Ephesians 6:11-15 “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness.”

When we think in terms of the warfare that we are in, the word ‘stand’ is very important to being strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. We are told that we are to resist the devil and he will flee. When we take our stand this is exactly what we are doing.

We saw that one of the ways that we can be strong in the Lord is to consider the promises that He has given us. However, what sometimes happens is that rather than standing on the promise that He has given we flee or turn away.

We have the flesh, the world and the devil that we contend with and God has given us three ways that we are to fight. When it comes to the flesh, Paul told the young man Timothy to flee youthful lusts. So, when it comes to the flesh instead of trying to resist we must FLEE. With the devil we are to resist and he will flee. Often, we get the two mixed up – we try to fight the devil like we fight the flesh and it does not work. We will lose every time. When it comes to the world we are told not to be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind.

In the Greek, the word to stand brings out the idea pulling ourselves together to be ready for conflict. Peter said: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you.”  (1 Peter 4:12) We need to recognize that trials, tribulations and conflicts will come our way. This is life here on planet earth until Christ comes and makes all things new. When these trials do come we need to make sure that we do not give in to thoughts of self-pity that come crowding into our minds and hearts, like, “Why me, Lord?”

We see this in Matthew 16 when Jesus asked his disciples who He was and Peter said “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Later Jesus said that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer and die on the cross and Peter rose up and said, “Forbid it Lord.” What he was really saying was ‘pity yourself, why should you die, what have you done wrong?’

But Jesus rebukes Peter that this type of thinking was of the enemy – Satan – and then He said: “Pick up your cross and follow me!” Instead of pitying ourselves we need to deny ourselves and follow Christ. I would say that one of the greatest sins is self-pity, being sorry for oneself and allowing to enter into the mind thoughts which cast down what God’s love, goodness, care and His great promises are for us.

So when the problems, trials, persecutions, etc. come because of the spiritual warfare that we are in we should not be surprised, but also at the same time we should not be frightened either. The one who is frightened is the one who will flee. We are to stand. Peter said: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” (1 Peter 5:8-10) Paul was saying the same thing to the Christians at Philippi: “…and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.” (Philippians 1:28)

In this spiritual battle or in any battle we cannot be half-hearted; we cannot be ‘straddling the fence.’ If we are uncertain in the fight – we will lose. Being doubtful we will fight badly and we know from James that a “double minded man is unstable in all of his ways.” (James 1:8) To be honest, if we find reading the Word of God is a task that must be performed or prayer being a drudge instead of a joy in having communion with the Ruler of the universe then I would say that we are already defeated because of half-heartedness in the battle that we are in.

We are in this battle to win and win we will if we take our stand and not give up.

So we are to take the position that God has given us. A good example of this is in 2 Chronicles 20 where Jehoshaphat the king of Israel heard that a great multitude was coming against him. He sought the Lord and said: “we do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.” Later he was given the instructions that they would go down to the Valley and told that they would not need to fight in this battle, but position themselves, stand still and see the salvation of God.

This is a battle between God and Satan and God will win, but will we; will we lose more than we should?

Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”

Do we believe the word that is mentioned above? We find that God is asking some important questions and we need to answer them if we want to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, because our answers will determine our strength in the ‘evil day.’ So how do we answer the first question: Does he speak and then not act? And the second one: Does he promise and not fulfill?”

God tells us in Deuteronomy 8:3 “that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Every day we need to remind ourselves of the great promises of God in His Word. His promise is that He will be with us. We are told in Matthew 28:20 “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Knowing that He was with me is the promise that I held onto in the early days of my ministry. His Presence brought me through many trials, tribulations and fears!

God told Joshua, who was ‘stepping into the shoes of Moses’ to lead the Children of Israel into the Promised Land: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) You might think that this was only a promise to Joshua, but what about me, His servant, today? Is God with me? YES He is, and He reminds us of the same promise given to the Hebrew Christians in Hebrews 13:5-6 “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’”

This is something that we need to be reminding ourselves of constantly when we are going through a hard severe trial or evil day. Remember what God said: He is with us, He will never leave us. I often tell my daughters “as your days are, so shall your strength be.” (Deuteronomy 33:25) I do not need strength for tomorrow, because it has not yet come and I do not need strength for yesterday because it is already past. I need strength for today and that is what God promises. So, learn to live one day at a time. God was teaching the Children of Israel in the wilderness this lesson by giving them manna to eat for the day only.

We know from Matthew 6 with the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount – that we have a tendency to worry about tomorrow (our future): “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:34) Again God is telling us to live one day at a time and in that day we will have the strength that is needed to carry on. That is His promise.

We are told in Hebrews that we have a high priest (Jesus Christ) who has been tempted in all points of life – just like us, yet without sin, and He now sits at the right hand of the Father defending His own. We can now come to the throne of grace and obtain mercy in the time of need. What a promise that we can take hold of that enables us to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

We also have the Holy Spirit – as His seal to our inheritance with Him, as well as down payment for what is to come. But also, there are times when we need special authority or a word of knowledge, etc. I know in preaching many times something is said, unknown to me that the Holy Spirit brings to the hearers: conviction, enlightenment, encouragement, etc.

