Has someone ever pushed you too far? The stakes are high. Your convictions are strong. And you’re faced with a decision to either hold your ground or walk away.
Words get said, emotions are triggered, tempers flare, hurtful behaviors follow, and all of sudden you become the kind of person you never intended to be.
Some battles are a huge waste of time and energy. But others may well be worth the fight and the sacrifice.
Knowing the difference between which battles to fight, or not fight, is key to learning how to NOT be a pushover and still be a Christ-follower.
No one wants to make themselves vulnerable to attack, but you can’t always avoid those moments in life when your godly convictions may offend someone.
In fact, you may even find a divine courage rising within you when your convictions are being challenged—a moment when you realize you need to take your stand, hold your ground, and not be moved.
When that kind of moment comes you can’t help but feel your heart rate going up, and your adrenaline starting to rush. You become more aware of your surroundings and start positioning your physical body accordingly to gain every conceivable advantage.
In your mind, failure is not an option. You’ve got to take your stand. You cannot lose this ground. You will not be moved. AND you’ve got to do this in a Christ-honoring way!
But HOW?
If you have to fight, keep the Lord close to you and always before you.
Learn how to walk and stay in step with Him. Be more alert and understand those moments when He needs you to walk in front of Him, behind Him, on His right, or on His left.
Where you take your stand in relationship to God will directly impact whether you will be moved or not—whether you will be a pushover or not.
Think about it like this:
Most professional sports teams are comprised of players in specific roles with positions they play for numerous scenarios in order to gain an advantage over their opponents.
During play, adjustments are often made without even talking because teammates are actively reading the situation and understanding what they need to do by the way each teammate is positioned on the field and in relationship to each other.
When King David wrote Psalms 16, he shared from a context of how soldiers take up positions around their king. To get a picture of what this might look like, think of a fully armed warrior carrying his weapon in his right hand and his shield in his left hand.
A soldier positioned to the right of the king would have the privilege of defending him with his shield. Understand, for the king to choose someone to occupy that position in his bodyguard would be an affirmation of trust, and therefore an honor.[1]
In contrast, . . .
When the Lord takes His stand at someone’s right hand, He is now in a position to defend them with His shield.
King David celebrates this truth with praise in Psalm 109!
“With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord; I will praise Him in the midst of the throng. For He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save them from those who would condemn them to death.”
Psalms 109:30-31 NRSV
Where you take your stand in relationship to the Lord is critical to whether you’ll be a pushover or not be moved. You need to be aware of where you’re at and where the Lord is at.
Knowing where the Lord has taken up a position in your life or in the middle of a conflict, will help you have a better idea of what He’s trying to do and how you can best help the situation.
Here’s a SIMPLE TIP:
Keep the Lord always before you. Stand ready to defend Him. Let it be your privilege and honor.
When you do this, you’ll experience greater peace, decrease your vulnerability against attack, and stand with greater confidence that you will not be moved. You won’t be easily pushed over because you’ll be standing your ground in a Christ-honoring way!
“I keep the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”
Psalms 16:8 NRSV
If you’re not sure where you stand with God, you can be sure by receiving Christ today!
[1] Walton, John H, et al. NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture. Zondervan, 2019.
Article Postscript:
If you feel led, encourage someone else by sharing this article, or perhaps another article that was an encouragement to you. This one action could be a real game-changer in their life. With God, all things are possible!!