by Lauri Campbell, Affiliation Coordinator

"Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."(Ephesians 6:11,13) 

The command to “stand firm” is repeated in this passage and elsewhere in Scripture. What does it mean to “stand firm?”

The Greek verb is (histēmi), meaning "to stand, set, or place". There’s a military implication here, referring to a soldier holding their position firmly in battle. The imagery is of an individual soldier holding their position while undergoing an assault.

Sound familiar? 

You’re likely no stranger to “spiritual forces of evil,” and yet day after day, we have to get up and get right back in the fight. 

How?

• Keep our eyes on Jesus
   ” ...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
  (Hebrews 12:2-3)
  
  As disciples of Jesus Christ, we must constantly look to His example for us when faced with warfare. He endured! He gives us the grace and strength to do the same.

• Keep our eyes on our assigned position
  In John 21, Jesus appears to the disciples for a 3rd time since rising from the dead. He reinstates Peter (after his three denials), and an interesting conversation ensues. 
  
  Jesus has just charged Peter to “Follow me.” Peter looks up, sees John, and asks, “‘Lord, what about him?’ Jesus answered, If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.’”(John 21:21-22)
  
  As Believers, we’ve all been given an individual mission, and we must keep our eyes on our own position or assignment.  It’s difficult to stand firm with our necks cranked in various directions, looking at the duties or roles of others.

• Keep a humble heart
  “Pride goes before destruction.”(Proverbs 16:18a)
  
  Humility protects us from destruction and from falling out of a firm stance.
  
  The Prophet, Micah, instructs: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”(Micah 6:8)

• Have an unshakable faith in God
  “Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”(Ephesians 6:16)
  
  While standing firm, we will encounter accusations, deceptions, and temptations. That’s what the shield of faith is for. To extinguish those assaults quickly and not allow them to take root or gain any ground in your life.

• Have a grateful heart
  "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."(1Thessalonians 5:18)
  
  Even with our feet firmly planted, we can experience discouragement. The discipline of counting our blessings is the best weapon against a “woe is me” attitude. By simply listing all the things we have to be thankful for and giving praise, our despondency will begin to shrink as our gratitude for our faithful God grows.

• Have a forgiving heart
  “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”(Colossians 3:13)
  
  The whole Gospel is based on forgiveness. God forgave us. We’re commanded to forgive others. Unforgiveness is a sure-fire way to lose our footing because it tortures us.
  
  In Matthew 18, Jesus tells a parable about a man who refuses to forgive someone even after he has been forgiven. And Jesus describes the consequences of that unforgiveness as being like torture. 

Put on the full armor and plant your feet firmly on The Rock.  PRAISE GOD, He has given us everything we need to: stand firm, stand our ground, and after all is said and done, STAND!

Prayer 

Lord Jesus, we put on the full armor of God, so that we will be able to stand firm against the scheme of the enemy and so that when the day of evil comes, we will be able to stand our ground. After we have done everything else you have commanded us to do, teach us to stand. Jesus, we want to be found steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the works of you. May we be on the alert, standing firm in the faith as well as resisting our enemy. We know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings, and we ask you to help them stand as well, God. Help us to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. May others see that we are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. We give you all the honor and glory, God. Thank you for the strength to stand firm.
Amen.

(references: Ephesians 6:11,13, 1 Corinthians 15:58, 1 Corinthians 16:1 & 3, Philippians 1:27 & 4:1, 1 Peter 5:9)