STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS

Dearly Beloved, STAND UP, STAND UP FOR JESUS “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness” (Ephesians 6:14 NKJV). The popular hymn, “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus”, was an inspiration that Dr George Duffield, Jr. (1818-1888) received from the dying words of his friend, Reverend Dudley Atkins Tyng (1825-1858): "Stand up for Jesus, father, and tell my brethren of the ministry to stand up for Jesus." Tyng had been a prolific preacher in the early nineteen century in Philadelphia, USA. The arm of Tyng was amputated due to an injury he sustained in an accident that he had with his mule in his farm, and this led to his death few days later. Duffield, Jr. was moved by the dying words of Tyng that he preached a sermon the following Sunday, exhorting his congregation to stand firm for Jesus Christ. His text was Ephesians 6:14, “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness” (NKJV). At the end of the sermon he recited a poem he had written. The poem is the lyrics of the hymn, “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus”. This hymn has a distinctly military tone because it refers to believers as Christian soldiers, and pictures Christ leading His followers in a battle against evil forces. It mentions obeying Christ’s trumpet call. It encourages putting on Gospel armour, an allusion to Ephesians 6:10-18, where Paul said that the armour of God is the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, footwear of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and prayer. In deed, the hymn writer was right in saying that “the arm of flesh will fail you” because the warfare is not carnal but spiritual (see 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Ephesians 6:10-18). The last stanza holds out a promise of peace that “the strife will not be long.” We may be at the warfront today, a day is coming when we will sing “the victor’s song”. Therefore, anyone that overcomes will be rewarded with “a crown of life” and reign eternally “with the King of Glory” (see James 1:12). Many people may disagree with the lyrics of this hymn of its aggressiveness and a sort of militant song. Such people prefer jolly and easy life where they can get anything they want without any struggle. However, the hymn accurately portrays the Christian life as being a life full of struggle against evil. Christian life is indeed a warfare against the devil and his cohorts, and every Christian must be ready to stand up for Jesus if he/she will win the spiritual battle. Are you ready to stand up for Jesus? In His service, Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor) Prayer Point: Pray that you will be able to stand up for Jesus and fight against the devil and his cohorts till victory is yours.