Alone...

20 Minutes

This day we lay up treasure for ourselves in heaven, believing God's

promises and identifying with God's people despite the sure affliction that will

follow. God is faithful to His promises and what He promises His people;

salvation, life and inheritance...eternal and incorruptible. We seek a higher

excellence of worth, of a higher spiritual value than sacrifice, we seek the

higher consciousness of wisdom and obedience. The more we place God's

truth in our life, the more His Word works to make us more like Jesus. As we

“treasure” or make God's Word a priority in our life, His Word renews our

mind and keeps us.

Hebrews 10:32-34

It is in this time that God is preparing us for an exceptionally exclusively

uniquely superior individual piece of work to be undertaken. Our preparation

must be with obedience by faith for both the transforming and the conforming

of God’s process in this season of growth.

Romans 8:29; 12:2

True transformation is not something that we accomplish by anything that we

do. True transformation is solely a work of God brought about by Him

renewing our minds with truth. This renewal goes far beyond just merely

memorizing bible verses and bible knowledge. Bible study may increase our

knowledge of the word, but knowledge alone will not transform us. We must

have a wisdom-based spirituality into the likeness of Christ. Transformation

is an inner work of the Spirit, revealing the truth of who and what we already

are in Christ, resulting in the outflow of the fruit of His Spirit. Spiritual

transformation refers primarily to a fundamental change in the character of

the person seeking sacredness in the significance in life, and secondarily to

a fundamental change in the pathways the individual takes to overcome fear.

There is incredible power in a fear. It is always insidious, subtle. Fear is a

spiritual influence that has a mission to deceive you by blocking the belief of

God’s Word and promises from entering your mind. The spirit of fear opposes

faith and robs you of joy and peace. It enslaves you with tormenting thoughts

about...!! Fear comes from past experiences and false messages to deceive

you, hoping you will come into agreement with what is opposed to truth. If

you are operating in a spirit of fear, you have a fixed mindset that resists

restoration and renewing. A fixed mindset pushes back on Spirit-led

instructions to reason with what is revealed. Fear darkens our performing the

right for God. When you waver in a point of choice between opinion and truth

you will say not a word. You must allow the sword of God to cut to the heart

to reveal His truth. God has not given us a spirit of fear! You must allow the

Holy Spirit to wash over your mind, will, and emotions. Fear offers that

defining moment for you to resist the wiles. Ask God what is this moment

determined for. You will never rise above your fear until God becomes the

strength in your life. You must know that the Spirit of God is always at work

within you, restoring and renewing His Holy Temple—which is your

body. When we know this truth in our hearts, we will transform accordingly.

The Lamb was for the taking away of sins, the Lion is the conquering

resurrected. Transformation brings about the effortless expression of Christ

in us through the manifestation of the sacred character in this significant life

lived in the perfect will of God. God desires that we move beyond the

intellectual accumulation of truth to that which passes knowledge.

I Timothy 2:4

This is a first-hand experience through relationship. When we encounter

Christ through the Spirit and he grants us his truth, we will immediately,

spontaneously, and experientially know this truth with our heart and be

transformed by it. We’ve been in prayer. We’ve been listening to good

teaching. We’ve learned more through reasoning with God than ever we

thought we’d gain. God was growing our confidence. God has a unique

design for each of our lives. And because He is a God of mystery, our time

of preparation and our season of growth will be unlike that of anyone else.

We may need more godly teaching and scriptural revelation. We may need

to get in better physical shape. We may require spiritual growth and insight.

We may need to mature emotionally. Whatever it is we need to do, some of

it will be done with the help of others, but most of it will be done in private.

For some of us solitude will not be our favorite pastime. But remember whose

business it is that we do. We can rest in the knowledge that God is in control,

His timing is perfect, and He doesn’t make mistakes. He is preparing us to

handle valleys. When scripture after scripture begins ripping through your

soul, know in the depths of your heart that the Lord is preparing you for

something. Through you, God’s infinite power and worth will be made known

so that He gets all the praise. God’s most used tool is trial. We know that the

Triune minds of the Determinate Counsel have not announced a change in

strategy. We’ve reasoned to such a heavenly height of understanding until

we are wise to see the massive implications on our life because we desire to

be used by God for His glory. We are recipients of the wisdom,

understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord

confirmed by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 14:22

It is so critical that we do not have a downward spiral in our spiritual walk.

