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In order to pass Navy SEAL training, there are a series of long swims that must be completed. One is the night swim.

Before the swim, the instructors joyfully brief the students on all the species of sharks that inhabit the waters off San Clemente. They assure you, however, that no student has ever been eaten by a shark, at least not that they can remember. But you are also taught that if a shark begins to circle your position, stand your ground. Do not swim away. Do not act afraid. And if the shark, hungry for a midnight snack, darts towards you, then summon up all your strength and punch him in the snout, and he will turn and swim away.

There are a lot of sharks in the world. If you hope to complete the swim, then you will have to deal with them. So, if you want to change the world, don’t back down from the sharks.

Sharks are those who wish to instill fear in, or hurt you. Please know that while we think of sharks as far away, most are right by your side, even appearing like your best friend, but can quickly snap and bite when you disagree or stand firm in a truth they don’t like.

Sharks can be in your own church family, your own household, your own circle of friends. Sharks instill fear, attacking when they wish.

Jesus warns about these type of people, saying, “If the people of this world hate you, just remember that they hated me first.” (John 15:18) There’s even people around us who claim to be followers of God who will bite and attack you for standing firm in God’s ways and truths.

So, what do we do?

We stand firm all the same. For too long, followers of God have seen or heard of these sharks attacking churches and our beliefs and thought, “Not here, though. They won’t attack this topic. They won’t go after our beliefs.”

Sharks circle, waiting for a moment to attack.

You know who else is like this? Satan. We’re quick to blame God when things go wrong, forgetting all about what happened to Job.

All his pain and suffering was done by the devil (Read Job chapters 1 and 2).

Peter likened the devil with a lion seeking whom it can devour. So stand firm (Ephesians 6:11,13; 1 Peter 5:9; 1 Corinthians 15:58, 16:13; Philippians 1:27, 4:1).

Punch that shark in the snout with God’s word. Don’t back down. Don’t

give up.

Just keep swimming to the goal.