Matters of Faith: Stand Firm in Your Faith!

By Rev. J. Loren Russell

“If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” Isaiah 7:9 (NIV)

We’ve all heard the expression, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” But did you know that there is a Biblical precedence for that phrase? The New International Version says; “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” At some point in our lives, we must make a declaration that defines who we are and what we stand for.

There is a story told about a man who went into a city that was well known for its lewdness, sexual perversion, and its overall sinfulness. The man, it is said, went to the town with a message of repentance. He went from street to street with a sign that read “Repent!” in big, bold letters. Day after day he went throughout the city carrying his sign, shouting out loud, and trying to engage people in conversation in order to encourage them to repent. Few if any would even talk with him, let alone change their behavior.

This went on week after week, month after month with no success. Someone asked him why he even bothers since no one in the city wants to hear him and no one has changed their behavior. The man replied, “When I arrived in the city, I was convinced I could change them. Now I do it because I don’t want them to change me.”

Stand firm in your faith or you won’t stand at all.

When the scripture in our lesson was penned, a number of Israel’s enemies conspired and attacked Judah. This so frightened the people that they “trembled like trees shaking in the wind” (v. 2). But the Lord was on their side and reassured them that their enemies, even though they were stronger, better equipped, and had a plan in place, were not going to defeat them. The Lord pointed out the weakness of every one of those who had conspired together, then tells them that they must stand on their faith. If they failed to do so, they would be defeated.

It’s not faith in “faith,” but faith in the one who had delivered them many times in the past; the one who shows Himself mighty and shows Himself strong; the Covenant keeping God who is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He is the one who would supply them with the strength to endure in their faith until the victory could be won.

You too will be victorious if you don’t quit. To win the victory, you must stand firm in your faith.

Rev. J. Loren Russell is an associate minister at both Goodwill and The Greater Universal Baptist Churches in the Bronx, President/CEO of The JLR Company for Church Financial & Strategic Consulting, host of “Matters of Faith – The Radio Show” on Soul 1 Radio, Monday’s 8:00 – 10:00 PM (626-226-1448), and author of Matters of Faith: The Book (https://bookblues.com/spirituality/162-matters-of-faith-the-book-9780999100608.html).

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