A new pastor was visiting his Church members in a fairly remote farming area. As he drove into one property, he stopped to talk to a young lad who was patting a horse, and after a while the pastor asked the lad if the horse could run fast.
The boy replied, “Well, no sir. He can’t RUN fast, but he sure can STAND FAST. When my Dad tells him to ‘stand fast’ nothing – but nothing – will make him move again until my dad tells him to.”
Later, he told his wife of the boy’s amusing comments, and they considered how the farmer might need his horse to ‘stand fast’ in some areas of farming. The ability to “stand fast” in a farm horse could be a great benefit. Then the pastor was reminded that all blood-bought, adopted children of God are also called to “stand fast”
Philippians 4:1
STAND FAST in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 16:13
Watch, STAND FAST in the faith; be brave, be strong.
1 Thessalonians 3:8
STAND FAST in the Lord
2 Thessalonians 2:15
STAND FAST and hold the traditions you were taught.
Romans 5:2
We have access by faith into this grace in which we STAND
1 Peter 5:12
the true grace of God in which you STAND.
Ephesians 6:11,13,14
STAND against the wiles of the devil.
Take up the whole armour of God,
that you may be able to WITHSTAND in the evil day,
and having done all, to STAND.
STAND therefore . . .
Mr Anon says:
Aim for perfection: half right is always half wrong.
Don’t be content with being average – average is as close to the bottom as it is to the top.
Only a mediocre person is always at his best.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brethren,
BE STEADFAST, IMMOVABLE,
always abounding in the work of the Lord,
knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Can God count on us to take hold of His Word and STAND FAST in the work to which He has called us?
MEETING IN THE CLOUDS 
This is great stuff Angela. As we rely on God’s grace our feet remain planted against the tides of this world. Those tides are strong but our God is stronger still.
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Amen JE! What an enormous blessing it is to know that no matter what we face, He enables us to STAND and withstand as we submit to Him.
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Angela, It is vastly important that we stand fast.. That is the reason Paul stress the point so much. He knew how powerful a urge to quit is when tribulation comes. He knew the enemy gets busy once a person pick up his or her cross and follow Jesus. In Galatians 5:1, he writes the following: “Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1).
Thanks so much for sharing. God blesses.
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Yes, Noel, it is easy to think ‘quit’ – to think of self and self-will and self-pleasing – but thankfully our amazing God continues His work and gently (or not so gently if needs be) leads us back to Himself in submission. The world seeks to entangle us, but ‘greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world’.
We serve an incredibly amazing God who wants the very best for us and will continue His work in us.
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Thanks for sharing posts that make me think about what needs to be changed in me, Angela
God bless you ever so much!
ann
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We all need to be reminded Ann, and we praise God that Holy Spirit does His job so effectively.
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The “stand fast” verses always stand out to me. Being able to stand in Him takes much faith, especially when I’m antsy and want to DO something else besides stand fast. Thank you so much , Angela, for encouraging us in His Word today! God bless you!
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Debbie, we all have problems with steadfastness, don’t we? It is the “I, my, me, mine” problem, which should be crucified with Christ. Praise God that He continues His work and draws us back to Himself and continues to bless us abundantly as we submit. We are indeed foolish to think we know better than He . . . and He proves it to us over and over again.
What an incredibly amazing God!
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Angela,
Your posting reminds me of the Greek word for “patience” it is made up of two Grk words fused together. The one word means “under” the other Gk word means “to endure, to withstand”. it is describing an animal that is willing to stand fast under a load that is placed upon it. Many times to stand fast for Christ requires us to be wiling to bear great burdens of labor for Him. How often are missionaries standing fast by continuing to minister faithfully in the midst of persecution and little seen results for their labors.
Thank you for the reminder of my need to be steadfast and patient in the midst of serving Christ.
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Rob, thank you so much for adding that great definition of patience and its application. May every blood-bought, adopted child of the living God be faithful to His calling as we continue in His work.
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I love this, Cloudwatcher! Stand fast=steadfast… really like that and going to try to put it to good use everyday.
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Thanks Anna. If we are steadfast, our light will shine constantly and brightly, and our Saviour will draw others to Himself.
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Reblogged this on My Delight and My Counsellors.
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Thank you for the reblog and for your ministry.
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It is only those who stand fast in the Lord to the end who will win the victor’s crown.
So let us be steadfast and unmovable for His glory.
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Amen Evelyn. Steadfast and faithful. May we follow faithfully, whatever, wherever, whenever.
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Standing fast comes from a heart that is fully committed to the Lord. Our actions follow our heart. :-)
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Amen! We could not ‘stand fast’ unless He enabled us.
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