“Put on the whole armor of God.” Ephesians 6.11 NAS
“The man who does not stand for something will fall for anything.”
My thoughts today are about being “ready for battle.”
Today’s verse is all about standing – not falling, not failing, just still standing. The context for today’s Bible verse is about spiritual warfare. You are engaged in that every day, ready or not. Are you ready for battle, and more importantly, ready for victory?
Do you know what you are to stand for? Someone has said, “The man who does not stand for something will fall for anything.” The very things that God gives you for success and victory are also the things of value for which you stand. God provides you with the “belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and the shoes of peace.”
You are to adamantly stand for truth, valiant for what is true, absolutely and completely true. Your enemy, the devil, cannot withstand truth. He deals only in half-truths, or near-truths, but all lies nevertheless. Jesus said of the devil, “he is a liar and the father of all lies, and there is no measure of truth in him.” John 8.44.
You must stand for righteousness, all that is right and only what is right. This starts in your heart and life. On issues of righteousness there is no negotiation, no allowance of wrong whatsoever. To do otherwise is to be weakened when you can least afford to be, while at the same time giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Compromise is not an option.
You should ultimately stand for God’s peace, not relishing the battle, but neither shrinking back from it – in order to insure peace for yourself and others. It is exactly because you stand for these that you will be attacked, and the very reasons you will be victorious.
The enemy’s strategy in warfare is to render you unable or unwilling to resist, effectively removing you from the battle. He can accomplish this by destroying you, seriously wounding you, or demoralizing your expectation of any hope of victory. Standing steadfast for God’s truth, righteousness, and peace will assure you victory in every instance.
“Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, stand therefore . . . “ Ephesians 6.13-14. Do all that you must to stand tall and true for the right at all times. You do so in the power of Jesus’ resurrection.
Paul writes a lengthy chapter to the Corinthians defending the resurrection and masterfully concludes in the most practical way, “Therefore, (in light of the indisputable reality and incomparable power of the resurrection) be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” I Corinthians 15:57-58 NLT.
My prayer for you today is: that you will stand fast for all that is good and Godly.