What level of living have you become accustomed to? What do you consider necessities of life? Here in Texas, we have had triple-digit days with the heat index adding several degrees. A/C is a must in your home and car! Could you live without it? It’s debatable, but heat like this really hinders the job at hand and makes it hard to complete it without delay or getting drained.
Isaiah 40:5 says, “The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Glory here is not what comes to mind for most of us: bright light. Glory is the full weight of God’s presence manifested. It foretells the future event of Jesus stepping onto the scene. In Isaiah 59:19 we see the same word again, “So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun; when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.”
God chose to partner with man and work alongside him. Glory is God’s presence mingling with our whole being, strengthening and aiding us to live in full authority in every area of life. God’s presence is a right and a privilege, and it must become a priority because it defines and solidifies our purpose. From this place of presence, we gain the ability to stand without becoming fatigued or weary in life’s trials.
Notice that Isaiah 59:19 doesn’t say “if” the enemy comes, but “when” the enemy comes. I want you to hear this: the enemy’s presence is not the absence of the Spirit of the Lord. If the truth be known, it’s the complete opposite. God promises that when the enemy comes like a flood, He raises up a standard.
This standard is not the comparison of a thing or situation, whether it’s of quality or not, but God’s presence on you and lifting you as a banner of declared victory in a battle; it is the “Push Back” that is used to restrain the darkness in this world.
Think of the “Standard” as a lighthouse; it doesn’t stop the storm from forming or existing; it simply refuses to move! Ships are saved and survive because the lighthouse stayed standing! Ephesians 6:11 says, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” We are to put on the person, the glory, the presence of God that enables us to stand in the storm!
Expect the storm, never fear it. In Bible school, they taught us that “Preparation time is never wasted time.” Your personal relationship with God and devotion to reading the Word and praying in the Spirit are not religious duties or obligations to prove your alliance; they’re training, conditioning, and perfecting of your stand. Proverbs 24:10 says, “If you faint in the day of adversity (storm), your strength is small.” When we emerge from His presence, we are equipped to face life’s hardships. I like to say it like this: champions are not made in the ring; they are built in the gym. We train because we know the fight or storm is coming, and that no weapon formed against us can or will prosper. We overcome because we show up and never bow to the enemy’s threats.
Embrace the Standard, not the status quo. John 10:10 (AMPC) says, “I have come to give you life in abundance, to the full, till it overflows.” Jesus, the visible glory of God, came to raise your standard of living. So, where have you allowed the enemy to lower your standard? Where has the enemy eroded your standard of life through a flood of doubt, fear, and worry? Remember, we’re not doubters; we’re believers. Our faith works by love, and we give our attention to the kingdom of God, not basic necessities of life. Don’t live without spiritual A/C and tolerate the heat the enemy brings through difficult times that can overwhelm and frustrate. Let God raise you up as the standard, the banner of victory, the pushback that comes not by might or power but by His Spirit.
Endure to the end; don’t quit or give up! This is where the rubber meets the road for me. It’s easy to talk, but applying and living out what you learn is where it gets real. Romans 12:12 (MSG) says, “Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflamed. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.” Part of living in the standard God has raised is turning your eyes away from self and becoming observant of others’ needs and trials. Begin to live in the full weight of God’s standard by filling your heart with His words of comfort and declare confidently that it will be just as it was told!
Your breakthrough is here!