Stand Still and See the Salvation of the Lord

What are the two most common words that Christians use when they are in a panic or a crisis? — “Do something. Do something, Lord!”

It’s against human nature to stand still and do nothing when there’s a crisis. Probably the most difficult thing for Christians is to stand still and wait for God to act, to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. Even the most devoted of Christians panic when God doesn’t move according to their timetable. We often give God a deadline, saying, “Lord, if you don’t do it by tomorrow or by next week, it’s too late.” Yet God is never too late, and he’s going to act on his own schedule.

His Ordered Steps

God has always been searching the earth for those who will trust him in their crisis, especially when it seems hopeless. Often, he will lead us into situations that are alarming or critical to test us. The devil has nothing to do with it at all. Is God leading you into the crisis? The Bible states clearly, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” (Psalm 37:23, NKJV). I believe the Lord prearranges every step that I take. If I believe that, then if I am in a crisis, he has led me there because he continues to lead me. He directs me into it, through it, and out of it.

Our steps are only good by the blood of Jesus. There is no goodness in us. A good man made righteous through the blood of Jesus Christ has his steps ordered by the Lord. The Lord leads us into difficult situations because he is asking us, “Will you not panic or accuse me of abandoning or hurting you? Will you believe me and trust me?” 

The Lord allows things to happen to produce faith in us and to be an example in this faithless, ungodly age. God’s Word is filled with alarming crises that God prearranged. We read it in the book of Exodus at the Red Sea. Pharaoh had nothing to do with it. The devil had nothing to do with it. The Lord directed the Israelites to “turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea” (Exodus 14:2). He put them between two mountain passes and a sea with the wilderness behind them. He arranged Pharaoh’s army to come pressing in at their only way of escape. God cornered his people and led them into this situation.

Absolute Trust 

God could have prearranged to knock off the chariot wheels before they entered that sea. He could have stranded Pharaoh’s army in the wilderness. However, God wanted to accomplish two things. First, he didn’t want the children of Israel to be looking back, thinking they would be attacked in the wilderness. God wanted to demonstrate his power to all of Egypt, the world, and the devil. 

Secondly, God led them into the Red Sea to test them. Scripture says, “And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart” (Deuteronomy 8:2). God put them in an impossible situation, where only faith and absolute trust in God would save them.

Exodus 14:10 says, “Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.” Understand that God is not afraid of the flush of human fear that comes when we are suddenly in a crisis. He knows when we are frightened. He is not a hard taskmaster. He knew the Israelites were scared. Yet he was putting them in a situation where they could prove to the whole world that God’s people trust in him alone to deliver.

Covenant Promise Over Fear 

The Israelites said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness?” (Exodus 14:11). This wasn’t a cry of faith. It was fear and a blasphemous question.

If you have been led by God into a crisis, but you believe that the Lord orders your steps, then you must accept his purposes. He is testing you to see what is in your heart. What do you do when you’re brought into a critical place and all seems hopeless? Moses told the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord… The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace” (Exodus 14:13-14).

The first matter is to address your fear by trusting God’s promise that he will save you; this is the path to victory and deliverance. He will fight for you. We are to let God’s promise drive out that fear. God has commanded us to take his everlasting covenant promises and deal with our fear. 

When we look at the helplessness of Israel, we see the condition of our own flesh. We are no match for the problems in our lives. No human will deliver us. Yet our first reaction of the flesh is to run to friends or counselors. We weep, cry, scream, and do everything but trust and stand still to see the salvation of the Lord. 

In the Old Testament, the Lord reveals to us our weaknesses and helplessness. The old man is helpless and weak; but the new man, who is totally submitted to God, puts his trust in the hands of the Lord. He knows he’s helpless and that there is nothing he can do in his own strength.

Stand Still and Listen 

When God saves and delivers his people, he eventually brings clear direction. Scripture says, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it.’” (Isaiah 30:21). Yet before we ever hear the Spirit’s voice of direction, there is something God requires of us. It is this matter of standing still and waiting on the Lord to act. This is not a suggestion; it is a commandment.

Do you want to hear the word of God? He said, “Stand still!” The Hebrew word means “take your stand.” When we resolve to stand firm and trust God, we will hear from God. We are to take a position of faith and be convinced that the battle is the Lord’s. If the devil comes against you, he is coming against Jesus in you.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” In the original Hebrew, it means “cease and forsake all your striving, and acknowledge that I am God.” This is not passivity, and it is not resting on fate. It is an act of faith that rests on God’s promises. It’s a ceasing from all questioning, doubts, and useless striving. 

How do we know the voice of God in a crisis?  Does God still speak to his people today? Yes. He speaks to us in these last days through his Son. His Son speaks to us from Scripture. Yet many times we forget there’s a voice of the flesh, a voice of our will and ambition. Why should God trust you with his inner voice when he can’t trust you with his written voice? Scripture contains the still, small voice of God. Through it, he speaks loud and clear. We are to cease from our questioning of God’s character. 

We come to his covenant, where he has made his promises. He makes it legal, and we have the right to stand on his promises legally. He seals them with an oath. We must come to a place where we say, “Lord, if I don’t ever hear your voice again, you have given me everything I need. I will rest in the promises of your covenant. No reply necessary.” 

‘Stand still’ means quit trying to figure out whether you heard God’s voice or not. Quit trying to measure it or discern it. We must be satisfied that Scripture is Jesus speaking to us in these last days. Get into the Word. Get into your secret prayer closet. The Holy Ghost will speak to you through it. He will tell you what to do with your problems. 

When you’ve got a promise made real to you by the Holy Ghost, you will stand tight. You may fail in many areas, but one thing is always secure. God said, “I’m going to be your strength. Trust me and I will get you out.” The prophet Habakkuk prayed, “Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; he will make my feet like deer’s feet, and he will make me walk on my high hills” (Habakkuk 3:18-19). 

If we fully trust the Lord, he will make his voice heard. He will make it right. Glory to God. That is his word. That is his promise. Are you ready to stand still, to stop your striving, to stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord? Today, let his Word speak to your heart. Amen.