Stand! Saints, stand!

Greetings to all the faithful in the Lord! I hope you all and your souls are well, despite this season of upheaval. Do not let your hearts be troubled, though, for anything. Believe only because He has overcome the world. Our adversary is defeated. Therefore, we should not be undone when we see him causing dissention, tumult, and rebellion. Always remember that, at best, the enemy walks around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, but he cannot overcome the saints! The Spirit speaks now. For Isaiah says, when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Holy Spirit will lift up a standard against him:

“Justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off; for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. So truth fails, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice. He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him; and His own righteousness, it sustained Him. For He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds, accordingly He will repay, fury to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies; the coastlands He will fully repay. So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. “The Redeemer will come to Zion, and to those who turn from transgression in Jacob,” says the Lord.” (Isaiah 59:14-20 NKJV)

When we read verse nineteen in context, we see that Adonai Tzva’ot, the LORD of hosts, is supreme. The Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against the enemy, and that standard is the name of Yeshua, the name above every name. The enemy flees at that name. Victory to the saints!

So, if justice is turned back and righteousness seems far away and truth is fallen and equity cannot enter in and the enemy seems poised for victory, then be still and know that He is I AM. For, He will put on righteousness as a breastplate and a helmet of salvation on His head and fully repay His adversary. The LORD’s name means salvation! He alone is God, and beside Him there is no other.

Let us also be encouraged because it is written: the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. Amen!

“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:13-18 NKJV)

Now, when we read Matthew 16:18 in context, we know the church will stand. The Spirit will turn back all those who oppose the body of Christ. Amen. Therefore, let us stand boldly, yet humbly, in the measure of His grace. Let us imitate the Lord and take up the whole armor of God:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10-13 NKJV)

This day is evil; therefore, stand, saints, stand! Never fearful, yet in no way boastful of ourselves. (If we glory, let us glory in the LORD, our redeemer.) Stand, saints, in truth, knowing Adonai Tzva’ot fights for you. Stand, saints, with the breastplate of righteousness, believing in the name of the Lord! Stand, saints, having your feet shod with the gospel of peace. Stand, saints, with the shield of faith, wherewith you quench and extinguish all the fiery darts of the wicked – every evil deed is come to naught. Stand, saints, with the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, proceeding from your mouths. For we know the word of God is power. Amen! As it is written, “See, the Word of God is alive! It is at work and is sharper than any double-edged sword — it cuts right through to where soul meets spirit and joints meet marrow, and it is quick to judge the inner reflections and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12 CJB)

Finally, we overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb and word of our testimony, and we love not our lives unto death: “They defeated him because of the Lamb’s blood and because of the message of their witness. Even when facing death they did not cling to life.” (Revelation 12:11 CJB) This is our forever.

Come Lord! Amen.