Journal Entry ~ 03/04/18

13 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.

14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, - Ephesians 6:13-14

There is a reason we are told to stand twice in these two verses. As soldiers, we are to remain confident in our expectation that God will fight this battle for us. There are things we need to do to protect ourselves, like putting on the armor, but that is all we’re called to do in the spiritual battles. Stand. Hold our ground. Don’t give up. We can know when we encounter these battles, that God will reign victorious. He will fight the battle for us, and He will win. 

Standing for God does not mean just going along in life, minding your own business, keeping it all to yourself. We are called to be soldiers of the Kingdom - we were made to have an impact. Standing firm does not mean be passive in our stance, the word “firm” means quite the opposite. By definition, firm means not yielding when pressed, not shaking or trembling, steadfast or unwavering. We live in a world where we will be pressed - we may be pressed about our beliefs, or we may just be in situations where we are under pressure - and what spills out of our hearts every time should be glorifying to God. Far too often, though, what spills out is a denial or a downplaying of our faith because we don’t want to offend, a compromise of what we believe, or perhaps the negativity that lives in our heart comes out in the form of impatience or criticism. 

We are called to stand firm in our faith in these difficult moments. Don’t give up any ground to the enemy - don’t give him a foothold in your heart, don’t let him win in a challenging situation with a loved one, don’t give in to temptation. Stand firm in your faith, trusting that God will fight the battle for you, and let all you do be glorifying to the One we know who reigns victorious. 

Press on ~ you are loved 💗