As Christians we are commanded to stand for Christ, who he is, what he preached and live our lives trying to reflect his works. Yet, standing isn’t just about going to church, saying nightly prayers or even talking to people about Christ when you feel like it; but something much more.
"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 6:13
This verse tells us we need to prepare for the day of evil by putting on the armor of God. Yet, the catch is, everyday is full of evil. Whether you loose your temper with a co-worker or your spouse, gossip with friends, or look at someone who isn’t your spouse in a sexual manner. We are surrounded by evil, but it doesn’t always seem that way. Most of the evil we see everyday we are so accustomed to, our eyes don’t recognize it for what it is. We are blinded by the worldviews and what is accepted as normal, is seen as evil in the eyes of God. As Christians, we all too often find ourselves in situations where, whether it’s a thought or a conversation, we know we participate in this evil.
Battling this evil, though is easy enough. We use the self discipline God gave us to resist the gossiping or staring at the good-looking guy walking down the sidewalk. We use the Spirit within us to fight against the temptations of the flesh and remember we are more than what the world is, because we are in Christ.
However, there comes a time in everyone’s life when the battle hits close to home. Closer than we might want it to, but the devil is wiley and cunning and is out to destroy us all in one way or another. It is in these times, we must take our stand, but not just in Christ, but with our Faith. We must trust God and use the tools He gave us to battle the devil when he comes to visit our homes.
"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of Faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with al kinds of prayers and requests." Ephesians 6:14-18
These are the tools God gave us to battle with, whether it’s to bite our tongue at the cooler or to get our marriage back where it belongs. Standing in faith seems simple, but once the stand is made, it cannot be swayed from. The devil will try to disgruntle and fill you with dismay when things don’t seem to be going right. There will be people who tell you to be wary or not to be naïve while trusting on the Lord, because they have no faith.
However, if you stand firm, if you shout back at the devil who you are and command him to leave. If you close your ears to all those who are not walking in the Lord and do not seek council from those who are not right with God, God will pull you through.
The Lord has walked all ways before us. He knows what is coming and the fights we have ahead in our lives. He prepares us for them, when we open our hearts to Him and listen to His words and commandments. When we pray longer than five minutes and listen to what He wants to tell us in return.
The battles are never ending and draining, but when standing in faith, God will renew you for them each day. Giving into doubt is giving up, but standing firm, against all odds, against all the negativity in the world and trusting God will pull you through has greater rewards than just the end result, but a closer relationship with Him.
Once the storm has passed, if you stand in faith, claim it in faith, believe it no matter the arrows that are thrown your way, no matter how much your heart may be breaking, if you claim it in faith, then God will pull you through.
Remember "For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline." – 2 Timothy 1:7
