Standing Alone

Do you ever feel like you are standing for the Lord by yourself?  Are there any convictions that you have that you see very few, if anyone else, convicted of?  I have convictions that it doesn’t seem like anyone else has.  I have what I call a righteous anger over some things that are going on in the church that seem to be no big deal to most people.  Most of the time I feel like I am fighting this battle alone.  

One of my convictions has been many people’s convictions at one time but they seem to have conformed since then and no longer care about it or do it.  I talked to a pastor about it one time and he admitted that he had the same conviction, or did the same thing, at one time and wished he still did it but he doesn’t anymore.  This conviction I have had for about 30 years and I am still doing it but I don’t know of even one person that has this same conviction, or, if they do they are not doing it.  Most people would say it is just legalism; it is weird how easy we can think of excuses for not wanting to do something we just don’t want to do.  I think in a believer’s life they will at times feel like they are fighting and standing alone in the battle called Christianity.  

I think of Martin Luther when he took a stand against the Catholic Church and started, with a few others, the reformation.  Luther wrote the 95 thesis and put them on the door of the Catholic Church which caused him to be excommunicated.  If he wasn’t hidden he may have been martyred for what he did.  If he didn’t take a stand there may not be any Protestant Churches today.  I have heard it said, “If you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.”  

It seems like so many believers find it easier to conform than get involved in religious or different controversial subjects and besides they don’t want to take a stand because they might offend someone.  If we don’t stand up and fight for what we believe in we will lose our religious freedoms, which is already happening and will continue if we just sit idly by and do nothing.  Sometimes it is very hard to stand for truth, or your convictions, and it could cost you something but remember the Lord is always pleased when He sees His children standing for the right things and He will bless you.  Many times over the years I have thought I was standing alone over what I believed was the truth, feeling like maybe there was something wrong with my theology, but it seemed that the Lord would give me reaffirming evidence on certain things showing that I was on the right track.  But it is inevitable that we will have to take a stand for something even if we feel we are standing alone.  

I started this lesson thinking about Elijah the Prophet when he stood alone on Mount Carmel during the showdown with the prophets of Baal.  There were 450 of them and Elijah, plus 400 prophets of Asherah that ate at Jezebel’s table.  Here was a man of God that was willing to stand alone for God.  I should remind everyone that reads this that we are never all alone if we are believers even if we feel that we are, the Lord is always with us, He will never leave us or forsake us, praise the Lord!  When it was all over and Jezebel threatened to have him killed, Elijah ran for his life but God sent an angel to meet his needs and strengthen him for the journey.  Then when it was all said and done God took Elijah home in a fiery chariot.  If you would like to read about this whole account, you can find it in 1 Kings chapters 18 and 19.

So when you feel you are standing alone in this battle you are not, the Lord is with you, so don’t despair and never give up.  Stand your ground and you will be rewarded if what you are standing for is the right thing, it may cost you dearly but in the end it will be worth it all.  God bless you and have a great day!!