WHERE YOU STAND DETERMINES WHAT YOU SEE!
Intro: One day, six blind men decided to go to the zoo. They hired a guide to tell them about all the exotic animals they couldn’t see. When they came to the elephants, the zoo keeper wanted them to have more than a verbal description, so he allowed them each to feel the elephant.
Since the elephant was large, and since the zoo keeper had limited time, he let each man touch one part of the giant mammal.
The first blind man reached out and his hand grabbed the elephant’s tail. “Aha,” he exclaimed, “the elephant is like a big rope.”
The next man felt a massive elephant leg. He looked strange, no rope was that big. “No, the elephant is like a large log or tree.” He was sure of this.
The third blind man walked forward and ran straight into the elephant’s side, whereupon he pronounced that, “The elephant is really a big wall.”
Next, another of the blind men reached out and took hold of one of the elephant’s ears. It must have tickled, because the elephant wiggled the large ear, causing the fourth man to exclaim, “Oh, see this, the elephant is like a big fan.”
The fifth blind man decided that the first four were all slightly daft and they couldn’t be describing the same creature, so he carefully walked up and put out his hand, the elephant raised his trunk to the man who felt it and grinned in wonder. “My friends, it is obvious the elephant is like a huge snake.”
The final man was totally confused, he walked forward and reached out, hoping to find the truth, and encountered a tusk. He paused and brightened, “I understand, the true nature of the elephant is this, he is a sword.”
The zoo keeper and guide smiled at one another, knowing that none had seen the big, elephantine, picture.
Sometimes we don’t see the whole picture – we just see parts of it – We see our situation from the wrong vantage point.
WHERE YOU STAND DETERMINES WHAT YOU SEE!
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints Ephesians 1:18 (niv)
Ephesians is has a two part theme:
1. Who we are in Christ Chapters 1-3 – DOCTRINAL chapters
2. How we should live Chapters 4-6 – PRACTICAL chapters
‘Who are you, Lord?’ … “‘What do you want me to do, Lord?’ I asked Acts 22::8-10
The Threefold postures of the Christ life
1. Our Status – SIT
God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus Ephesians 2:6
2. Our Service – WALK
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light Ephesians 5:8
3. Our Strategy – STAND
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13
The Greek verb to “STAND” means to “HOLD YOUR GROUND”
We don’t fight FOR victory …..we fight FROM victory
“They overcame the devil by the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony.“Rev – 12:11
SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO TAKE A STAND!
Yes you have to stand for something or you will fall for anything
1. STAND UP – Nehemiah. 9:5
“Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting.”
The first priority in a spiritual battle is to stand up and praise the lord.
Why ? Because it announces to everyone that you are on God’s side and God is on your side.
Romans 12:1,2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
DON’T CONFORM IN THE BATTLE
3. STAND IN –
1 Corinthians. 2:5 your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers Psalm 1:1
Luke 1:19 The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.
4. STAND STILL –
Exodus. 14:13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”
Numbers 9:8 – stand still and see what the Lord says.
Romans 14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
” ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.’ “12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
stevelummer.com 