withstand and stand

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 firm.

Ephesians 6:13

There are two important Christian lifestyle skills that require strong conviction supplied by Christ Himself for us to accomplish. Paul creates a wonderful illustrative image to help us gain these skills: Christians are to don a spiritual armor supplied by God. It is that armor, described at length in Ephesians 6:14-18, that helps us live with these skills at work in our daily experience.

The first skill in Ephesians 6:13 is withstanding evil.  This is why we need the armor. The world is on the attack against the righteousness of God. It always has been. This was Paul’s expectation. Jesus warned His disciples that we would be hated. We should expect the same. It we choose to live like Jesus, for Jesus, to be changed by Jesus to live in Jesus, we will not go unopposed. And Satan loves to bring Christians who are unarmored to defeat. We are always under attack… always. And armor is defensive not offensive. God keeps us spiritually alive and in His service, but we must actively wear what He provides for our protection. We cannot withstand evil without the gospel, faith, salvation, scripture, and prayer… the elements of our armor.

Not only do we withstand evil, but we can have confidence to stand firm. That is the second skill here at the end of Ephesians 6:13. The armor of God is our strength. The gospel is our strength because good news equips the soul! The salvation found in Christ is our strength because it is our only means of being saved from all that imperils us! Faith keeps us strong because we must believe so that our minds are renewed! The Word of God is strong for us because we cannot trust our own words on any subject. Prayer is a strengthening practice because it works the muscle of our souls to trust the power of God. 

We gain power, strength, and resolve in the armor of God. Evil is deflected. Faith is strengthened. Our security is sure in faith in Jesus Christ. In our armor we are undefeated! Thank You, Lord! May Your people, Christians around the globe, withstand evil and stand firm in salvation, in faith, in prayer, for the gospel, believing and proclaiming Your Word, so that the gospel armor can also cover others You are longing to save!