I'm Still Standing

We all go through difficulties, things we don’t understand. It’s easy to get discouraged. Being a Christian doesn’t exempt us from problems. The Bible says that rain falls on the just and the unjust. No matter how much you honor God and no matter how good of a person you are, you will have some rain in your life. Jesus tells a story of a man who built his house on a rock and one who built his house on the sand. The same storm came to both houses. The rain washed away the man’s house on the sand but the man who built his on the rock remained. Here is the difference. When you honor God the storms may come but you have a promise that others don’t have. When the storm is over you’ll be standing. When going through hard times you must remind yourself that this is not the end.“My house is built on the rock of Christ and He has the final say and He says when it’s all over I’ll be standing.”

You may get knocked down but you won’t get knocked out. You may go through a setback and have to endure some hardship but you’ll get through it. It’s just life. It rains on all of us. But the great news for believers is that we have God’s promise; if we will stay in faith when the smoke clears and the dust settles we will be the victor.

We can all look back and see things that could have defeated us... that divorce, that loss, that addiction, that bad break should have given you a nervous breakdown... it could have killed you but because of your praying friends you are still standing. That medical report said you were done but God’s report said it’s not over. Perhaps you lost someone close to you and believed your best days were behind you, but God lifted you out of the pit and put a new song in your heart. Here you are today... still standing. We’ve all got to go through some things in order to see the goodness of God. He uses the rain in our lives to restore us, heal us and promote us. When we remember what God has done in our past it gives us the strength and faith we need to get through our present storm. Then we don’t get so discouraged by every trial and fall apart because of a disappointment. You don’t get upset when people are talking about you because you know the same God who brought you through in the past will bring you through now and in the future.

Are you in a difficult time right now? You need to look back and remember what God has done for you. Remember how He made a way when you didn’t see a way. Remember how He has opened doors that no man could have opened. Remember how He put you at the right place at the right time. If He did it once He will do it again. When your house is built on the rock you have this promise. No matter what comes your way when the storm is over, when the opposition has ceased you can count on one thing... you will still be standing. You are God’s child. You have His DNA. The same power that raised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of you. You may be knocked down by the wind and waves of the storm but you will not stay down.

So often during Hurricanes you will see all kinds of trees be demolished by the heavy winds and rain. But there is one tree that God designed to withstand these mighty storms. Unlike other trees the palm tree is able to bend so it doesn’t break. There is a certain kind of palm that can bend over so far that it’s almost touching the ground. During a Hurricane it may stay that way for 5-6 hours. It looks like it’s over. The storm may not be able to break it like the oaks or the pine but it appears it will never be able to stand up straight again. The storm thinks it’s winning the battle but in a few hours when it’s ran out of strength, when the winds die back down, the palm tree stands right back up, just as straight and strong as it was before. Why is that? Because God put “bounce back” into the palm tree. It may get pushed over but it’s only temporary. It’s only a matter of time before it stands right back up.

Psalm 92 says the righteous will flourish like a palm tree. It didn’t say we flourish like an oak tree... big and strong with wide branches or like a pine tree, tall and impressive. The reason God said we would flourish like a palm tree is that He knew we would face difficulties. He knew we would face things in life that would try and push us down and keep us from our destinies. So God said I’m gonna make you like a palm tree... put bounce back on the inside of you. You may go through a season in which the winds are blowing; a season of loss, rejection, disappointment, heartache, illness. Don’t get discouraged, it’s only temporary. At some point those winds will stop blowing and that bounce back that God put in you will cause you to stand right back up to where you were before. Don’t believe the lies of the enemy... you’ll never get well, you’ll never overcome that addiction, you’ll never get out of debt. Your house is built upon the rock. You may be a little bent over now, have some problems, but be encouraged knowing that the storm will pass and you will stand right back up.

It’s very interesting to know that when the palm tree is bent over by the hurricane you would think that it is damaging the tree, making it weaker but research has shown us that it’s just the opposite. When the tree is being pushed and stretched by the strong winds it is strengthening its root system and giving it opportunities for new growth. After the storm when the palm tree stands back up it’s stronger than it was before.

