Stand firm in the armor of god
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 6:13-14)
My husband and I enjoy a good war movie. We love watching soldiers courageously standing their ground in the face of a dangerous and armed enemy. We are inspired by the endurance these heroes have in suffering to the point of torture or even death because of their deep convictions and commitment for a worthy cause.
In Ephesians 6:10-16 it says, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.For our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
In scripture we are warned of a spiritual war at play and are instructed to arm ourselves against the devil and his tactics. My love for war movies allows me to visualize (to a degree) what it’s like to stand firm in the face of adversity and reminds me how we need to prepare for the unseen battle we face each and every day in the spiritual realm.
“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 come from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:14-15)
To “stand firm” does not mean complacent waiting. Actually, standing firm is an effective battle strategy that requires our active participation.
“In the Greek text, the word for “stand firm” is steko. As you would expect from the context, it is a military term that defines the heart of the warrior ethos. It defines the warrior spirit. Steko describes three attributes — three disciplines — of a true warrior.” (Tim knight)
The three attributes of a warrior are: (1) To be prepared, (2) To hold your position, and (3) To be relentless.
TO BE PREPARED
When we are told to put on the full Armor of God, we are called to prepare for any and all possibilities. One important way to prepare for battle is to put on the proper gear. God equips us with spiritual gear for a spiritual battle.
“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.” (Ephesians 6:14-17)
God has provided us His protection by giving us the Holy Spirit within us and His mighty armor surrounding us.
“Steko describes a warrior who has been trained to stand firm in battle; it is a warrior who has prepared himself to fight and win. The true warrior is skilled in the use of his weapons. He stands firm because that is what he has been trained to do. Standing firm in today’s world requires training (musar). It requires building discipline and skill into your life so that you are prepared to fight and win the battles you will face.” (Tim Knight)
TO HOLD YOUR POSITION
Each of us is given a position to take - an assignment that God has tasked us with. Sometimes our assignment is to wait. For example, we believe God has my husband in a wait and watch position. Everything within my husband is desiring to push forward, and to pursue. Yet God’s instructions to him in this specific situation is to “hold.” My husband is tempted to ignore this instruction, but because God says “Hold” - we must wait with eyes pinned on Christ for instruction, despite the urge to move!
“Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” (2 Chronicles 20.17)
“Standing Firm” (steko) is a strong and intentional stance of holding your ground and watching for the next order.
TO BE RELENTLESS
Lastly, a warrior who has steko must be relentless. To be relentless means to be persistent in your cause, persistent in your position, persistent in your duty. This is the attribute I admire greatly from the soldiers who fight for their cause and their country. Warriors do not give up or give in to the enemy unto death! This type of commitment causes me to ponder these questions:
Are we relentless for the Gospel?
Are we relentless in our day-to-day spiritual battles? Or are we unarmed and unaware?
“In order to stand firm against the enemy, especially in those situations when we are being targeted, we must be strong in the Lord. That means be humble, mentally tough, alert, trained, and equipped with God’s armor. This is the pathway to victory” (Tim Knight).
The Good News is this: We do not need to fear the enemy and his schemes when we remember that God equips us, prepares us, and leads us to victory through Christ Jesus and through the power of the Holy Spirit!
“Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel." (Philippians 1:27)