Rise Up and Walk!
by Matthew Bostock

2Timothy 3:16-17) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man
of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Colossians 1:9-14)  For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease
to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will
in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord
unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the
knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,
unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; Giving thanks unto the Father,
which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into
the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood,
even the forgiveness of sins:

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Acts 3:1-9

Act 3:6)  Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I
thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.

He did not tell him to remain where he was, he told him to remove himself from where he
was and stand and go. To rise up in strength, to rise in faith, to rest all strength upon
Christ, and to shed his weakness through faith.

2Corinthians 12:9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my
strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my
infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Our infirmities keep us down, our weaknesses and failings only weaken us and fail us
when we dwell upon them. Like in Pilgrim's Progress, the Slough of Despond only
overcame him when he strayed from the guiding light, but the hand of Help pulled him out.
These things in our lives that continually war against our desire to serve Christ only win
when we put our attention on them. But Scripture says -

1Timothy 4:15-16)  Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that
thy profiting may appear to all. Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine;
continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear
thee.

Continue in them, meditate upon them, give yourself wholly to them to save yourself. To
save yourself from what? This world and the temptations of it, our own sinful flesh and its
lusts, and the enemy that constantly roars about us.

What are these things that we are to look upon?

1Timothy 4:13)  Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

Reading the Word of God, exhorting the Word of God, of the doctrines and
commandments of Christ. We are to meditate on the Word of God continually, always
speaking and teaching the doctrines of Christ, for they are life. Doing so will save us from
ourselves, showing us the right ways, it will salt our words with grace, our thoughts will be
subject to the Word of God, and our actions will show the power and love of Christ.
Rising up in the strength of Christ, not dwelling on our own strength, our own words, our
own thoughts. 

2John 1:9)  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ,
hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father
and the Son.

Not having the power of God as our strength leaves us open to weakness and
temptation, it will be our downfall. The enemy waits and lurks, ready to pounce in and take
advantage of our faltering, and will then draw us away from the blessing of God. Pray
without ceasing, praise without ceasing, speak the Word of God in power and
fearlessness, and in this we can rise up, strengthen the weak joints, and we can go in
confidence and rejoicing.

1Peter 3:15-16)  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to
give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you
with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil
of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good
conversation in Christ.

We will be mocked, misunderstood, persecuted, and ignored. But this should mean
nothing, ignore it, continue preaching that wonderful power of the Gospel of Christ, for
only the name of Jesus Christ can we stand and defeat the darkness that looms about.

2Corinthians 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in
necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak,
then am I strong.

Philippians 2:9-11)  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a
name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should
bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that
every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father.

The name of Jesus is our life and protection, because He and only He is God, our
Master, our King, our Salvation. His name is above every name, His power reigns
supreme and unchallenged, His salvation is eternal, and at His very name everything
must bow. We have been charged by God to go, to speak, teach, and preach His glorious
Gospel. We must rise up, we must strengthen ourselves in the Lord Jesus, we must not
be silent, we must rejoice, and we must GO.

Isaiah 62:6-7)  I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never
hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not
silence, And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise
in the earth.

Psalms 98:4) Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise,
and rejoice, and sing praise.

Acts 5:42) And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach
and preach Jesus Christ.

They ceased not, they continued, they stood, and they went. Our Lord is mightier than
the mighty, and He gives strength to the weak, He gives wisdom to those in need, and in
Him none shall be found wanting.

2Peter 3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but
that all should come to repentance.

Exodus 14:14) The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Philippians 4:19) But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in
glory by Christ Jesus.

In Christ Jesus we are provided, saved, sealed, forgiven, and strengthened. In His name
we pray, worship, and devote our lives. We are servants of God, children of God,
worshippers of God, and our God is the Lord Jesus Christ. No condemnation is upon us,
no danger can threaten us, no fear can overcome us, and we live and die in the
protection and power of the Lord Jesus Christ. This world is only a temporary holding, our
true home is with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and this world and the enemies of
God will perish, and the devil and his angels will perish, sin will perish, fear and death will
be destroyed, and all tears will be wiped away. Our hope is eternal, our God Jesus Christ
is eternal, and nothing man can do to us can remove our hope and salvation, all their
wildest imaginations and sinful acts and persecutions mean nothing to us. They can do
nothing to us, as long as we stand in Him. For without Christ we have nothing, without
Christ we have no strength, no blessing, and no protection. God cannot bless or work
when we don’t look to Him, forgetting Christ is forgetting our very lives and is opening our
lives to danger.

Continuing promises safety, but the reverse is also just as true. Not regarding His Word,
forgetting His hand, leaving off the right ways will bring yourself to a place where He will
not bless.

1Timothy 4:16) Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them:
for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

1Corinthians 5:5-7)  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the
flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is
not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out
therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For
even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

Purge out those things that draw the spirit away, remove from the life all those things that
are dishonouring to God. If God cannot bless those things that we do, think, or say, then
we should not have it in our lives. Be ye holy for I am holy, be perfect, abstain from all
appearance of evil, touch not the unclean thing, give no place to the devil, and to keep
oneself unspotted from the world.

Galatians 5:17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the
flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things
that ye would.

Holding onto those things that are not honouring to God will only damage our own lives,
we are holding ourselves back from our full potential in Christ. Purging out sin and
dishonorable things will bring blessing from God and will glorify God in our lives. Doing
this will strengthen our stance and will grow a stronger faith.

Isaiah 35:3-10)  Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say
to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come
with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then
the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in
the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched
ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation
of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway
shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean
shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools,
shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up
thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the
ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting
joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing
shall flee away.

Gold and silver have I none, but such as I have I give unto you, the Gospel of the Lord
Jesus Christ my God and Savior, Him I preach unto you. Rise up, strengthen the joints,
stand up in the power of Christ, purge away that which may hold you down, and go and
preach the power of the Lord Jesus Christ to any and all that will hear. Nothing can
withstand, nothing can dishearten, we are charged by God to go into all the world,
preaching the power of Jesus our God, and bringing the glorious Gospel that saving
grace to all the world, and in fearlessness we shall stand preaching the Light of God to
the darkness of this world.

Jesus Christ is God, Jesus Christ is our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ is our Salvation,
Jesus Christ is our life and strength, so let us then go in His name, empowered in His
name, to preach His Holy Word. Always be ready to give an account of the great Hope
within you.

Matthew 11:15) He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

Let us hear then what God's Word says, what the Spirit saith, and let us listen, rise up,
and go.
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