Also, we find that during times of trial Scripture will come to our mind. When I lost a brother and sister in a fiery car crash it was an ‘evil day’ for me. I remember walking across the lawn and I heard a voice in back of me saying: “All things work together for good,” and then it stopped. I turned around to see who was speaking, but there was no one there. I found out later that this was Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” I cannot say that I loved God then, because I did not know Him at that time. Perhaps that is why only the words all things work together for good were used and not the rest. Looking back, I see how this accident brought me to the Lord as well as into the ministry later on. It had been His Purpose.

There are many examples in Scripture regarding what is being said about His Promises to the saints. Remember: God is not a man that He should lie; what He says will come to pass and what He promises will be true! Amen!

Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

My wife and I go to the gym to exercise because we need it to maintain health and our immune systems to battle sickness, disease, etc. Along with that we need to eat right, and what is true for the physical body is no different for the spiritual aspect of our lives. To be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might we must exercise.

First, we are told that we are to run with patience. This means ‘patient endurance’ and we see that this is one of the secrets of the Christian life. In the New Testament, the idea of spiritual exercise comes out. In Ephesians we are told to be strong in the Lord and to stand. In Hebrews we are told to run with patience. In Jude it brings out that we are to build ourselves up in the most holy faith. What we find is that instead of doing nothing the Christian life ought to be filled with activity, stamina and a life of exertion.

We see that the author of Hebrews is telling Hebrew Christians and us as well what to do during ‘their evil day.’ The Hebrews were having great trouble and about ready to give up like many are today. We find that the author of Hebrews does not mince words, but gives a very stern warning. He is not patting them on the back and giving them a sentimental message, but instead reminds them that in the world they will have persecution. Part of being strong in the Lord is to understand this.

The author of Hebrews reminds them and us that we are to pay careful attention to what we have heard lest we drift. Many of God’s people are drifting, because it is the easiest thing to do. It is easy to drift with the current of the time instead of going against the flow with the Lord’s instructions. We see in Hosea how the Israelites went to Egypt (the world) for help and found out that their calling from God became a mockery because Egypt could not deliver them, and this is true of the world as well when it comes to our faith and calling in Christ. We are to look forward to the hope that we have in Christ Jesus. What we have now is a shadow of the reality that is to come.

In chapter 5 of Hebrews we see what the problem was with the Hebrew Christians which is also the problem with many today. They were babies and needed milk. In Hebrews 5:11 we read that they were ‘dull’ in hearing. The word ‘dull’ means sluggish, lazy or even stupid.

Dakes commentary brings out: “Milk-feeding was a metaphor used by many writers, both sacred and profane, to express the first principles of religion and science. They applied sucking to learning; infant to every beginner; and meat to those who had learned the first principles of truth.”

We need to learn to exercise our senses regarding the Word of God. So often we try to live on a verse here and there and it does not work. We need to dig in, read and study it. We need to meditate on what we read and when we do not fully understand we can go to the Holy Spirit and ask for wisdom and He will lead us into all truth. Look at the great saints of old in Hebrews 11 and how they spent time with God in prayer and in the meditation of the Word.

We concentrate on evangelism and that is good, but the way to evangelize is to build up one another (the church). We are told in Hebrews 10:24 “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works.” The word stir is the same word used in Acts 15:39 where Paul and Barnabas had a “sharp” disagreement over John Mark. The word for “stir” is a strong word. It would be like getting a kick in the pants to get going. Quit feeling sorry for yourself. You have a ‘blessed hope,’ you have angels encamped around you, you have the Word of God and the help of the Holy Spirit, etc. This seems to be what the author of the Hebrews is telling the Hebrew Christians and I believe telling us as well.

So what are we to do? Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The word “looking” means to ‘consider.’ So, to be “strong in the Lord and the power of His might” we consider Jesus. He is our example. This is why the reading of the four gospels is so important.

Psalms 31:24 “Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the Lord.”

In this spiritual warfare God is calling us to be ‘strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.’ I have been asking the question: What does this mean and how can we put this truth into action?

We can be strong in the Lord by knowing what is waiting for us known as the “blessed hope.” We realize that this life is passing away; we are on a journey and the real thing is yet to come. This life is only the shadow of the reality to come.

The patriarchs of old are examples for us. Abraham went out not knowing where he was going, but he knew Who was going with him. And like Moses, they were all seeking a city whose builder and maker is God. In other words, they had their eye on the glory to come.

1 John 3:2-3 tells us: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.”

Hope is a powerful emotion. But it is this “blessed hope” that keeps us strong in the Lord and also wanting to live a life of purity, to be more like Jesus. We will see Jesus face to face when we stand before Him. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8

To be able to put this into practice is to realize that when we became born-again a seed was planted in us of “new life.” To see this new life grow we must feed it and this is where the Word of the Lord comes in.