We will repeatedly face pressure to disregard our God-graced standards. To

stand alone in an evil day we must walk with God. Standing alone is

necessary because we will not bow down or give in or be persuaded to do

anything contrary to God's will. We do this by filling our life with truthfulness,

righteousness, peace and faith. The word of God is telling us that the world

is corrupt, filled with violence. The people view themselves as progressive;

but God views them as putrid.

Saturate yourself with the word of God every way you can. God will have

many to stand alone. Elijah felt like he stood totally alone when he confronted

the eight hundred and fifty priests and prophets of Baal. He was not aware

of the 7,000 who had not bowed their knee to Baal. What God asked Noah

to do was incredible. But no matter how difficult, how illogical, how costly,

you will need complete obedience to walk alone with God. If you find yourself

alone for the sake of righteousness, whatever you do, don't give up. God is

right there with you. In every generation, God is looking for Daniels, for

Esthers, men and women who are not careful to answer in truth, who

understand the truths of scripture and have purposed to uphold them, to obey

them, regardless of the cost. These have courage and confidence in

someone greater than the emotion of fear. When you choose to stand alone,

you can greatly influence others and bring glory to God. Even a child can

stand alone for truth, if he has this confidence in the Lord and His Word.

Daniel 1:3-6, 17

All those who will stand alone will not experience miraculous interventions.

You must count the cost when you choose to stand alone. When you choose

to obey God regardless of the cost, the suffering, the sacrifice can be very

great. We must turn to God for the grace and strength to face whatever may

come. But to stand alone, you must know the truth, you must know God’s

word. Reason is what we use to determine what God's revelation is. Once

God's revelation is found, it becomes the authority. Reason is the faculty of

the mind through which we can logically come to rational conclusions. Once

this occurs, parts which previously could not be reached by knowledge alone

can and should be accepted. God calls us to this place of isolation because

He has something to teach us there.

There are very important realities to be aware of in order to stand alone for

the truth, the word of God. You will be brought to transparency. You must be

divinely sanctioned. You will be in the consciousness of truth. There will be

no worse place, no worse time ever before known. Utmost brutality will be

the standard practice. Slaughter will be common, even for those who are

promised their lives if they surrender. Religious hatred will make things even

worse. Difficult times are before us. We will suffer financial loss, family loss,

and physical suffering. The anonymity and animosity of once thought friends

will be caused against us. Though right and reason will be on our side, unfair

representations will be constant.

I Samuel 17:29

God will have a people willing to stand alone for the sake of closing out the

time, for His salvation is close at hand and His righteousness will soon be

revealed. If not so,...righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither

wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Making the

choice to stand alone for God begins with your willingness and readiness to

adjust your current mindset. You must be prepared to respond to problems,

criticism, truth, exhaustion, excitement, expectations, disappointments,

hunger, poverty, love, laughter, accusations, manipulation, sorrow, sin,

tension, distrust, redemption, rejection, legalism, ritualism, religion,

hypocrisy, happiness, joy, and you will learn love and servitude. To do this

ask yourself today, am I in the best place to work out my own salvation? We

must be learning now to stand alone.

Galatians 6:4, 5

Here is the question you must ask of yourself when you see God’s principles

being violated. Am I not taking a stand because I need the approval of

others...because I fear being reprimanded...because I fear breaking

rank...because I am afraid to take a stand for what is right in God’s

eyes... Have you ever had the opportunity to take a stand for God’s word

and didn’t...preferring to be silent? Daniel could have closed the windows to

his chambers. Today may be the only opportunity to take a stand for God’s

truth; you may never have another chance. Let’s think of standing alone in

this manner...will we have to stand alone? Will the circumstances be such

that we have no choice but to stand alone or lose our salvation? There be

some who have already failed the test that God sent to them. If they would

only repent now and cry out to God. Please do not seek to be independent

because of a pride thing. Self-sufficient posture is not taking a stand for the

truth of God. Standing alone means that we fully represent God’s way,

especially when others fail to do so. From where does this strength and faith

come? From where does this courage and determination to stand alone

come? From a pure faith and trust in the plan of God. That God’s word will

be fulfilled...it is being worked out in us. It is an outstanding privilege for

God’s people to be able to fellowship in peace, unity and truth. However,

God calls upon each one of us in times of crises, in times when a turning

point for reasoning through truth must be taken, to stand up and be counted,

even if we must stand alone! It’s by God’s designed determination.

