“Stand Firm!”

“Stand Firm!”(Eph.6:10-17).
Thousands of people died during the wars of the Crusades that were fought to recover the Holy Land. The Huguenots of France suffered severe persecution for being Protestants. The infamous Inquisition was set up to root out and punish heresy. It lasted for hundreds of years and the severity of its tortures cannot be gainsaid.
The hundreds of thousands of lives that were lost during the Crusades, the Inquisition and the Huguenots persecution would not have been necessary if it had been considered that “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.”
Our place of battle is not here, so it cannot be physical.
To win in spiritual warfare is not to launch any human attack. Victory comes when you are still, and allow the Lord to fight for you (Ex.14:14).
The weapons Paul prescribes for spiritual struggles are more defensive than launching offensive.
Just as the struggle is invisible, so too are the weapons that we must use.
Firstly, “be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power,” for it is not by might nor by power but by the Lord’s Spirit that mountains can be removed.
There are no half measures. A soldier going into battle is clad in full military gear. We too must put on the full armor of God so that “you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”
We put on the full armor of God not to go to fight, but rather that “when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. “Stand firm then” with the following military attire: “belt of truth,” meaning standing for the truth always.
“Breastplate of righteousness.” A breastplate is not a weapon of attack, it is worn to cover the chest. This is to say, protect yourself with righteousness.
“feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” Those who go to war do so to win with the use of arms. But Christians should rather proclaim peace to war mongers.
“take up the shield of faith.” A shield is not a weapon of attack. It is used as protection against blows or missiles. Faith in the Lord protects us against the enemy.
“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.” Again a helmet is a cap to protect the head. The Spirit leads us in the way of truth and righteousness. Praying in the Spirit should be on all occasions.
The summary of the matter is that in our struggles against the enemy, we do not attack. We defend and the Lord fights for us. We do not defeat our enemies by giving them blows. Rather, we defeat them by developing skills to dodge all their blows!
Weekend prayer: Thank you Lord for equiping us in our struggles against the devil’s schemes. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!
Rev Babila Fochang.