More Than Conquerors

HERE I STAND

I once heard a young man speak to the question raised about his going to a country where his life was in danger. His answer to the question was, “God has called me to go. He has not promised I will return.”
There are new dangers in the world every day. We seldom think in terms of our lives being the ones that are on the line. We marvel at those who are like that young man and can handle the danger with such calm resolve to do what God has called them to do.
We do not have to be someplace where there is an imminent danger, but we have to be prepared to face that kind of danger. I am sure that the missionaries in the Philippines that were captured on their vacation did not expect to be taken as hostages at that point, but it is evident that they were ready for it and when death came to the husband, the wife showed the kind of resolve that we all should have.
We need to be reminded that death is certainly not the worst thing that can happen to a child of God. Death is the entrance into the presence of the Savior. No one likes the prospect of facing torture or any kind of mistreatment, but God is ready to give us the strength to go through that kind of experience. We just have to put it in His hands and expect Him to give that great strength He has promised.
Recently I read of an Indian pastor in the Indian province of Orissa who, when he left his home, the Hindu forces who were persecuting the believers in that area, burned his home and took everything that he had there. When he arrived at the conference to which he was going, he said that he would not return to his ministry in that place of persecution.
The conference was a refreshing time of study in the Word of God and challenge to be committed to whatever God has in store for you. By the end of the conference that pastor indicated that he had to go back. It is difficult to understand what it would be like to return to a place where your home has been burned. The place of your ministry has been burned. Those who did those terrible deeds were still there to carry out all the threats that they had made for the safety of the believers.
We have to admire the commitment that makes a person willing to face persecution that has been promised. It would be much easier to conclude that God brought you out with your life and your family and it would be unwise to return to what looked like certain persecution and probably death.
Even though most of the people in the world do not like committed believers, the worst prospect for most of us is a little embarrassment for our testimony. What is Paul talking about when he says that we are to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. Paul knew what it was to be stoned, thrown out of town, and on occasion, escape with his life.
We need to shore up our lives and be sure that we are ready to face whatever it is that the world has for us. It is important to realize that this is not something that can be done in our own strength. That is the wonder of it. He has promised the strength for the trials and we can know that this resource is ours right now. We can be prepared because we are more than conquerors in Christ.
We need to be ready to be like Martin Luther who when he nailed hi 95 Theses to the door said, "Here I Stand."