When you get through that storm, when you straighten back up you’re not going to be the same. You’re going to be stronger, healthier, wiser, better off, ready for new growth. God never brings you out the same. He makes the enemy pay for bringing you trouble. What is meant for your harm God will use to your advantage. That difficulty is not going to defeat you, it’s going to promote you. It’s not going to break you, it’s going to strengthen you. You will be standing stronger than ever! Over the past 10 years Kent & I have been through many storms, storms that looked like they had defeated us. Each time the winds would blow and the waves would crash we looked like we were done. It looked like the dream was dead... that God’s promises would not be manifested. But our house was built on the rock and we are still standing. No matter how hard the winds blow they cannot uproot you, topple you or break you. Sickness, lack or loss does not determine your destiny. God does.

He has the last say. He says no weapon formed against you shall prosper. Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers us out of them all. A good man may fall seven times but the Lord will raise him up. You must get in agreement with God. Don’t have a weak, defeated mentality. “Why did this happen to me” you ask. Because you’re alive. Rain happens to us all. The good news is this. Because you are righteous in Christ you have something on the inside of you that the unrighteous do not have. Like the palm tree there is bounce back in your spirit. No matter how hard those winds blow they cannot defeat you. Sickness may have you down for a little while but if you’ll stay in faith you’ll bounce right back up. The storm was sent to break you but instead it strengthened and promoted you.

God pays you back for the unfair things that have happened in your life.

When your house is built on the rock it doesn’t prevent difficulties, you will have some storms, you may have some bad breaks but because of the bounce back in your spirit when it’s all over you’ll still be standing. Not the same but better, increased, promoted. When the enemy comes in like a flood, when you feel overwhelmed...you got a negative medical report, your spouse betrayed you, you lost your job... what does God do? When the enemy comes in like a flood God raises up a barrier. That sickness, that bad break gets God’s attention. He doesn’t sit back. He goes to work. Just like you do as a parent. When someone messes with our children we rise up to protect. God does the same. We are HIS children. He is the all powerful One who created the universe. You must realize that when you go through tough times you are not alone. He is fighting for you. The most high God has your back. Get your fire back. Stop going through life focused on what went wrong. Shake off the weak defeated mentality and have a warrior mentality.

A warrior doesn’t complain about opposition. A warrior likes a good fight. David suffered a major setback. (1 Samuel 30) While he and his men were protecting the borders of Israel these bandits came in and attacked their home city of Ziklag, burnt down their houses and stole their possessions, kidnapped their wives and children. When his 600 men returned home and saw the smoke billowing in the distance and realized it was their home city the scripture says they wept until they could not weep any more. It was the worst day of their lives. It looked like it was over, they were done.

They would have stayed that way had it not been for Daniel. He did what we all must do if we’re going to see the bounce back. He started encouraging himself, reminding himself of who he was and whose he was. He told his men to get up and dry their tears. We’re going to go get what belongs to us! They went out and not only defeated the enemy they got their wives and children back, their possessions back... they got it ALL back. David’s greatest defeat turned into his greatest victory!

We all face unfair situations but if you’ll have this warrior mentality and go after what belongs to you the enemy won’t have the last laugh. You will. He may hit you with his best shot but it won’t be enough. The forces that are for you are far greater than those that are against you. Like David you may be down right now but because your house is built on the rock there is bounce back in your spirit. When it’s all said and done you will still be standing.

You can let that sickness, that disappointment, that bad break crush you and die under the weight of it or you can have this warrior mentality. God has armed you with strength for every battle. The more difficult the battle the more strength you’ll have. Your strength will always match what you’re up against. When we push and stretch ourselves we realize strength we never knew we had.

When we do what we can do God helps us do what we cannot do.You are not weak. You are not defeated. You have resurrection power on the inside of you. Those winds may be blowing but like that palm tree you will not stay down. You are bouncing back from sickness, bouncing back from loss, bouncing back from loss and bad breaks. Those winds don’t have the final say. God does. When your house is built on the rock no matter what comes against you you will not be the victim you will be the victor! You will still be standing!!!