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What Do The Scriptures Reveal About Taking a Stand?

I will start by saying that when reading the scripture we must all keep in mind that each verse and word have both a positive and negative application as well as primarily being spiritual and secondarily having a physical meaning.

Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

I hope today to scripturally show what it is to mind the things of the flesh versus minding the things of the spirit in regards to taking a stance with the Word of God.

Every churchgoing member, at whatever level of membership and/ or duty they have, believes they stand on the Word of God. However, we need to make sure we are diligent to the Word of God in order for us to say such a statement.

I hope the Lord uses me today to show you what I have been shown.

Mat 12:47  Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
Mat 12:48  But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
Mat 12:49  And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
Mat 12:50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Here we have Christ who lets us in on a mystery that has been hidden since it was uttered the first time. Our mother and brother initially are the whore and our brothers that come from her. As with all the times Christ was asked a question or received a statement from someone, those who told Christ this too were making a physical statement about his physical family, yet Jesus gives them a spiritual answer.

Christ lets them know exactly what is most important to him. This also should be how we feel and handle all situations placed before us.

I want to focus on where these verses say our first mother and brother stand. They stand without or outside. Outside of what?

Mar 3:24  And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
Mar 3:25  And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

When we try to cling to any false doctrines or idols of our hearts which are contrary to the doctrine of Jesus Christ, the Word of God, we will fall. There are only two places to stand. Either we stand on a foundation laid on a rock, or we stand on earth/ sand.

Luk 6:48  He is like a man which built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
Luk 6:49  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built a house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

Right before these verses, just a few verses, before Christ says, “Why call me Lord, Lord and do not the things I say.” It is amazing that once we understand the meaning of all parables, we can then apply that to everything we read in the Word of God. Here is another example. Jesus is telling us that we can either stand on the Word of God, or we can stand on the words of the earth…the church and/ or babylon.

Here is how the angel Gabriel states this:

Luk 1:19  And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings.

The very idea that the “gospel” is paraded around as good news when most of christendom condemns most of humankind to hell is appalling. Yet, that is exactly what they do when they build their ideas, idols and thoughts upon the earth. Standing in the presence of God IS standing on the foundation God the Father laid, since the FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD – Jesus Christ.

Luk 13:25  When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:
Luk 13:25 (MKJV) And once the Master of the house has risen up and has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, and He shall answer and say to you, I do not know you; from where are you;

Those who are not standing on a rock are always those who are standing AT the rock knocking and trying to get passage to the other side. Those who are not knocking are those who ARE the ones who have already gone through the door and have BECOME THE DOOR that all others knock on.

Joh 10:2  But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

It is through US that Jesus says, “Why call me Lord, Lord….” It is through and by Christ and Christ alone – the original door – that a stance is achieved by US – as a door.

It is Christ, the Word of God, who tells us to stand.

Act 5:19  But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,
Act 5:20  Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.
Rom 14:4  Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

In the verse right before Rom 14:4, we see this:

Rom 14:3  Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

God has received who? God has received “him that eateth”. God is not the master of those who are knocking and asking for entrance. I believe that is clearly shown in the verses before.”To his own master…God is able to make him stand…. for God hath received him.”

1Co 4:1  Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
1Co 4:2  Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.
1Co 4:3  But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

Here we are clearly instructed that as a minister of Christ who ministers (serves) the mysteries of God to those who are “standing, knocking at the door…”, that we must be found faithful to the Word of God.

1Co 4:3  But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self.

In 1Co 4:3 the word here translated judgment is used here and ONLY here as judgment. In every other place it is used, it is used to describe time or a period of time. To allow the spirit of God to tell you what Paul is saying here, please look at this list with me:

