Stand Firm

Ephesians 6:10-13

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 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.

Examine / Explain

To the church in Ephesus, Paul is stating that we are in a battle by revealing a set of clothing we need to put on. We need a set of armor that comes from God. Spiritual in nature, for the battle is not what we can see but what we can’t see. There are three levels of fighting listed here: rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers. Evil’s first line of attack is the rulers. The beginning of our resistance is low-level but just as dangerous. We are to stand our ground. Even though he will list out defensive protection and an offensive weapon, we don’t have to go out looking for fights. We will get them while standing firm in our faith.

How do I apply this to my life?

The fog of war. Can I live life in situational awareness? Do I understand my capabilities in the battles that rage all around me? Am I able to grasp the full extent of my adversary? As a believer, I know of spiritual warfare, but do I understand it? Do I blame too many “bad things” in my life on the devil? We do live in a broken world. Satan is not omnipresent, and applying the level mentioned in these verses, I don’t think I’m directly engaged with cosmic powers. But still, we are all still engaged. Watching some news and knowing that the world is in a spiritual battle allows us to see the same spiritual fights over and over again. What is my part in the fights? Am I simply to stand firm exactly where I am resisting the evil day? It can be exhausting. Is that because I am not using the full armor God has given me? I’m attempting to fight spiritual battles through my flesh? Can I walk through this life without fear of the supernatural? Can I see the “unexplained” for what it is? There is no neutral ground. The war is won, but we are in the battles, and we are either moving toward Christ by resisting evil, or we are moving away because we indulge in our flesh.

What is my response?

Father, clear my head from the fog. Allow me to see clearly. Help be fight the right fights. I don’t want to waste my time fighting a fight that means nothing in the end. My home is in a kingdom in heavenly places. Let me keep that mind set daily. When things don’t go my way, what does it matter? When I don’t get what I want, what does it matter? It’s about being intentionally relational. You are perfect relationally and you created us to be image bearers. We lose sight of this and fight with each other. We disagree in our own churches and the lost look at us as no different than they are. We must live a life of love that reflects Jesus. The enemy uses smoke and mirrors to distort and get people to think they are doing well. Teach us to sit with You, pray, and live it out. Amen.