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Standing Firm

Standing Firm
Words of Faith 11-21-16
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2016
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
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John 9
[18] The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. [19] "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"
[20] "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. [21] But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." [22] His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. [23] That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."

The man born blind presented quite a problem for those who opposed Jesus. He was well known and had probably been seen in the same place begging for a number of years. Now he was walking around clear-eyed and would be giving testimony to the healing power of Jesus.
The easiest way around this was to build a case of mistaken identity. If the opponents of Jesus could undermine this whole story then it would not have much power. If they could intimidate his parents into saying they were not sure if the man walking around was their son, then this incident could be set aside. But getting these parents to deny the happiest day in their lives would be tough!
The opponents of Jesus were working hard to undermine that very testimony. The questions cast to the parents would have sounded familiar to us: “Perhaps you are mistaken.” “Maybe it didn’t happen quite the way that you thought.” “Are you really sure that this man is your son? Perhaps he just looks like your son. You may go home and find your blind son was at home all the time.” “Maybe it didn’t happen at all.” This is the voice of the enemy, which tries to steal away our testimony to the truth of Christ.
Such questions are a powerful corrosive. The parents were already a bit shaky. They likely feared that after years of faithful worship they might be put out their synagogue if they said the wrong thing. So they referred the question to the only one who could truly give an answer: their son.
There is a powerful truth here. Whenever God works in our lives there will be an immediate effort by the enemy to cast doubt, raise questions and undermine our faith. The corrosive questions of the enemy will often come in like a flood to attempt to blur our memory of what God has done. This is why many recommend writing in a journal as way to remind us later of the fresh impression of what has done in our lives.
Has God done something special in your life? Perhaps it was the experience of your personal salvation. Very little can be so glorious. Maybe you were delivered from a sin that had its claws deep in you. Or perhaps you were healed in an emotional, physical or spiritual way. Maybe God provided miraculously for you at a time in your life. Perhaps God vividly called you to a specific ministry.
If any of these are your experience, you are probably familiar with the flood of doubt that can come and the questions that are raised by the enemy. You may have found yourself a little embarrassed when saying that the Lord has worked in your life.
What is the answer? Deuteronomy 31:6 says “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." In many places, the scripture exhorts us to “stand firm”. Don’t back down. Don’t back away. Stand firm.
Write down your experience with God as clearly and concisely as you can and then refer back to it. Freely you have received, freely give testimony of His wondrous acts.

Lord, forgive me for allowing the questions of the enemy to undermine my faith. Make firm the things You have done in my life and the testimony You have entrusted to me. Give me faith to stand firm. Give me confidence to walk in the truth. In Jesus’ name.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2002, 2016
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.