“Well I won’t back down, no I won’t back down
You could stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won’t back down
Gonna stand my ground, won’t be turned around
And I’ll keep this world from draggin’ me down
Gonna stand my ground and I won’t back down
[Chorus:]
Hey baby, there ain’t no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won’t back down
Well I know what’s right, I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin’ me around
But I’ll stand my ground and I won’t back down
Hey baby there ain’t no easy way out
Hey I will stand my ground
And I won’t back down
No, I won’t back down.”
You may recognize these words as the Lyrics to the song “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I love the sentiment of this song.
Hey, sometimes it’s just tough – there’s no easy way out. So what am I going to do? Stand my ground. I am not going to back down. I know what’s right. I’ve only got one life and even though the world is trying to push me around I’m going to stand my ground.
This is a song about conviction, commitment, fortitude, courage, diligence, perseverance and strength.
We need more of this sentiment.
We need more men who will stand their ground. We need men who won’t back down. We need men who are choosing courage, conviction and commitment: strong men of fortitude, and diligence who persevere through difficulties.
We need men who understand when to surrender and when to stand firm. Men who know how to surrender to God, and stand firm against the spiritual opposition sent to steal, kill and destroy. Sadly though, we can often surrender to the seduction of sin and resist the work of God in our lives.
Your ability to stand your ground in the midst of opposition depends on what you’re standing on and how you’re standing. It very difficult to stand firm on ground that is shifting – like sand. To stand firm you need to be standing on solid ground.
The only solid ground that enables us to stand firm is the Truth. We must be standing on the Truth. Jesus said that He is the Truth and that He will send the Spirit of Truth to guide us into all Truth. We will know the Truth and the Truth will set us free.
Our power to stand firm in the midst of opposition – to stand our ground – is found in the authority of Christ: the Truth of who He is, what He has done for us, the Truth of who we are in Him, and the Truth of the Father’s heart for us.
The only way we can stand our ground in the authority of Christ is to surrender to the authority of Christ. Your ability to stand your ground and be a man of strength, courage, conviction, fortitude, perseverance, faith and diligence is dependent on your willingness to surrender to Jesus and believe the Truth.
Once again, only by surrendering to the authority of Christ can we walk in the authority of Christ.
It’s in the authority of Christ that we need to take our stand on the Truth of God. Standing on the Truth in the authority of Christ enables us to stand our ground and not back down. This enables us to live in victory. When doubts, fears, insecurities, regrets, shame, and condemnation come against you, don’t back down. Stand in the Truth of what Jesus has accomplished for you. Stand on the Truth of the authority of Christ – the victory he has given you over the strategy of the enemy.
Easter is when we remember and celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ. He has overcome the enemy and broken the curse of sin. We have all authority in heaven and on earth in the name of Jesus. We don’t need to surrender to the lies and shame of the enemy when we have surrendered to the authority of Christ.
Stand your ground. In the authority of Christ. On the Truth. Don’t back down.
Matthew 24:13
“but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
Luke 21:19
“Stand firm, and you will win life.”
Ephesians 6:13-17
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”