Prelude: I almost always teach on being passive with others and seeking the peace we should always strive for. But there are times when we need to stand our ground, and this teaching today is when enough is enough and we need to stand firm.
With some things in life, you need to stand your ground. You need to draw a line in front of you and not allow anyone to step over it. You need to be willing to confront those who are so eager to confront you. Buckle up, Christian, and get ready to stand your ground.
In whatever you are going through, He has you. “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV).
Sometimes, the most loving thing you can do to a person is to make them stop treating you so harshly. You’re not doing someone any favors by allowing them to perpetuate their wrong behavior towards you. Appeasement only serves as an approval to let them continue.
Never be surprised when someone crosses a boundary that you never established. “A day will come for rebuilding your walls; on that day your boundary will be extended” (Micah 7:11 HCSB).
Too often, as Christians, we can be so forgiving and merciful that we become a doormat that gets trampled over. Forgive their bad behavior, but then stand your ground and tell them to stop. Forgive what has been done, but be bold and brave enough not to allow it to happen again.
It’s better to be a door than a doormat. Jesus taught, “Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves; be wary and wise as serpents, and be innocent (harmless, guileless, and without falsity) as doves. Be on guard against men [whose way or nature is to act in opposition to God]…” (Matthew 10:16-17 AMPC).
Almost without exception, when you call someone out about their bad behaviors, they will attack you as if you were the culprit all along. Don’t let them intimidate you, but only stand your ground. God’s word says to be courageous and not to be intimidated.
Don’t forfeit a thing just so you can lose on your own terms. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified or dismayed (intimidated), for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 AMP).
As a Christian, you don’t have to allow someone to mistreat you. You have a right to be treated respectfully and honorably. You have a right to push back on anyone who comes against you. God wants us to show mercy, but He also is a God of justice.
Justice only stings when you’re on the wrong side of the spear. “When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers” (Proverbs 21:15 NIV).
When someone tries to put you down, stand your ground. It is their pride from hell where they try to make themselves higher than you. You should be looking for God’s approval alone. God wants us to seek peace, but He will also help us to overcome evil.
It’s not justice or mercy; it’s justice and mercy. “Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah, saying, this is what the Lord of armies has said: ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another’” (Zechariah 7:8-10 NASB).
When someone slanders you with false statements, stand your ground. When truth is on your side, they will only have the devil on their side. God sees right through the clever deceptions of man, and all He asks you to do is walk blameless before Him.
Though they slander against you, do not fear. Just as light triumphs over darkness, so the power of truth will prevail over the lies. “For I hear the slander of many; fear is on every side; while they take counsel together against me, they scheme to take away my life. But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God’” (Psalm 31:13-14 NKJV).
When someone schemes against you, stand your ground. If God is on your side, then the outcome will surely be in your favor. Even if God allows you to be harmed, it is only to bring about something greater in the end. Fight fair and know that He is with you.
It’s not a fair fight when God is on your side. “The Lord will fight for you while you [only need to] keep silent and remain calm” (Exodus 14:14 AMP).
Too often, we think that to be good Christians, we must be soft or passive against those who are against us. That is rubbish! We must stand firm in our faith and act justly in our lives, and so long as we are in His will, He will give us the victory.
When you’re in His will, and things get in your way, God Himself will go before you. “The Lord your God is going ahead of you. He will fight for you, just as you saw him do in Egypt. And you saw how the Lord your God cared for you all along the way as you traveled through the wilderness, just as a father cares for his child…” (Deuteronomy 1:30-31 NLT).
When you stand your ground, you’re teaching others around you how they, too, should live their lives. There will be some situations where you need to stand with them on their ground. Be as courageous for another soul as you are with your own, and you will be a friend of God.
You will be blessed to the degree you are a blessing. “The person who blesses others will prosper; he who satisfies others will be satisfied himself” (Proverbs 11:25 CJB).
Blessings to you always,
Paul Balius
Standing against incessant verbal and emotional abuse, extreme and frequent mood swings over the months and/or years by a spouse can ‘cost’ you your marriage, ending in divorce. Even so, God Who Is Love, the Holy One and the Just, works all things, including the bad and the ugly, together for good to those who love Him, according to His purpose, which purpose is to be conformed to the character of Christ. Thank you, brother, for your wise counsel. I appreciate you deeply.
I was praying that this post would not get used out of the context of all the word of God. We need to have more mercy than we have muscle in terms of our relationships.
Thank you always for the words of wisdom. Found this site about a year ago and its refreshing. The teachings always help me reflect on my interactions with others. This one had good insight as we can calmly and firmly stand our ground with others, and still have peace in our hearts. The challenge is to see the issue or event not in our own emotions but thru eyes of understanding. Thank you again for each weekly post!! Its a blessing!
Thank you so much, your encouragement is a valuable blessing to me. I think teaching on how we treat each other is so important, as all the Word of God can be summed up to treat each other fairly and with kindness.
Once again these beautiful posts of yours seem to be exactly what I needed to hear to help me in my life.
Much gratitude.
I always look forward to your messages! This one resonates deep within me!
This one was good for me too, I can be so patient that some people walk all over me for years. But there comes a point where enough is enough.