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ημερα

he mera

Total KJV Occurrences: 390

day, 204

Mat_6:34, Mat_7:22, Mat_10:15, Mat_11:22, Mat_11:24, Mat_12:36, Mat_13:1, Mat_16:21, Mat_17:23, Mat_20:2, Mat_20:6, Mat_20:12, Mat_20:19, Mat_22:23, Mat_22:46, Mat_24:36, Mat_24:38, Mat_24:50, Mat_25:13, Mat_26:29, Mat_27:64, Mar_4:27, Mar_4:35, Mar_5:5, Mar_6:11, Mar_6:21, Mar_9:31, Mar_10:34, Mar_13:32, Mar_14:12, Mar_14:25, Luk_1:20, Luk_1:59, Luk_1:80, Luk_2:37, Luk_4:16, Luk_4:42, Luk_5:17, Luk_6:13, Luk_6:23, Luk_7:11, Luk_8:22, Luk_9:12, Luk_9:22, Luk_9:37, Luk_10:12, Luk_11:3 (2), Luk_12:46, Luk_13:14, Luk_13:16, Luk_13:31, Luk_14:5, Luk_16:19, Luk_17:4 (2), Luk_17:24, Luk_17:27, Luk_17:29-31 (3), Luk_18:7, Luk_18:33, Luk_19:42, Luk_21:34, Luk_21:37, Luk_22:7, Luk_22:66, Luk_23:12, Luk_23:54, Luk_24:7, Luk_24:13, Luk_24:21, Luk_24:29, Luk_24:46, Joh_1:39, Joh_2:1, Joh_5:9, Joh_6:39-40 (2), Joh_6:44, Joh_6:54, Joh_7:37, Joh_8:56, Joh_9:4, Joh_11:9 (2), Joh_11:24, Joh_11:53, Joh_12:7, Joh_12:48, Joh_14:20, Joh_16:23, Joh_16:26, Joh_20:19 (2), Act_1:2, Act_1:22, Act_2:1, Act_2:15, Act_2:20, Act_2:29, Act_2:41, Act_7:8, Act_7:26, Act_9:24, Act_10:3, Act_10:40, Act_12:18, Act_12:21, Act_13:14, Act_16:35, Act_17:31, Act_20:16, Act_20:18, Act_20:31, Act_21:7, Act_21:26, Act_23:1, Act_23:12, Act_26:7, Act_26:22, Act_27:29, Act_27:33 (2), Act_27:39, Act_28:13, Act_28:23, Rom_2:5, Rom_2:16, Rom_8:36, Rom_10:21, Rom_11:8, Rom_13:12-13 (2), Rom_14:5-6 (4), 1Co_1:8, 1Co_3:13, 1Co_5:5, 1Co_10:8, 1Co_15:4, 2Co_1:14, 2Co_4:16 (2), 2Co_6:2 (2), Eph_4:30, Eph_6:13, Phi_1:5-6 (2), Phi_1:10, Phi_2:16, Col_1:5-6 (2), Col_1:9, 1Th_3:9-10 (2), 1Th_5:2, 1Th_5:4-5 (2), 1Th_5:8, 2Th_1:10, 2Th_2:2, 2Th_3:8, 1Ti_5:5, 2Ti_1:3, 2Ti_1:12, 2Ti_1:18, 2Ti_4:8, Heb_3:8, Heb_4:4, Heb_8:7-9 (3), Heb_10:25, Jas_5:5, 1Pe_2:12, 2Pe_1:19, 2Pe_2:8-9 (3), 2Pe_2:13, 2Pe_3:7-8 (3), 2Pe_3:10, 2Pe_3:12, 1Jn_4:17, Jdg_1:6, Rev_1:10, Rev_4:8, Rev_6:17, Rev_7:15, Rev_8:12, Rev_9:15, Rev_14:10-11 (2), Rev_16:14, Rev_18:8, Rev_20:10, Rev_21:25

