I was recently listening to a Christian woman share a message that was not meeting with a lot of approval. It seemed to me that she expected to experience a bit of back lash, but she was was not going to let that stop her from speaking out. As I looked at the stance she was taking, she even looked like a boxer getting ready for the first blow.
Sometimes the unpopular subjects that need to be discussed can bring a fury of punches from the exact people that you would assume would be on your side.
As I further listened to this woman I detected a shift. Where she had initially been prepared to get a blow, or two, I now saw her relax. It was like she knew that the message she was giving was going to upset some people, but she had made her choice.
I believe that she realized that she could not force people into receiving the word, or beat them into submission. Regardless, it became very obvious that she was going to stick with her decision to speak what God was putting on her heart.
What I saw next was in my spirit. The Holy Spirt was showing me that she had literally taken the gloves off. She was prepared to stand firm, and let God fight for her.
Whether God calls us to stand in the presence of thousands, or one, we must be willing to deliver what we have heard. It may not go well for us, but our stance must be one of obedience. The Scripture that comes to mind is the one where we are reminded that obedience is better than sacrifice.
There is one last question that has emerged out of this for us all. Will we do what God is asking us to do, even if the cost is considerable, and personal?
Acts 5:29-32 CSB Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than people. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, who you have murdered by hanging Him on a tree. God exalted this man to His right hand as Ruler and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.”