Paul defended himself before King Agrippa in Caesarea.  He told the king of how he had been a devout Jew, a Pharisee.  (Acts 26:2-8)

Paul then described what he did against the followers of Christ, the risen Messiah before he was met by Jesus Christ.

(NASB) Acts 26:9-11 “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.
10 ‘And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them.
11 ‘And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.”

The above verses point out the enemy’s tactics…in Paul’s day and in our day.
Hostility because of the name of Jesus.

Imprisonment because of following Jesus.

Authorized to persecute believers by the enemies of God.

Punishment of believers – “getting even,” “disciplining” by coercion, pressured by words and actions or taking away meaningful freedoms.

Forceful words to make a righteous child of God blaspheme His name.

Furiously enraged beyond reason.

How are we to withstand such bombardments?  Stand Firm!  Stand firm against the disguised enemy of God.  Our enemy attempts to isolate believers from the support of other believers.  Our enemy works to intimidate – causing fear!  Real fear.
The enemy of God (and ours), tries to create doubts, especially where we are most vulnerable.

Stand firm!  We are to know our enemy is working to tear down, wear down, and destroy the freedom we have in Christ Jesus.

Stand firm!  We are to trust God to free us from bondage and slavery in any form.

Stand firm!  Against self-pity, self being the motive behind our words and actions.

Stand firm!  In your marriage and in your relationships with other believers.

Stand firm!  Trust God!  Rely on Him!  God is greater than your greatest fear or enemy.

Stand firm!  In the middle of your suffering.  God’s strength, grace, glory is for you.

Stand firm!  With grit – “unyielding courage in face of hardship and danger.”  (anonymous)

Stand Firm Against Your Enemy