As it is to maintain our physical body – so it is with our spiritual life: just like we try to eat healthy foods, not junk food, we want to feed our spirit on the Word of God and not the junk that we see, hear and are bombarded with every day. We know from John 6:53-60 that Jesus is our food and we also know from John 1 that He is the Word and this is what we must give time to. Didn’t Moses say that we should live on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God?

The Bible gives us knowledge and true understanding that builds us up and makes us strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Timothy was to remain strong by remembering the things that he was taught by Paul and others. This too is something that we must have and remember. We forget too easily what is true and eternal, especially when things are not going our way.

The situation was pretty bad for Nehemiah and his team as they were building the wall around Jerusalem. In some ways it was a super-human undertaking with many obstacles and enemies trying to stop them. What did Nehemiah do? “And I looked, and arose and said to the nobles, to the leaders, and to the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.’” Nehemiah 4:14

Like us, they had a rich inheritance that they could look back on; Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt; Joshua and the battles fought in taking over the Promised land; King David and the victories that came about because God was with him. So Nehemiah says: “Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”

Nehemiah talked to the builders of the Jerusalem’s wall, Paul spoke to Timothy about faith, hope and love, as well as to us – challenging us to remember the Lord. He is the King of Kings and this battle is between God and Satan, and God will win!

Part of remembering is the power of prayer. This is another thing that can give us strength, vigor and insight. Prayer is not just petitioning God, it is our communication/fellowship with the living God.

When I am driving in the car I do not like to listen to the radio, but instead I communicate with God. What a privilege we have been given in how Jesus opened the way for us with His own body and blood to communicate with God! Jesus offers us an invitation in Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” This is not an evangelistic message, but reminding us to have communion with the living God.

The greatest saints have always been men of prayer, spending a lot of time in prayer.

Knowing that the battle is the Lord’s does not mean that we do not fight, because we do have our part in the battle. We have not been called to passivity, but to be fully engaged in this battle between God and Satan. We know that in this battle we are to be “strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.” The question is: how do we connect these two things: God’s power and our involvement?

It comes down to our activity in the sphere that He has given us to work in. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10 that he would not go beyond the sphere that God gave him. We too have a sphere that God has called us to and in that sphere is where we are to be fully engaged, to be active in the power that He gives. We are told in Hebrews 2:18 “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

Just as here on earth Jesus depended on His Heavenly Father, so too we depend on Jesus. He will not do it for us, but He will help us. He will not take away the problems, the obstacles, but He will be with us and help us to overcome.

In Judges 3:1-2 we see that the Lord left some nations in Israel, to test those who had not known war and to teach future generations about war.  This is the same for us today. Victory was won 2000 years ago, but God still allows the enemy certain limited authority (like being on a leash) to teach us how to overcome, how to fight, how to be victorious. We find this same truth coming out in Romans 8:26-27 in being strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. The Spirit of God helps us in the time of need.

When the army came against him, Jehoshaphat did not know what to do, so he went to the Lord and God told him what to do. First, do not be afraid or discouraged. When the enemy comes in like a flood, we should not be discouraged or afraid. Jehoshaphat was reminded again that the battle is not his, but the Lord’s. This is a truth that we need to keep in mind. Next he was not to flee or run away, but to go down against them, and take up their position. We see in this that God fought the battle, but there were things that they had to do in taking up their position against the enemy.

We are told in Philippians 2:12-13, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” God does not say here – ‘let go and let God,’ but just the opposite. I am to work out what God has put in me. This seems impossible, but “it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

The question that comes is how do we work this out in practicalities? Paul is an example for us in this regard. In Acts 18:9-10 Paul is in Corinth where there was much opposition, but through a vision in the night the Lord spoke and said: “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city.” Acts 18:9-10

Paul was made strong in the Lord by a vision and with the assurance that God was with him. In Acts 27 in the voyage to Rome by ship we see the same thing with Paul when a fierce storm came and it looked like they all would die. An angel stood by Paul and encouraged him and told him what to do. It was through this that Paul was made strong in the Lord and the power of His might. In the same way we too can find instruction and encouragement in the Lord.

We find in 1 Samuel 30 with King David that the Amalekites came and attacked Ziglag while David and his men were away and took away everything, even their wives and children. David’s men were so upset that they were about to stone David, but we read, “David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.”

How do we strengthen ourselves in the Lord? I believe that there are a number of ways. One for me has been with the Word of God. Often the Lord has given me a word that helped me through a difficult decision that I had to make. We are sometimes strengthened through members of the Body of Christ. What I find uplifting is when people come and share what the Lord has been speaking to them. This encourages me. Or someone comes with a personal word for me. It might be a sermon that the pastor gave, or whatever. But in any case – we are strengthened in the Lord.

However, it is important to never forget the truth that the battle is the Lord’s and not my own individual battle. If we have been born again we must remember who and what we are. We are children of the Most High God and we go forth in His power and in His might.