Standing Strong

Standing strong means refusing to back down in the face of opposition. Like David, trust God’s power and face every battle with bold faith.

“When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and served him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the sons of Ammon anymore.”—1 Chronicles 19:19 NASB

David was grateful for the kindness shown by Nahash, king of Ammon. When this king died, David decided to show kindness to his son, Hanun. But the princes of Ammon urged Hanun to consider David’s servants to be spies. As a result, they were humiliated and treated rudely. Later, the sons of Ammon, seeing that their actions might lead to war, hired mercenaries and attacked Israel.

Israel could have wilted under the threat of this strong mercenary army. But David would not back down. Sending his army to fight, Israel experienced a mighty victory. As a result, the mercenaries no longer were willing to help Ammon, and they made peace with Israel.

Every day, we face the challenge of how to stand up to the attacks against us. When confronted, some people run and hide. Some cower in fear. Others become anxious or discouraged. But David demonstrated that God wants us to stand to face the enemy boldly and fearlessly.

We are in a spiritual war. Our enemy, the devil, does everything he can to spread fear and keep us from accomplishing God’s work. Yet we must not be afraid. The Bible says, “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). We can be victorious, but we must stand up and fight!

No matter the strength of your foes or the size of your problems today, remember that God is on your side. Be bold in Him.

Reflection Question: How can you stand firm in faith when facing challenges?