Christian Living

Rise Up

by Thomas Kirkpatrick
09/10/21
Free to Share
Author requests article critique

  Message Writer
  Hire Writer

Tweet

“So the LORD said to Joshua, “Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face?” (Joshua 7:10)

The Israelite people had suffered a defeat in their attack on the town of AI. After the fall of Jericho, the Israelite people were confident in their abilities. They failed to remember that the Captain of the Lord’s Host fought the battle for them. As the Israelites marched around the city walls, they crumbled down. (Joshua 5-6) The people were told not to take for spoils the precious metals, as they were the Lord’s for the building of the Temple. Yet, when they went to AI, they were defeated and suffered casualties. What Joshua didn’t know was Achan had taken some of the precious metals for himself.

Joshua tore his clothes, put dust on his head, and fell down before the Ark of the Lord to pray. He questioned God why He allowed this defeat. Why did God lead them into the Promised Land to die? God answered Joshua and told him to Rise Up. Joshua was in a state of humility, and God told him to stand up. He was standing up from a position of humility of a call to be bold and courageous. I think the Lord doesn’t want to hear us whining with complaints when we do not get things the way we want. If one is defeated, then there is a reason for it. If we are not getting our way, then there is a reason for it. God wants us to rise up and find the cause of why our approach didn’t work and why we were defeated.

There were two problems for Joshua. One a lack of counsel and the other not knowing of the sin of his people. Joshua took the advice of his military leaders and not Gods. Joshua was not aware of the theft of Achan, taking some of the precious metals set aside for God. Rise up, Joshua, and learn for yourself why you suffered defeat.

We are as guilty, moving forward with what we think is right without seeking the counsel of the Lord. We are always planning what we think we should do, which is a proper thing to do. Before taking action, we should consult with God, our Master, for His advice. (Proverbs 3:5-6) We also live in danger of becoming complacent about the sin in our lives. Paul tells us we are to examine ourselves. As we fall short of God’s glory, there is sin in our lives daily. “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Corinthians 13:5) Because of the evilness of sin, it is a barrier between our Lord and us.

When we find sin around is, or in our lives, we must take action, rise up, and effect a change. If there is sin in our life, then we must confess it to the Lord. Our sins are foremost against God and His Word. “Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.” (Psalm 51:4) When the sins of others affect our lives, which they do, it is not our place to judge or become self-righteous and condemn them. We are not God. We are His ambassadors from His Kingdom here in this world. We cannot be complacent towards them or shun them but become ministers of the gospel of Jesus by our words and deeds. We are the light of God’s truth in the darkness of this world. “Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” (1 Peter 3:15)

The Christian is a spiritual being led by the Spirit of God to accomplish the mission He has set before us. The Good Work we were created to do, which has been prepared for us before the beginning. We walk this path in the vessel of our body in the power of the Holy Spirit. Our walk is not a walk in a peaceful park where everything is as a fairytale. We walk in the world as an alien from another Kingdom, as we are. The worldly may accept us and may even want to follow. But most will reject us because we are foreign to their usual way. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.” (2 Corinthians 4:7-10)

It may sound as we are asking to be persecuted, we are not, as we are living in the righteousness of our Lord and Savior for the glory of the Heavenly Father. Trials and tribulations abound for everyone in this world. It is a stressful moment in time for most, but for us, it should be a time of joy. It will be a bitter and sorrowful end for the many, and for us, it is a marvelous destination of love, purpose, and peace of spirit. Assured hope in the Lord Jesus’ promises that we cannot help but have a continuous joy. “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-3)

We are talking about the right attitude. When bad things happen, we may react with anger, question, and disappointment. We may be angry at God, wondering why He let this happen to us. Angry questions will not bring us a solution. We may be disappointed, as a miracle didn’t resolve our trial. We did not ask for a miracle, did we? We are to control our attitude by knowing the overall tapestry of our life will work for our good. (Romans 8:28) Then we can consider it all joy, as our joy is in the Lord. What we are doing is not looking at the now only, but looking through to the ultimate outcome, salvation. We are not happy over the trial, but it is joyful that it will bring us closer to our Lord through faith. Through faith, the test will pass to a perfect outcome.

In most cases, your relationship with the Lord was a reaction to a trial, a trial that you knew you needed someone bigger than yourself to handle. We called on Jesus in faith that He is the truth. You believed that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6) You believed that and called out in faith. Faith brought you the joy of salvation. Faith is the way that we demonstrate our trust in the Lord. “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

James says that we find joy in trials because it tests our faith. Testing our faith will strengthen our faith. Faith, like all things we use, weakens if not used. There is no need to face a trial alone, and we can turn to God in faith that He will carry us through the trail. When we choose to trust God, He provides for us the direction.

Endurance is the ability to continue to trust in the Lord even when the trial continues until He leads us through. It is our strengthening faith in the Lord that is worth rejoicing. Endurance through faith draws us closer to a Christ-like character. “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:3-6)

We naturally avoid trials in life, but we should see them as an opportunity to increase our endurance through faith when they come. Each trial we face and overcome strengthens our faith and builds a closer relationship with the Lord with the Lord’s guidance. None of us have reached perfection, but as we face the trials of this world, that day will arrive when we overcome with faith and endurance.

Our bodies will eventually fail us as we journey through this world. The afflictions of life in this world will bear down upon us and exact a price. We will see the wear and tear upon us as time races on, but the trials of this world benefit us spiritually. They cause spiritual growth to the inner heart of our person. All that we see in this world is temporal and passing away. Even our bodies shall pass, but the spirit is eternal and will move to the spiritual realm. That destination is the question that must be answered. To accept or reject the truth of Jesus has an eternal effect. What we see of this world is passing, and what we see through faith will have a lasting, eternal abundance. “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Like Joshua, kneel in faithful prayer to God Almighty, and stand in the faith of the truth of God’s Word. He gives us the only hope found in this world, He is our joy through the trials the world sends us, and He is the peace we find in our spirits. “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)

Thomas N Kirkpatrick

First Baptist Church of Durant, May 20, 2020