In the midst of all the unrest, uncertainty, & instability going on in circumstances around us, the Lord has been emphasizing STABILITY.
(From Webster’s)
Stability:
1: the quality, state, or degree of being stable: [-firmly established: FIXED, STEADFAST; not changing or fluctuating: UNVARYING; PERMANENT, ENDURING; steady in purpose: firm in resolution; not subject to insecurity or emotional illness: SANE, RATIONAL]
a: the strength to stand or endure : FIRMNESS
b: the property of a body that causes it when disturbed from a condition of equilibrium or steady motion to develop forces or moments that restore the original condition
…
(additional insight from yourdictionary.com)
Stability … not prone to wild fluctuations in emotion. An example of stability is a calm, stable life where you don’t have wild ups and downs.
–composure; self-possession
-The tendency to recover from perturbations (anxieties or disturbances from what is normal, especially when the deviation is caused by an outside influence.)
I was reminded of a sermon I heard in the past year where the pastor lamented about how much he abhors exercise balls because they make him unstable, yet it’s in this instability that we are trained to become stable by learning to access and develop “CORE STRENGTH.”
While we know core strength alludes to something within, as believers, we realize this strength doesn’t originate with us, but from the One who lives within.
God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very present and well-proved help in trouble.
Psalm 46:1
That passage goes on to say in verse 5 ~
God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
And we know many more verses echo these truths of God as our Strength & of Him living in us, if we have received Jesus as Lord & Savior. So in times of instability, God is our Core Strength we must access to stabilize us.
Since we’ve been trying to be more faithful and diligent about declaring Psalm 91 in faith over ourselves and the whole Body of Christ during this time, I was also immediately reminded that this passage (at least in the AMPC translation) reveals the key to stability:
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain STABLE and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. Psalm 91:1
So we access our Core Strength to become Stable in the midst of Instability
~ by remembering that God dwells in us (renewing our minds to the full implications of this phenomenal reality by letting His Word dwell richly in us, and learning to draw on the glorious riches of Christ in us by faith – John 14, Eph 1-3, Col 1:27; 3:16, Rom 8:11; 12:2, etc.)
~ AND by making sure we are also intentionally continuing to dwell and abide in Him/His Word (through intimate relationship and by taking our position by faith of being seated with & in Christ in Heavenly places – John 8:31-32, John 15, Eph 2:6, I John 2-3).
This stability comes from locating any way we’re out of balance and unstable due to placing too much “weight” (our confidence, trust, faith, & hope) on peripheral/external things that cannot support us, and instead shifting our weight (confidence, trust, faith, & hope) back to the core/center of our lives ~ to our unchanging God & His unfailing Word/promises.
From this position, we can best exercise our faith muscles to develop the “rock hard” spiritual abs that will help us have the strength, stability, balance, and (internal) posture we need and desire (II Pt 1:2-11 AMPC).
After all He is “the ROCK” (Gen 49:24, Deut 32:4, I Sam 2:2, II Sam 22, and too many more to list) ~ a description intended to evoke the ideas of stability, security, & reliability.
From the end of the earth will I cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed and fainting; lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. 3 For You have been a shelter and a refuge for me, a strong tower against the adversary.4 I will dwell in Your tabernacle forever; let me find refuge and trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! 5 For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear, revere, and honor Your name.
Psalm 61:2-5
So we don’t have to get offended when evolutionists suggest we came from a rock! On this point we can just agree – though our understanding of what this means should certainly be different.
Yes, we came from a Rock; A Rock is our Father! (Deut 32:18, Psalm 89:26)
God is the Rock from which we were cut & our forefathers of faith are the quarry from which we were hewn. (Isaiah 51)
And Jesus & His Kingdom are the Rock cut from a Mountain that will crush all other kingdoms, bringing them to an end, & will fill the whole earth (Dan 2:31-45).
The stability we want & need comes from building our lives on Him & the Rock of His Word.
So everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts upon them [obeying them] will be like a sensible (prudent, practical, wise) man who built his house upon the rock. 25 And the rain fell and the floods came and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. Matthew 7:24-25
The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. 6 He will be the sure foundation (a constant SOURCE of STABILITY) for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure. Isaiah 33:5-6
Based on the words the Lord has been giving, He wants us to develop this stability so that we have the ability to keep walking in the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith/faithfulness, & self control) no matter what is happening in our circumstances and regardless of how we may feel.
(As discussed in “Training for Reigning” ~ it is not only patience that requires crucifixion of the flesh to consistently walk in as we should, but ALL the fruit of the Spirit. Help us Jesus!)
(As also discussed in past posts) Though we all prefer the times when faith empowers us to escape from trouble, there are unfortunately other times when God wants our faith to empower us to endure through ~ inheriting the promised victory by faith AND patience (Jms 1:2-4, Heb 6:11-15, Rom 4:16-22– another STABLE reference in AMPC).
Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, and teach out of Your law, 13 That You may give him power to keep himself calm in the days of adversity, until the [inevitable] pit of corruption is dug for the wicked. 14 For the Lord will not cast off nor spurn His people, neither will He abandon His heritage. Psalm 94:12-14
He (the righteous) will not be moved (shaken) forever; the righteous (the upright, in right standing with God) shall be in everlasting remembrance. 7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firmly fixed {This Hebrew word also means STABLE}, trusting (leaning on and being confident) in the Lord. 8 His heart is established and steady, he will not be afraid while he waits to see his desire established upon his adversaries. Psalm 112:6-8
(see also Destroying the destroyer)
This truth is not intended to absolve us from doing all the other things the Word tells us to do regarding putting on the whole armor of God and fighting spiritual warfare (taking authority over the enemy, resisting him, and driving him out of our promised land). We certainly don’t want to mistake stability for passivity. But it’s intended to give us the sure footing from which to fight the good fight of faith.
To draw from another familiar metaphor in Scripture, He wants hope, which in Bible terms refers to a confident expectation and assurance of good, to be an ANCHOR for our soul (our mind, will, & emotions), keeping us stable & secure, even in tumultuous circumstances.
This stability in the midst of instability is intended to be a sign to the enemy of his impending defeat & our imminent victory.
And do not [for a moment] be frightened or intimidated in anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such [constancy and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of [their impending] destruction, but [a sure token and evidence] of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God. Philippians 1:28
~ As well as a testimony to those who don’t yet know the Lord of where they can find stability when the world is shaking (Psalm 46, Psalm 91, Heb 12:18-29).
… but now He has given a promise: Yet once more I will shake and make tremble not only the earth but also the [starry] heavens. 27 Now this expression, Yet once more, indicates the final removal and transformation of all [that can be] shaken—that is, of that which has been created—in order that what cannot be shaken may remain and continue. 28 Let us therefore, receiving a kingdom that is firm and STABLE and cannot be shaken, offer to God pleasing service and acceptable worship, with modesty and pious care and godly fear and awe; 29 For our God [is indeed] a consuming fire. Hebrews 12:28-29
My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him; for my hope and expectation are from Him. 6 He only is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my Defense and my Fortress, I shall not be moved. 7 With God rests my salvation and my glory; He is my Rock of unyielding strength and impenetrable hardness, and my refuge is in God! 8 Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him. God is a refuge for us (a fortress and a high tower). Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! Psalm 62:5-8
I will leave you with a devotional that was in my Bible when I looked up the Philippians 1 passage mentioned above. I was so blessed to see this additional confirmation of the theme God was emphasizing, through this encouragement to develop a “rock-like temperament” in the face of threats and troubles. Praying for us all!
