faith develops a weight and a depth of stability that gives us a sense of internal security - enough that we can articulate it a little and even guide our actions by it. That is confidence.

So this verse tells us that standing firm is coupled with rising up and being seen. It is about displaying a little confidence.

5. Psalm 30:7 NIV

As things get a bit weighty and seemingly difficult, notice our next verse in our word study:

O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm;

Let's pair this with similar verse in the the word study.

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:21 NIV

At this point we've spoken of showing up, and facing issues, dealing with shame, and being seen. It can all seem a bit weighty. Remember God is a multidimensional God. So to all we've heard and read we add:

you made my mountain stand firm

Standing firm is not a technique that we develop through the strength of our will. It is not an attribute that is developed through a good childhood, superior training, good books, or the right circumstances. It is the strength of the Lord imparted to us – from his Spirit to our spirit.

It is Him that makes us stand firm. This verse helps us release a little pressure and recalibrate. Enjoy.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the all surpassing power is from God and not from us.
2 Corinthians 4:7 NIV

Okay, let's not get too conceptual here. How do we get the strength of the Lord to stand firm? Easy, kind of. First we acknowledge that the Lord desires to impart His strength to us. That's what we are doing now - through His word. Then we do the only thing we can do – pray. We understand that He desires to give it to us, so we ask for it in our time of need.

I do this. Lord, I'm being overwhelmed here. I'm lacking in me, and I need help. I need your strength to get through this. I need your strength to deal with this. In Jesus' name.

Here's something funny. In many of my struggles, I forget to ask for the Lord's help when I need it. So do you know what I learned to do? I learned to ask the Holy Spirit to remind me to ask for help when I need it. It's similar to a problem I used to have in prayer. I used to always fall asleep when I prayed. I would get a bit frustrated and ashamed. Then I went into my prayer time, praying that I wouldn't fall asleep. I prayed for help staying awake. The Lord honored my request.

If you get anything out of this study, get this. Call on Him for help when you need it. It will change your life.

6. Isaiah 7:9 NIV

If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.’”

Israel was once again facing difficulties, threats, challenges that the Lord sent Isaiah for a bit of instruction, clarification, and encouragement. He wants us to stand firm. From the last verse we see it is to be done with his strength – not our own.

Here's the qualifier, the Lord wants you to be soberly aware:

If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.

This is a conditional statement. Standing firm is conditional. Standing firm is anchored and enabled by our faith in Him. When things happen and yes things do happen, the foundation of our ability to accomplish anything in God is our trust in Him.

Standing firm just reminds us, that for the believer, (think about the word “believer”) faith is our oxygen. Standing firm doesn't produce oxygen, it requires oxygen. Fortunately, the word of God, and teaching, and worship, and prayer are all oxygen producing.

7. Psalm 33:11 NIV

But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

Standing firm is His idea. His plans, His purposes, His goals stand firm. This is what He is like. Maybe that is one of the reasons He calls it out of us. He doesn't alter His plans because of pressure, setbacks, threats, changing conditions, expediency, weakness, revenge, fear, lack of information or change of heart. His plans for us, our growth, our future, our hope, our salvation stand firm – forever.

8. Proverbs 10:25 NIV

When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.

Simply stated, We learn to stand firm because that is what the righteous do. Standing firm through the difficulties of storms, is part of the DNA of the righteous – deposited in and demonstrated by the Lord.

9. Galatians 5:1 NIV

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

This last verse is always amazing to me. We must break this one down just a little.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.

Funny way to put it. Christ has set us free with the intent that we REMAIN free.

The Holy Spirit exhorts us to:

Stand firm, then

Why? So you:

do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Can you get it? Standing firm is a requirement to being free. If you do not learn how to stand firm, you will not be free. Make sense? If you can't say no, you will be in bondage to whatever you can't say no to. If you cant' resist, you forfeit your freedom.

So it is His intention that we remain free, so He teaches us to stand firm.

Now is that multidimensional or what?

Lord, help up to grasp this. Holy Spirit help us to internalize this. May we see your hand as we hold fast. May we face our issues and disregard the shame. May we take a stand, with your strength, and our trust in you. We know this is what you are like, this is what you desire, this is what the righteous in Christ do and this is what is required in these times. Lord help us to stand firm. Amen.

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