Just stand!

    A few minutes after working out at the gym, Pastor Mark collapsed and died. When his son arrived paramedics were attempting to revive him. On the way to the hospital, he flatlined twice. In the ICU, they were able to revive him but there was little they could do.                
​    He was airlifted to another hospital where he could receive further care. He was put in a medically induced coma and his family told that he might not wake up. The next day was his birthday and he was barely clinging to life. As his family cried out to God, his wife felt the Holy Spirit  tell her to just stand. She knew that she could stand on who God was and that He was Healer, He was in control. She did not even have to worry about the words to speak in prayer, she could simply stand. This set the tone for their belief in Pastor Mark’s healing. Family and church members prayed earnestly for his healing. 
    Miraculously, about 72 hours after the heart attack, the doctor called his name and he woke up. It was like a Lazarus moment that gave them hope that he was going to make it. That Sunday he was able to watch church online and encourage the members on his progress. Later that day they received the news that he had no signs of brain damage or residual damage to his heart and they expected a full recovery. He was soon back in church sharing his testimony and is now back in the gym. He believes that God is not finished with him and that He has given him a second chance.
    The main thing that stands out for me in this testimony is the fact that God told Pastor Mark’s wife to simply stand. The word stand can mean: to maintain one’s position; to remain firm in the face of… It could also mean to depend on. I think all three apply here. She had to choose to stand not on her own strength or ability but on God’s.    
    We too have to do the same. It’s about trusting God, standing on His Word and promises especially in the face of negative situations. It can be so easy to submit to the negative we see or hear and to allow that to dictate our faith and our actions. Standing may also mean not always knowing all the details but trusting that the God who knows it all will work it all out for our good.
    I love the fact that at the end of the day, Pastor Mark believes firmly that God is not finished with him. Sometimes our battle, our challenge, may lead us to believe that it’s over. The reality is that just because the problem is too big for us to handle does not mean that it’s too big for God or that it's the end. There are too many lessons God may want us to learn in that season. It may seem like the end but it’s not. God is still working, He is still fighting, He is still shifting things around and putting things in place to bring about His desired end.
    It is so important to know and listen to God’s voice in those trying seasons because whatever God tell us is what will indeed stand. Every other negative word will fail but God and His Word will stand! I have proven and continue to prove this truth. Whatever God told me in challenging situations came to pass. This was how God built my faith, trust and confidence in Him.
    Today, I just want to remind you to stand. You may feel like giving up, you may feel like giving in, but make that choice to stand. Don’t stand on what your eyes may see but on who God is and on His Word. God is able and He never fails. He stands by His Word and always brings it to pass. He is not finished with you. This trial is not a full stop. It’s not the end of your story. God is still writing your story. There may be more chapters to complete. There may even be more books to write but God is still the author and He decides.
    If you have not accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your personal Lord and Saviour, I encourage you to do so today. God has a beautiful plan and purpose for your life. It’s not over. He’s not finished with you. Just trust who He is and what He is able to do. He won’t fail you.

---