3 Things to Do While You’re Standing Firm in Faith
The promises of God belong to you. Every minute of every day, as a child of God, you’re entitled to believe for them and to take possession of them. Maybe you know this, and with great joy, you move forward to take possession—only to find the enemy’s fiery darts flying toward you at every turn. You have your helmet of salvation on, as well as your belt of truth, your breastplate of righteousness, and your shoes of peace. You’re holding your shield of faith in one hand and your sword of the Spirit in the other. You’re armed and ready.
Then, the battle begins. You fight for days, weeks and even years, and the missiles keep coming. You fight until it feels like there’s nothing left. Your helmet has fallen to the side, your breastplate is barely hanging on, and you feel like there’s nothing else you can possibly do to win this battle. What do you do? God sums it up in two words, “Stand firm” (Ephesians 6:14, NIV).
You think to yourself, Am I supposed to just stand here? Well, let’s see what standing firm looks like. To standmeans “to not move” or “to maintain an upright position.” Even so, this instruction from God to stand firm is not a passive position but rather an active one. He didn’t say, “Do nothing.” He said, “Stand firm.”
God isn’t telling you to be idle. Actually, as you’re standing firm in faith, that’s the time your faith is the most active because it’s the place where you let God take over. It’s the place when your human strength ends, and the power of God excels.
Here are three things to do while you’re standing firm in faith, so you can experience the victory God has promised.
1. Stand Firm in Faith by Praising
When you’ve done all, and you’re standing firm in your faith, there is one thing you can do that will renew your strength and activate power in your life—praise. You see, praise isn’t the caboose that follows what happens—it’s the engine that gets you there. Praise will turn your situation around. That’s why Kenneth Copeland says, “Praise is the big gun of faith.”
Remember when Paul and Silas were locked up in the bowels of a prison? Things looked pretty grim. Most people would be begging and pleading with God to get them out, or considering all the ways they had served Him and wondering how they could possibly deserve what was happening.
Instead, Paul and Silas “were praying and singing hymns to God” (Acts 16:25, NIV). The result? “All the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose” (verse 26). All the doors flew open. Every chain came loose—All because of praise and thanksgiving to God.
Kenneth Hagin once shared a testimony of a missionary who had contracted smallpox before there was a vaccine. When she prayed, the Lord gave her a vision of an old-fashioned balance scale. One side was labelled “Prayer,” which was stacked up high, while the other was labelled “Praise” and had only a small stack. The scale was out of balance.
The Lord spoke to her and said, “When your praises equal your prayers, you will be healed.” She spent two days doing nothing but praising God. She didn’t ask for anything—she simply praised Him. At the end of those two days, she was completely healed. That’s the power of praise!
Don’t wait to offer praise to God until you’ve claimed the victory, but praise Him while you’re standing firm in faith for the victory. Praise Him for who He is and what He’s done in your life. Praise Him that you’re saved, delivered, healed and headed for heaven. Praise Him as your Creator, Restorer, Friend, Counsellor, Comforter and Strong Tower. He is worthy of all our praise! Then, watch as your strength is renewed as you stand in faith.
2. Stand Firm in Faith by Praying for Others
When you’re standing in faith for a promise of God for yourself—whether it be healing, finances or a family situation—it’s easy to focus on nothing but your own situation. However, when you’ve done all, and are standing firm in faith, it is a perfect time to turn your heart toward others.
In fact, there are many testimonies of people in need of a miracle who prayed for a miracle for someone else, only to turn and find that they received what they were standing in faith to receive. That’s why James 5:16 says that, as Christians, we should “pray for each other” so that we may be healed.
Intercession is the highest expression of love. When you’re praying for others, you’re loving them. Walking in love keeps you in alignment with God’s Word and in position to receive a miracle.
3. Stand Firm in Faith by Being Patient
Have you ever seen a quitter win? No one has. Every victory in the Bible had a time between the promise and the victory. Some were very long periods of time with natural evidence that contradicted the promise all along the way. What’s the common thread in every Bible victory? They all knew the secret: Patience takes faith to the finish line.
Kenneth Copeland says, “Patience undergirds faith and gives it endurance to persevere until the answer comes.” That’s why Hebrews 10:36 says you need patience to receive the promise.
That’s why almost everywhere you find faith mentioned in the Bible, you also find patience. Faith and patience are the power twins. Together, they will produce every time. But you’re going to have to press through while you’re standing firm in faith.
Pressing through to the end—that’s going to take Bible patience, which is different than the world’s kind of patience. To the world, patience is just “dealing with something” or “grinning and bearing it.” Bible patience, however, will go after something as long as it takes.
Patience will guard you from your own feelings and from watching the clock. Let patience have her perfect work.
When you put into action these three things to do while you’re standing firm in faith—by praising God, praying for others and activating Bible patience—you will be in an active stance of victory. Keep standing firm in faith, fully dressed in the armour of God, and before you know it, your victory will be in your hands!
Watch Gloria Copeland and Pastor George Pearsons as they teach you how to stand for your miracle.