Standing Firm: Faith's Journey Through Life's Middle

Devotional

Day 1: The Power and Necessity of Standing in the Middle

Life often unfolds in three movements: a beginning, a middle, and an end. Just as the triptych in art reveals a story in three panels, so too does our journey with God. The middle panel—the place of struggle, uncertainty, and trial—is where many wish to skip ahead, longing for the resolution of God’s promises without enduring the mess and misery that often precede it. Yet, it is in this muddy middle that faithfulness is forged and fidelity to God is displayed. When you find yourself in the midst of crisis, sickness, loneliness, or societal turmoil, remember that the call is not always to solve or escape, but to stand. Standing in the middle is your opportunity to trust God’s process, knowing that the resolution cannot come without the perseverance of the present. [11:32]

Ephesians 6:13 (ESV)
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Reflection: Where in your life are you currently in the “middle panel”—a place of uncertainty or struggle—and what would it look like for you to simply stand in faith today rather than rushing to a solution?

Day 2: Stand Strong—Integrity in the Face of Opposition

Standing strong means living with integrity before God, even when it costs you. Paul, on trial before the Sanhedrin, asserts that he has lived his life before God in good conscience, not claiming perfection but a heart aligned with God’s truth. Sometimes, doing the right thing brings opposition, misunderstanding, or even punishment, as Paul experienced when struck for his testimony. Yet, the blows you take for righteousness are not signs of God’s displeasure, but evidence that your integrity intimidates the enemy. Rather than covering up your flaws with a façade, bring your cracks before God so He can fill them with His grace. Standing strong is about knowing who you are in God and aligning your life with His Word, even when the world penalizes you for it. [21:58]

Acts 23:1 (ESV)
And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.”

Reflection: Is there an area where you are tempted to hide your struggles or compromise your integrity? How can you bring your true self before God and stand strong in His truth today?

Day 3: Stand Smart—Wisdom and Strategy in Spiritual Conflict

Standing smart is about discerning your context and responding with Spirit-led wisdom rather than mere reaction. Paul, recognizing the divisions within the Sanhedrin, reframes the accusation against him—not as a personal attack, but as a matter of hope in the resurrection. By shifting the focus from himself to the core truth of Jesus, he exposes the real issue and lets God’s strategy work on his behalf. Standing smart means knowing when to speak, what to say, and how to let God’s wisdom guide your actions. It’s not about fighting fire with fire, but about letting the Spirit give you the words and strategy to navigate conflict, sometimes even causing your adversaries to turn on each other. [29:56]

Matthew 10:16, 19-20 (ESV)
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves... Do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”

Reflection: Think of a current conflict or challenge—how might you invite the Holy Spirit to give you a divine strategy or a new perspective, rather than relying on your own strength or arguments?

Day 4: Stand Sure—God’s Presence in Your Loneliest Moments

After standing strong and smart, there are times when you may still find yourself alone, uncertain, and waiting for God’s resolution. Paul, pulled from the chaos and left in a cell, spent a night and a day with no clarity about his future. Yet, in that place of isolation, the Lord Himself stood by Paul, assuring him of His presence and purpose. Sometimes, you don’t need a new word or a miracle—you just need to know that God is standing by you, holding you up when you feel you might fall. Even when you can’t see Him, He is the unseen hand keeping you steady, promising that your story isn’t over yet. [38:18]

Acts 23:11 (ESV)
The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”

Reflection: When have you felt most alone or uncertain? How can you open your heart today to sense and trust that the Lord is standing by you, even if you can’t see the way forward?

Day 5: The Lord Holds You—Trusting the Unseen Sustainer

There are moments when others may see your strength, your resilience, or your ability to “walk the wire” of life, but the real story is that you are being held by the invisible hand of God. Like the high wire walker whose balance is kept by a hidden partner, your ability to stand is not your own—it is God who holds the string of your soul. When you have done all you can, when friends turn away and you feel you can’t make it through, your call is to just stand and let the Lord see you through. After you’ve done all you can, trust that it’s not you, but Him, sustaining you every step of the way. [41:46]

Psalm 121:1-3 (ESV)
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber.

Reflection: Who or what have you been relying on for your strength? Take a moment to acknowledge that it is the Lord who holds you—how might this change the way you face today’s challenges?

Sermon Summary

The rhythm of three is woven into the fabric of creation, history, and our very souls. From the triads in scripture—faith, hope, and love; the law, the prophets, and the writings—to the structure of our stories and even our daily routines, the pattern of three speaks to a divine order. This is not just a literary or artistic device, but a spiritual reality that shapes how we experience life’s journey. Our lives, like the ancient triptychs, unfold in three movements: a beginning that prepares us, a middle that tests us, and an end that resolves. Yet, it is the middle panel—the messy, uncertain, and often painful middle—where our faith is most deeply formed.

