Stand Firm – Week Three

Have you ever felt dizzy or unsteady? A few years ago, I had some health problems that made my body weak. At times I had the sensation that the room was moving. Or other times, I would be walking, and my legs would suddenly feel shaky. As you can probably guess, this forced me to slow down and rest. 

Often our physical bodies can teach us much about the spiritual life. Just as that dizziness and weakness signaled my body to slow down, when we experience unsteadiness or instability within ourselves, that is a signal for us to slow down and pay attention. If our physical body rarely recovers without care, how much more our hearts and souls!

It is right into the battlefield of our lives that Paul speaks this challenge, “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:13 NASB) Our circumstances are frequently an invitation from God to steady ourselves in Him. When everything around us is unstable, we can know God’s strength and power in new ways. 

A few sentences before Paul instructs us to put on God’s armor, he states, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.” (Ephesians 6:10) The choice to stand firm is directly connected to knowing and believing the truth. This word “finally” is important because it signals us to look back to the rest of Paul’s letter. It is as if he is saying, in light of all that I have shared with you – now, be strong in God. 

Recently, I took the time to carefully read through Ephesians and summarize a few of the key truths, and I want to share them with you:

• We are saints (1:2)
• We are blessed with every spiritual blessing (1:3)
• God chose us in Him before the foundation of the world (1:4)
• We have redemption through the blood of Jesus (1:7)
• We have been sealed with the Holy Spirit (1:13)
• Everything in heaven and earth is subject to Jesus (1:22)
• When we were dead in our sin, God made us alive (2:5)
• Our faith rests on God and not our works (2:8-9)
• We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (2:10)
• We were strangers, but God brought us near to Him through the blood of Jesus (2:13)
• Jesus is our peace (2:14)
• God can do far more than we can ever ask, think, or imagine (3:20)
• We are called to walk in a manner worthy of this calling (4:1)
• To live with humility, gentleness, patience, and unity (4:2-3)
• To use our spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ (4:11-12)
• To set aside falsehood and speak truth (4:25)
• To let no unwholesome talk come out of our mouths (4:29)
• To be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving (4:32)
• To be imitators of God (5:1)
• To walk in love in the same way Jesus sacrificially loved us (5:2)
• To remove immorality, impurity, and greed from our lives (5:3)
• To walk wisely, making the most of our time in these evil days (5:15-16)
• To sing and make melody in our heart to God (5:19)
• To always give thanks (5:20)
• To submit to one another out of fear of Christ (5:21)

Strengthening ourselves is a decision to consider who God is, who we are, and what really matters. If you haven’t read the book of Ephesians lately, I encourage you to set aside some time to read it through – listening to God’s instruction and claiming His truth. 

Remember, when you feel unsteady, it is a signal of your need for God’s power and strength. He is the one who makes you strong. He is the one who fights the battle. But He is calling you to stand firm, know the truth, and be on your guard. 

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“Finally, let the Lord make you strong. Depend on his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor. Then you can remain strong against the devil’s evil plans. Our fight is not against human beings. It is against the rulers, the authorities, and the powers of this dark world. It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly world. So put on all of God’s armor. Evil days will come. But you will be able to stand up to anything. And after you have done everything you can, you will still be standing. So remain strong in the faith. Put the belt of truth around your waist. Put the armor of godliness on your chest. Wear on your feet what will prepare you to tell the good news of peace. Also, pick up the shield of faith. With it, you can put out all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Put on the helmet of salvation. And take the sword of the Holy Spirit. The sword is God’s word.” Ephesians 6:10-16 NIRV