Time to Stand Up
By Capazin Thornton
In January I wrote a blog entitled “Fellowship of the Unashamed,” where I said: “As the world races on a fast track towards hell and destruction, the fellowship of the unashamed Christ believers must stand up in the Spirit, shake heaven and earth with prayers, decrees, declarations and praise, and be evidence for the case of Jesus Christ.”
I’m revisiting this theme because I sense in my heart that we are in a time of great opportunity. And, we must “seize the opportunity in the moment of the opportunity” (Leonard Ravenhill).
While perverse decrees have been written and righteous foundations of generations jack hammered, God’s people have great opportunity. We can stand up in the Spirit and assault the kingdom of darkness with prayer and praise until light, truth, and the glory of God break through. We can claim the nations as the Lord’s inheritance. We can re-claim our God-given rights of freedom of faith and conscience.
Time to Stand Up
Time to Stand up for freedom of conscience
In ancient Babylon, three Hebrew teenagers (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) in the king’s service were thrown into a fiery furnace after they refused to bow down and worship a gold statue as the king had decreed. (See Dan 3) Guess what? God delivered them. Not a hair singed, not even the smell of smoke on them.
Daniel was thrown in a lion’s den because he refused to obey a decree to stop praying to God. (See Dan 6) Guess what? God shut the lion’s mouth and delivered Daniel unharmed.
After facilitating the healing of a blind man, the apostles Peter and John were detained, threatened and commanded not to preach any more in the name of Jesus. Not only did these apostles ignore the threats, after they were released they prayed for God to give them even more boldness and to perform even more signs and wonders through them. (Acts 4:19-20; 27-30)
Paul and Silas were beaten and thrown into prison after they cast out the spirit of divination from a fortune-teller. In prison with their feet in stocks, Paul and Silas prayed and sang hymns to God. “Suddenly there was a great earthquake; the prison was shaken to its foundations, all the doors flew open, and the chains of every prisoner fell off” (Acts 16:25-26). And the jailer got saved. Wow! Look at God!
Time to stand up and support righteous causes
There are many righteous causes. May I suggest that each of you, if you are not doing so already, support at least one righteous cause dear to your heart?
Murder exposed
We are in a God moment on the issue of abortion. Light is shining from Heaven on the crimes against humanity committed by Planned Parenthood.
What a great opportunity for the people of God to supplicate for God’s mercy and pray even more intensely to break the power of this murderous spirit off our nation.
Persecuted Christians
Multiplied thousands of Christians are being displaced, tortured, and killed for no other reason than they believe in Jesus. Let’s fervently pray for our brothers and sisters. Let’s also partner with faith-based organizations that are on the front-lines working around the clock to make a difference. Here are two I support:
American Law Center for Justice has fought and won many court battles for religious and constitutional freedom. They are working to protect persecuted Christians from global genocide, to free Christian pastors unjustly imprisoned, and to defeat big abortion at the Supreme Court.
Samaritan’s Purse is often first on the scene with relief for disaster victims. They are currently helping to provide aid for Christian refugees in Europe.
Time to stand up and live in bold faith
It is time to stand up in bold uncompromising faith. Don’t let anyone shut you up, shut you down, or cause you to back up or back down for standing for God’s righteous cause.
This is our Father’s universe. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.” (Ps 24:1) And, greater is He who is in Christ believers than he that is in the world (1 Jn 4:4).
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What righteous cause are you standing for? Please share.
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Capazin Thornton is a Christian speaker, Bible teacher, and author in Orange County, California.
