Spotlight 15/2016: Standing firm on a solid foundation
Those who stand firm will not be thrown off balance easily. District Apostle Bernd Koberstein from Germany talks about an essential skill that will help us gain victory with Christ.
Victory with Christ—of course that is what we want! But how do we get there? We have to be clear about one thing: on our own we will not be able to do it. The victor is Jesus Christ and He alone, but He will give us a share in His victory. But even so we have to do our part in order to participate in Christ’s victory. But even for this He gives us everything we need. Scripture offers an abundance of references and tools here. One of these is the armour of God. But before Ephesians equips us with a belt, breastplate, and shoes, we learn something that is far more important than any armour could ever be. Ephesians 6: 14 tells us that we need to stand fast.
Sure, what good is the best equipment if we are not able to keep our ground and are defeated? How we can train stability and a strong core is something we can observe in athletes. I noticed the following: both legs are firmly planted on the ground and are spread apart for good stability and balance.
The firm foundation on which we build is Jesus Christ. Let us rest on this with both legs: with heart and mind, with word and deed. Standing fast means that we are firmly anchored in our faith and in our congregation. Like a tree in the ground: not only with a few big roots, but also with many the small and very small roots.
And finally, have we established the right balance and the right priorities? Or we do quickly lose our balance? Those who tend to nod toward extremes either in the one or other direction will easily lose their balance. So finding and taking a firm stand is a very active process. We have to keep our souls in motion, like an athlete his muscles!
Once we have established the right balance, disappointments will not be able to shake our faith. Then we can wait like Elisha did at Mount Horeb to experience the nearness of God. Not even painful struggles will be able to wrestle us down then, but we can say as Jacob did: “I will not let You go unless You bless me!”
Let us firmly trust in God. The promise given to the people of Israel will then also be fulfilled upon us: “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today.” Because “the Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (Exodus 14: 13–14). This underlines the fact that also applies in gaining the victory with Christ: The Lord is everything!
Photo: Jessica Krämer