Ephesians 6:11, 13-14
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore......
Our first instruction was to be strong, not in our strength, but His. Now the second instruction is to stand. Standing is often associated with idleness, but this is what we are commanded to do, and the very reason we should put on the armour. "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand." "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand." The very purpose of putting on this armour is to stand. Be very sure you will not be able to stand if you don't. You would think that all this armour was for us to run into the battle with "guns blazing" but all that is said is that we should stand. The truth is, it takes more faith to stand than to fight, I'm reminded of all the people who put on this armour and stood. The Israelites were between a sea that would drown them and an army that would slaughter them, either way, death was certain. Then God spoke up, He didn't say fight and see the salvation of the Lord, or run and see the salvation of the Lord but the instructions given in Exodus 14:13 was "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD..." When an army was pursuing when a sea was stopping them all they had to do was stand still. Stand, when every fiber of your being says run, Stand when your emotions rise and everything in you screams fight. Standing in a situation like that takes greater strength than running or fighting, Standing, while the adversary breathes down your neck and cold chills run up your back is only possible if you have put on the whole armour of God. This is no physical armour because the fight we are engaged in is no physical fight. It is a Spiritual armour to keep us standing when we want to run, we want to quit, when the fiery darts of satan are flying in our direction.
"Having done all to stand" This standing in the evil day will require greater strength than you have, that is why we are commanded to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Our strength will dry up just a few moments into the battle but His will never run dry. Imagine the Strength to stand that was displayed in our Lord when He stood before Pilot and Herod speechless. He knew what would be done, he knew the suffering He would endure but He stood. Imagine the strength it took in the Garden of Gethsemane, as He sweat great drops of blood, and still, His prayer was "Nevertheless, not my will but thine." What strength to stand, what strength to endure hardness, what a well of enduring strength we have in our precious Saviour! He set His face toward Jerusalem like a flint and endured the shame and suffering of the Cross. Hallelujah, what a Savior!!
Dear reader, you may find yourself in a similar situation, where standing is all there is to do. You are in good company, Israel stood, the Three Hebrew boys stood and so should we. Stand, do all to stand and withstand. It will take every ounce of strength you have, but the moment yours runs dry rely on His unfailing, neverending, eternal supply of strength and might. This standing will be a fight, not of the outward members but the inward. You'll fight fear, anxiety, and an overwhelming sense of certain defeat but stand therefore having the loins of your mind girt about with truth. The truth of God protects our minds in this standing fight. Every lying dart that is thrown at you by satan is quenched with the truthful water of the Word. Standing is the first command and is half of the fight and if you can stand then you can get to the heat of the battle mentioned in verse 18, "Praying always with all Supplication." This is the fight we are called to, standing and supplicating. So,
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Onward Christian Soldiers!!
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