Paul’s journey in Acts is a series of these triptychs: problem, perseverance, protection; accusation, explanation, vindication. We often long to skip the middle, to move from the setup straight to the resolution, but the truth is that the middle is unavoidable. It is in the middle, when our faith is on trial, that we are called to stand. Not to solve, not to escape, but to stand—firm in our identity, rooted in God’s word, and faithful in the face of adversity.

Standing in the middle means standing strong, standing smart, and standing sure. Paul stands strong by maintaining his integrity, even when falsely accused and struck for telling the truth. He stands smart by discerning the divisions among his accusers and reframing the argument, shifting the focus from himself to the hope of the resurrection. And he stands sure, not because of his own strength, but because the Lord stands by him—even in the loneliness of the cell, even when the outcome is uncertain.

The promise is not that we will avoid the middle, but that God will meet us there. When we stand for God, God stands with us. The invisible hand of the Lord holds us steady, even when we feel alone or overwhelmed. Our assignment is simple but profound: just stand. In the face of accusation, in the midst of chaos, when the world puts our faith on trial—stand, knowing that God’s presence will sustain us and God’s promises will see us through.

Key Takeaways

1. The Middle Panel Is Where Faith Is Formed Life’s journey is not just about beginnings and endings, but about the often difficult middle. The “muddy middle” is where our faith is tested and refined. It is in these seasons of uncertainty, pain, and trial that we learn to trust God deeply, discovering that the path to God’s promises always leads through perseverance in the middle. [11:32]
2. Integrity Provokes Opposition, But Also Invites God’s Grace Standing strong in integrity may sometimes result in being misunderstood, mistreated, or even penalized. Paul’s experience shows that the blows we receive for doing right are not signs of God’s displeasure, but evidence that our integrity threatens the status quo of those opposed to God. Rather than hiding our flaws, we are called to expose our “cracks” so that God’s grace can fill and heal us from within. [21:58]
3. Divine Wisdom Is Essential for Navigating Conflict Standing smart means discerning the dynamics at play and responding with Spirit-led wisdom rather than reactive emotion. Paul reframes the conflict, shifting the focus from himself to the hope of the resurrection, and in doing so, destabilizes his adversaries. God gives us strategies that are not about winning arguments, but about bearing witness to Christ in a way that confounds opposition and reveals deeper truth. [29:56]
4. God’s Presence Is Most Profound in Our Loneliest Moments After standing strong and smart, Paul finds himself alone in a cell, uncertain of what comes next. Yet it is precisely in this solitude that the Lord stands by him, offering courage and assurance. Our greatest comfort is not in immediate deliverance, but in the presence of God who stands with us in the night, reminding us that we are never truly alone. [36:16]
5. Our Strength Comes from the One Who Holds Us Like the high-wire performer held steady by an unseen hand, our ability to stand is not rooted in our own strength, but in the sustaining power of Christ. When we have done all we can, we are called to simply stand, trusting that God is holding us steady, even when we cannot see how. The world may see our courage, but the true source is the Lord who upholds us. [41:46]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[07:39] - The Power of Threes in Scripture and Life
[09:37] - Triptychs in Creation and Culture
[11:32] - The Challenge of the Middle Panel
[15:26] - The Call to Stand
[16:15] - What It Means to Stand
[17:14] - Stand Strong: Integrity Under Fire
[18:39] - The Cost and Reward of Righteousness
[21:58] - Exposing Cracks: Authenticity Before God
[25:09] - Paul’s Response to Hypocrisy
[28:27] - Stand Smart: Discerning the Dynamics
[29:56] - Reframing the Argument
[35:08] - God’s Strategy: Letting the Enemy Turn on Itself
[36:16] - Stand Sure: The Lord Stands By Us
[41:46] - The Source of Our Strength
[43:00] - Encouragement to Stand

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Acts 23:1–11 (ESV) — 1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, “Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day.”
2 And the high priest Ananias commanded those who stood by him to strike him on the mouth.
3 Then Paul said to him, “God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?”
4 Those who stood by said, “Would you revile God’s high priest?”
5 And Paul said, “I did not know, brothers, that he was the high priest, for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people.’”
6 Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.”
7 And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.
8 For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.
9 Then a great clamor arose, and some of the scribes of the Pharisees’ party stood up and contended sharply, “We find nothing wrong in this man. What if a spirit or an angel spoke to him?”
10 And when the dissension became violent, the tribune, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, commanded the soldiers to go down and take him away from among them by force and bring him into the barracks.
11 The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.”