Sometimes opposition happens simply because there are unreasoning

people in life. Sometimes resistance from another is a sign that the enemy’s

toe has been stepped on. When your reasoning proves the truth of God use

this as confirmation that you’re on the path God set for you. You may get

weary because you have sincere concern for those who choose ignorance

but don’t quit, stand strong. Ask God to take care of those who oppose

learning. Many will not stand because of human nature. It is a survival instinct

to avoid conflict. Faith must be based on truth, not emotion. Be even more

intentional in your love for truth. Pray and post a guard at your heart that you

not be woven in silken threads. Standing alone will at times mean setting up

relational boundaries. Standing alone is better than changing who you are

so you can please others. Standing alone means you may see friends

become strangers. Watch your low walls, that no place of breaches be

exposed. Remember, we will have tribulation in this world. But faith does not

need support to stand alone. We stand by faith in God’s word, and it is

designed to be a stand-alone faith. Faith in God is faith in God’s word, not

faith in our faith. Our standing alone infers that our breath of prayer arises

from our life of faith. One word is enough to cause us to endure hardship,

stand in a storm, stay encouraged in a down time. It is God’s attention toward

us.

God is going to call for an accounting. If you fail to stand alone in obedience

to the word of wisdom no amount of knowledge, no amount of testimony, will

save you. It is as though you depart from the living God. Our righteousness

is to surpass that of the scribes. Please let us not struggle to be authentic in

our striving. Why pretend that there is an always happiness to the heart when

underneath there is great compunction and sorrow for the enormous amount

of pain that abounds everywhere in the world. We must be real in our love

for God, for others. We thank the Lord for the power that we have when we

stand together. But we are going to have to stand alone because we’re twice-

born people in a world of once-born people. You will experience a spiritual

pain when you stand alone for God. It is putting God first in everything and

that includes suffering for the sins against God for those who have no hope

of ever having a relationship with God or of pleasing Him. We will stand alone

for the consideration of bearing the infirmities of the weak, and not to please

ourselves, that these may be drawn to Christ. Our standing alone is for this

prevailing reason...for Christ’s sake and the disgust and contempt for sin!

We stand alone for God as the distinct transaction that has been completed

in Christ. Christ paid our debt. If Christ served in that dread warfare for me

as my substitute, how can it be that I should myself not be determined to the

edge of the sword. And if we stand alone in Christ, for Christ, payment for

God’s justice cannot be demanded of us; justice will not expect the same

debt to be twice paid. We stand victoriously in life or in death, not to take the

place of Christ, but because of Christ, we are acceptable to God. We stand

alone by grace alone in faith alone. Grace alone means that God loves,

forgives, and saves us not because of who we are or what we do, but

because of Christ. Faith alone is that given by God to us that will enable us

to stand alone, to suffer. The bible says we are to stand. We will have to

stand alone for those who resist the wisdom of God. What a stand alone

example was Stephen. This brother, speaking with wisdom and being full of

faith and the Holy Ghost saw Jesus standing. He couldn’t help but stand

before kneeling. Please reason with this truth...we want the Holy Spirit to do

more than abide in us, we want the Holy Spirit to preside in us. Stephen

reviewed bible history and it was not just in his knowledge, it was his wisdom

why the church people stoned him. Would there have been a Saul/Paul had

Stephen not stood alone? God has entrusted us with faculties that we may

not faint in the hour of temptation, of trial, nor be overcome in the time of

persecution. To stand alone is a revelation of your true spiritual condition.

Your standing alone will place you under much provocation. We are to

temper our speech and guard against the danger of misconstruction so as to

never show any weakness in the purpose of the word of God. The biblical

implication is that those who stand firm to the end despite incitements to do

otherwise, are showing that they are genuine children of God who by God’s

power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed

in the last time. These will be the ones who will stand alone...they are the

few.

Let us study the word of God reasoning with every word, every verse, to

glean the more relevant truths. We have to know what we believe and why

we believe, so that when the challenges come, we will stand firm in our faith.

We must be fully persuaded on every truth. The Sea of Galilee flows out into

the river Jordan bringing life to the arid desert. Eventually, the river reaches

its end as it flows into the Dead Sea, a place devoid of life. We can’t be

content to just go with the flow if our life is hid with Christ in God. How

important is the truth to us? To what height are we willing to stand alone to

defend it? We are to appeal to God in a very solemn matter as to the truth of

all that He has spoken. It ain’t over...we all will stand. What’s your account?

Romans 14:7-10