Ephesians 6:13, “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.”
Whether you like it or not, you are in a battle. This battle has been going on since the Garden of Eden. Long before you ever were born the sides were determined and the battle line drawn. On one side is the devil with those who choose to follow him in rebellion. Their motto is, “My will be done.” On the other side is Jesus along with all who follow Him in humility. Their motto is, “Not my will, but God’s will be done.”
This battle is not fought with swords, guns or any other kind of earthly weapons, but rather with arguments and beliefs (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). This is not a battle just for the strongest men among us or for those who enlisted in the military. This is a spiritual battle that by its very nature enlists every man, woman and child.
No one can avoid the battle of the ages- everyone is on a side fighting for what they believe in.
The good news is that Jesus came two thousand years ago and defeated our enemy and destroyed his kingdom (1 John 3:8). The bad news is not everyone has switched sides. Sadly, many have already suffered defeat and are now in hell waiting to be cast into the lake of fire with the devil and his demons. Eternity is at stake in this battle and only those who confess Jesus as their Lord and King will be saved and given victory.
For those of us who have switched sides and are now reborn into the Kingdom of God, we are commanded to put the whole armor of God on and stand our ground. We are to stand our ground until we die or Jesus comes back and establishes His Kingdom on earth. We may not know how the devil will fight against us, but we can be sure of this- his attacks will come. Some battles may involve our families, others our communities; but all of them will be designed to attack our mind and try to get us to surrender our faith. No matter what battle we face, we should always remember- “greater is He that is within us than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
I challenge you to put on the full armor of God and stand your ground and when you have done everything you can- continue to stand. If you should stumble and fall, quickly get back up and stand your ground again. If people leave you or hurt you, continue to stand your ground. Even when you’re tempted to think the battle will never end, don’t give up but rather praise God in the midst of your trials and stand your ground. No matter what happens, no matter what troubles you face, no matter how many times the devil attacks you- stand.
Here are three ways to stand your ground; (1) Build your life on the foundation of God’s Word (Matthew 7:24-27), (2) Put on the whole armor of God and never take it off (Ephesians 6:13-18) and (3) Depend upon God in prayer for victory in every battle you face (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Martin Luther boldly said during the reformation in the midst of a trial; “Here I stand, I can do no other, God help me.”
Reflection
Are you willing to stand your ground?
Action
- Explain from the Bible why you should stand your ground.
- Pray that God will use you to reach out to those who have been defeated by the enemy.
- Resources:“God’s General’s,” by Roberts Liardon & “Foxe’s Book of Martyrs,” by John Foxe.
One Year Reading Plan
Malachi 3:1-4:6, Revelation 22:1-21, Psalm 150:1-6, & Proverbs 31:25-31. Click here to read online.