Observation Questions

What are the three ways the sermon describes how we are called to "stand" in the middle panel of life? ([17:14])
How does Paul respond when he is struck on the mouth during his trial, and what Old Testament reference does he use? ([18:39])
What strategy does Paul use to shift the focus of the trial away from himself, and what effect does it have on the council? ([29:56])
According to the passage, what does the Lord do for Paul after he is left alone in the barracks? ([36:16])

Interpretation Questions

Why does the sermon emphasize the importance of the "middle panel" or the "muddy middle" in our spiritual journey? How does this relate to the way faith is formed? ([11:32])
What does it mean to "stand strong" with integrity, even when it leads to opposition or being misunderstood? How does Paul's experience illustrate this? ([21:58])
In what ways does "standing smart" require wisdom and discernment, rather than just reacting emotionally to conflict? How does Paul's approach in the council demonstrate this? ([29:56])
The sermon says that God's presence is most profound in our loneliest moments. How does Paul's experience in the barracks reflect this truth? ([36:16])

Application Questions

The sermon says, "The middle panel is where faith is formed." Think about a current or past "middle" season in your life. How did you see your faith tested or shaped during that time? ([11:32])
Paul stands strong by maintaining his integrity, even when it costs him. Is there a situation in your life right now where doing the right thing might bring misunderstanding or opposition? What would it look like to stand strong in that situation? ([21:58])
The sermon encourages us to expose our "cracks" so that God’s grace can fill them. Are there areas in your life where you tend to hide your weaknesses or struggles? What would it look like to bring those into the light before God or trusted friends? ([21:58])
Paul stands smart by discerning the divisions among his accusers and reframing the argument. Is there a conflict or challenge you’re facing where you need God’s wisdom to respond differently? How can you seek Spirit-led wisdom instead of reacting emotionally? ([29:56])
The Lord stands by Paul in his loneliness, offering courage and assurance. When have you felt alone or uncertain, and how did you experience (or long for) God’s presence in that moment? ([36:16])
The sermon uses the image of the high-wire performer being held steady by an unseen hand. In what area of your life do you need to trust that God is holding you steady, even if you can’t see how? ([41:46])
The main assignment from the sermon is simple: "Just stand." What is one specific area this week where you need to stop trying to solve or escape, and instead simply stand firm in your faith? ([15:26])

Sermon Clips

Paul is going through a series of accusations that require explanations that ultimately result in vindication and I'm saying to you and I that how you handle the middle panel of your pain is going to determine whether the resolution God intends comes to pass or whether there is some inferior product at the end of your journey. [00:12:02] (29 seconds) #FaithInTheMidstDeterminesOutcome

Somebody is in the room today in the middle of a mess, in the middle of a crisis, in the middle of sickness, in the middle of loneliness. Our nation is in the middle of being overtaken by an authoritarian ignorant figure. We are in the middle of an economic crisis. We are in the middle of times that are uncertain. We are in the middle of days when people can't be trusted. We're in the middle of times that are trying our very souls. [00:12:33] (33 seconds) #StandingInTheStorm

Paul shows us that in the triptych of trouble, the middle panel is an opportunity to display fidelity to God in the midst of the fight of life. I'm talking better to you than you're talking to me. I said it's an opportunity to demonstrate faithfulness to God in the midst of the fight of life. [00:13:44] (28 seconds) #FaithfulnessInTheFight

The simple central truth that Luke wants us to see is this. If you will stand in the middle, here it is. God stands with God's servants when we have to stand against God's enemies. [00:14:15] (18 seconds) #GodStandsWithUs

You don't always have to solve. Sometimes you just need to stand. Sometimes when you can't figure, just be faithful. When you're struggling to deal with what you don't know, you've got to be firm. Come on here. In what you do know. [00:15:34] (29 seconds) #FaithOverFear

It's me determining, lean in, that I can handle whoever and whatever is in my face because I know who has my back. [00:16:31] (17 seconds) #ConfidenceInGodsBacking

Paul does not decide to shout endlessly about his innocence. He doesn't let the strike on his mouth push him to rage. Because if you fight fire with fire, all you get is more fire. He doesn't let fear drive him into silence instead he places his finger as one scholar says on the fault line of division and presses the issue. [00:29:51] (30 seconds) #PeaceOverRage

God wants to give you a divine strategy to make it through your present circumstance. I'm talking better to you than you are talking to me. I said God wants to give you a divine strategy to make it through your present circumstance. [00:33:25] (16 seconds) #DivineStrategyForTrials

When there's nothing left to do, just stand. Watch the Lord see you through. Yeah, after you. You've done all you can. I feel better now. I need you to encourage. Yeah. Encourage somebody. [00:43:11] (19 seconds) #WhenAllElseFailsStand

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