Dear Friend,

Of consistently upright and faithful worshipers, David wrote, "He that doeth these things shall never be moved" (Psalm 15:5). Of himself David testified, "I shall not be moved" (Psalm 16:8). And David's life backed up his vow.

David allowed nothing he faced - giants, war, mocking brothers, envious evildoers, conspiring enemies, abandonment by associates, betrayal by friends, loss of wife and home, rebellious children, sickness, slander, loss of popularity, and even his well-documented failures - to move him from the God of Israel. At his life's end, Yahweh was still by his side and David was still obeying, worshiping, and serving as he was called.

David's experience was not unique. Ancient Israel produced many unmovable ones. An unnamed psalmist testified not once but twice: "I shall not be greatly moved," and, "I shall not be moved" (Psalm 62:2, 6). As with David, everything the world, his flesh, and the devil threw at this anonymous psalmist could not separate him from loving closeness and devoted service to God.

All this unmovableness was not lost on the apostle Paul. Inspired by it, he, too, joined the ranks of God's unmovable ones. After informing the Ephesian elders that "bonds and afflictions" awaited him in Jerusalem, but that he still felt compelled by the Holy Spirit to go anyway, he concluded, "None of these things move me" (Acts 20:24). However painful his lot, Paul simply refused to let his sufferings abort his life mission. And Acts 28:30-31 and 2 Timothy 4:6-7 confirm that, indeed, Paul remained faithful to the end.

More specifically, from what, or rather to what, was the enemy trying to "move" David, the Psalmists, and Paul?

They refused to be moved to offense at Jesus. Or moved to doubt God's faithfulness and power. Or moved to unbelief and backsliding. Or moved to self-pity and murmuring over their very challenging circumstances. Or moved to stop seeking God's presence and favor.

Or moved to stop obeying God's Word wholeheartedly and without compromise. Or moved to bitterness or revenge by the cruel treatment of enemies. Or moved to stop worshiping God with childlike adoration and enthusiastic songs of praise.

Or moved to leave the place God had put them in. Or moved to be unfaithful in their human relationships and responsibilities. Or moved from the ministry or mission mandate God had given them to fulfill. Or moved to abandon their great commissions - to witness, evangelize, and train disciples.

Or, in short, to be moved to sin - which moves one from God and everything mentioned above! Without closeness to God, and faithfulness to His call, life was utterly meaningless to them. Speaking for all God's unmovable ones, Paul said, "My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus" (Acts 20:24, NLT). Want to become one of God's unmovable ones?

To be an immovable believer does not require wealth, popularity, the right connections, special programs, large numbers of supporters, exceptional knowledge, rare technical skills, or even exceptional religious and academic training. But it does require certain indispensable things.

For instance, immovable ones must have:

* A passionate love for Jesus Christ
* An insatiable desire - a deep soul need - to please Him
* An utter abandon to Christ's will and guidance
* An unwavering commitment to obey all God's Word
* A humble willingness to practice self-examination regularly
* A determination to never worry but ever pray about every worry and need (Philippians 4:6-7)
* A thirst for ever more of our designated Teacher and Comforter, the Holy Spirit
* A resolve to put God's priorities "first," before our own (Matthew 6:33)
* A steady determination, renewed daily, to "finish the work assigned you"

Believe it or not, like it or not, ignore it or not, the End Times are upon us. God will soon awaken His church (Matthew 25:6-7) and begin testing us in ways we have never experienced in our lifetime. Many Christians, unlike David, the psalmist, and Paul, will be moved. Many others, however, will not. Why?

They will be taught how to live the unmovable life - and coached and loved and corrected and prayed for incessantly until they live it. And by whom? By those who have already learned, practiced, and mastered it. So, get ready to be used.

Become one of God's unmovable ones! "Be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Learning, practicing, mastering,

Greg Hinnant
Greg Hinnant Ministries