days, 154

Mat_4:1-2 (3), Mat_9:15, Mat_11:12, Mat_12:40 (2), Mat_15:32, Mat_17:1, Mat_23:30, Mat_24:19, Mat_24:22 (2), Mat_24:29, Mat_24:37-38 (2), Mat_26:2, Mat_26:61, Mat_27:40, Mat_27:63, Mar_1:9, Mar_1:13, Mar_2:1, Mar_2:20 (2), Mar_8:1-2 (2), Mar_8:31, Mar_9:2, Mar_13:17, Mar_13:19-20 (3), Mar_13:24, Mar_14:1, Mar_14:58, Mar_15:29, Luk_1:5, Luk_1:23-25 (3), Luk_1:39, Luk_1:75, Luk_2:1, Luk_2:6, Luk_2:21-22 (2), Luk_2:43, Luk_2:46, Luk_4:2 (2), Luk_4:25, Luk_5:35 (2), Luk_6:12, Luk_9:28, Luk_9:36, Luk_13:14, Luk_15:13, Luk_17:22 (2), Luk_17:26 (2), Luk_17:28, Luk_19:43, Luk_20:1, Luk_21:6, Luk_21:22-23 (2), Luk_23:29, Luk_24:18, Joh_2:12, Joh_2:19-20 (2), Joh_4:40, Joh_4:43, Joh_11:6, Joh_11:17, Joh_12:1, Joh_20:26, Act_1:3, Act_1:5, Act_1:15, Act_2:17-18 (2), Act_3:24, Act_5:36-37 (2), Act_6:1, Act_7:41, Act_7:45, Act_9:9, Act_9:19, Act_9:23, Act_9:37, Act_9:43, Act_10:30, Act_10:48, Act_11:27, Act_12:3, Act_13:31, Act_13:41, Act_15:36, Act_16:12, Act_16:18, Act_20:6 (3), Act_21:4-5 (2), Act_21:10, Act_21:15, Act_21:26-27 (2), Act_21:38, Act_24:1, Act_24:11, Act_24:24, Act_25:1, Act_25:6, Act_25:13-14 (2), Act_27:7, Act_27:20, Act_28:7, Act_28:12, Act_28:14, Gal_1:17-18 (2), Gal_4:10, Eph_5:16, 2Ti_3:1, Heb_1:2, Heb_5:7, Heb_7:3, Heb_8:8, Heb_8:10, Heb_10:16, Heb_10:32, Heb_11:30, Heb_12:10, Jas_5:3, 1Pe_3:10, 1Pe_3:20, 2Pe_3:3, Rev_2:10, Rev_2:13, Rev_10:6-7 (2), Rev_11:3, Rev_11:6, Rev_11:9, Rev_11:11, Rev_12:6

daily, 18

Mat_26:55, Mar_14:49, Luk_9:23, Luk_19:47, Luk_22:53, Act_2:46-47 (2), Act_3:2, Act_5:42, Act_16:5, Act_17:11, Act_17:17, Act_19:9, 1Co_15:31, 2Co_11:28, Heb_3:13, Heb_7:27, Heb_10:11

time, 4

Luk_9:51, Luk_21:37, Luk_23:7, Act_8:1

while, 2

Act_15:7, Act_18:18

years, 2

Luk_1:7, Luk_1:18

age, 1

Luk_2:36

alway, 1

Mat_28:20

day’s, 1

Luk_2:44

ever, 1

2Pe_3:18

judgment, 1

1Co_4:3

midday, 1

Act_26:13

Out of 390 times this word was used by the Holy Spirit, 358 times it was translated day or days. Wow!

So Paul is clearly stating that it is a very small thing that man’s days are what he is judged by. Paul is standing on the Word of God when he makes the statement that he has a judge and it surely isn’t man and what man has to say about how Paul spends his GOD- GIVEN day.

Rom 14:5  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike.Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

It is not a stretch at all to say that we should have the same mind, the mind of Christ, and I don’t have to wonder what the mind of Christ says about each day being esteemed alike as all the rest. This spiritual concept applies to the entire bible. We are either taking a stand on the outside of the door (the Word of God) or we are, “as He is, so are we in this world”– the door for all of humanity. That is what is so important about making sure we are standing on the Rock because we are the medium used to glorify God the Father, by God’s own design.

Conclusion

In closing, I hope I have been used to briefly show what it means to stand within or without.  God is very clear on which it is for us – outside or inside. We ALL have been on both sides, so we apply all these things to ourselves first and foremost.

Rev 6:17  For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
1Co 15:30  And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
1Co 15:31  I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.   
         
1Co 2:5  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1Th 3:8  For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.