The events of last year (2020) and this year (2021) were unprecedented. While there is some semblance of economic recovery, the world is still on edge. Millions of people have lost loved ones. Marriages are in crisis mode. Jobs losses are prevalent. And many countries are still in socio-economic crisis. Some countries may never recover. People and governments may try to recover but the world has changed. Even those that are marginally affected are not left out. As more people see their friends struggle, and businesses succumb to the effects of Government lock-downs they become uncertain of even their own future. Dailly more are anxious as fear is mass produced by mainstream media.
As Christians we have a different testimony. We belong to a Kingdom that plays by different set of rules. We may be challenged by the circumstances, hemmed in by the gloomy forecasts and experiencing pain like every other person. Yet we are called to be strong in the Lord. Why? Because God knew challenges will come (we live in a fallen world) and gave us a template to follow and overcome. So that though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil or its effects. Because he is with us.
To be strong in the Lord is not a fad, an experience, or religious euphemism for “stay safe”. It is Kingdom citizens taking specific actions in the face of adversity. It is citizens taking preventive and counter actions and overcome. Not bulking at the arrows, stratagems or wiles of the devil or his kids. While the tools are available, there usage is optional. Success in Christ is not compulsory as salvation in Christ is not. It’s a choice!
More than ever before the King requires citizens that will stand out. Stand out in love, grace, power, courage, beauty, health, resourcefulness, innovation, and charity. Citizens that will say “there is a lifting up while men say there is a casting down”. Citizens that will be a burning and shining light as the world grows deem with fear.
How this is done depends on everyone’s willingness to submit to the word and the power of God’s might. Whether you’re starting or are already a seasoned faith practitioner, God is more willing to help you fulfil your destiny than you can ever be. So, fight the good fight of faith as you remain strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.
How to remain strong in the Lord is not complicated. The bible instructs us to PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD (Ephesians 6:10-18), so that we can be always strong especially in the face of adversity. It is because if we do not stand strong in the power of his might we will falter, vacillate, and fail. It is because our fight is not physical (though has physical aspects), and our weapons are not physical either (though has physical aspects). So, we do not stand strong in our own strength, intellect, capacity, and social status, as important as they all are. We stand in God’s strength.
Note that we are the ones to put on the amour and not God. So, praying or hoping that God will put the armour on us is futile. Also, we are to put on the whole armour and not part of the armour. The spiritual armour and weapons are already available to us. We do not have to create our own armour or weapon. But how do we put on a spiritual armour and fight with spiritual weapons?
Firstly, you must store the ACCURATE Word of God in your heart, meditate on it and act on it. The accurate word of word of God builds faith in God and not the adversary. The word of God is powerful (Hebrews 4:12). Understand that just as faith comes by hearing and hearing the word of God, fear comes by hearing and hearing the word of men, news, economy, feelings, and everything else that does not align with God’s word. Should you ignore these things? No! But instead of focusing on the news that there is another variant of a disease, you focus on the God who said, “by my stripes you are healed”. Instead of letting your feelings decide how you live your life, you focus your mind on the world of God and let it decide how you live.
It boils down to knowing the word of God, focusing on the word, and doing it. We make war against circumstances, situations and evil with the word of God, which is the sword of the spirit. Speak, proclaim, and profess the word of God by faith over your life, family, business, and world (sphere of contact). I know some people call this name-it-and-claim-it “prosperity gospel” (this topic will be addressed in another article), and they are wrong. It is noteworthy that if our salvation came through our belief in Jesus and our confession of his lordship, then it’s a principle we cannot ignore (Romans 10:9-10).
The other effortless and critical steps are:
Protect yourself with Truth: The word of God is truth. Jesus is truth, spoke the truth and is the absolute personification of truth. Literarily, truth walked on earth more than 2,000 years ago and is now in heaven. Anything that stands against this is a lie. Facts are different from truth. Truth is eternal and not subject to change. Facts are temporal and subject to change. Living a lie is one of the sad things we see happen to people. It is tantamount to building a skyscraper on straws. The world is constantly sold lies by the devil and those he inspires. The lies look good and sound reasonable but are not based on the truth of God’s word. You must guard against this less you buy the lie and build on it. So, when they say for example, “if you loss this job, you are not going to survive”, you say “I will thrive because my source is God and not this job”. Believe it and act on it.
Protect your core with the breastplate of righteousness: Righteousness is the nature of God. It is the rightness of God. It is that essence or quality of God gifted to all Christians (Romans 5:17) that enable us to stand in the presence of God without a sense of guilt or inferiority. It’s a free gift. No one can be righteous through works, but we must live it out to maintain it. Let me explain. The day you got born again you received God’s righteousness and can never be more righteous today or tomorrow than that day. But having received God’s righteousness you have to practice it otherwise you will not be living true to yourself. Living out God’s righteousness in love and humility protects you against the perversion in the world and its debilitating effects. Christians that express God’s righteousness in thoughts, actions and words do not suffer like the rest of the world except for persecution (mature Christians look forward to this badge of honour anyway).
Teach the gospel: All Christians are called to teach the gospel to their friends, family, neighbours, and their world of contact with respect and love. It’s a command given to us by the King. In doing this, you help spread the good news that God so love the world of men and sent his son to reconcile them to himself that all who accept this call of love will not perish but instead receive eternal life – a life that guarantees fearlessness, agelessness, deadlessness, wantlessness. In crisis ridden world, people need to know God has not abandoned them and surely has a plan for their life, but we must demonstrate it with our lives and also say it. When you teach the gospel, you demonstrate your true calling as a bona fide ambassador of Christ. Note that though all American citizens enjoy the benefits of citizens abroad only the ambassadors of America experience American laws, privileges, and power in a foreign land. In Christianity we are all ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) to the world, but if you do not act as one, you may not experience Kingdom privileges and power in the world. Observe true soul winners, there testimonies are always different and better. Why? They are involved in God’s number one passion.
How to remain strong in the Lord in spite of circumstances (Part2)
Book Recommendation
Image Credit: Ember Navarro on Unsplash
