Sometimes out of nowhere, it seems, a Bible verse strikes my heart like an arrow shot from God’s bow. This recently happened with a phrase from Ephesians 6:13: “and having done everything, to stand firm.”
Often the cry of my heart has been, “God, I have done everything I know to do. I have prayed every prayer, confessed every promise, muttered every Christian cliché. Now what?” This verse struck me as God’s answer. It is not, however, the one I really wanted.
This exhortation to stand firm is smack in the middle of Paul’s teaching about spiritual warfare and putting on the full armor of God. Being still a boy at heart, I like the idea of putting on armor, but it is disappointing that after putting on the armor, we are told simply to “stand firm”.
I have always hoped for something more swashbuckling. I grew up on Zorro, Robin Hood, and Ivanhoe. I would rather spur my horse and drive the point of my lance into the enemy or swing my sword expertly at Satan. But there is no mistaking Paul’s point here in Ephesians; three times he tells us to stand and once to resist.
I must confess, however, the longer I have lived the more I value people who simply stand—and don’t fall. I think we all need people who year after, trial after trial, stand firm in their faith. I quick sprint through the New Testament reveals the tremendous importance of endurance, overcoming, and perseverance. These days I am quicker to treasure believers for their perseverance than their gifts.
In early days of Christian faith in England, monks often carved and erected stone wayside crosses to guide travelers through fen and bog, rain and fog. When leaders fall into sin, or worse, secretly live a life of sin, it tears your heart out and leaves you wandering in a fog of doubt and pain. Those who wear God’s armor and stand firm in the fog can guide us safely home.
Standing may not feel much like warfare, but it is the same cosmic warfare that Job did when he refused to curse God. We frustrate the lie of Satan that God is enthroned on our praise only because of the blessings He has given us. Against the lie of the enemy, we testify that when even our wounds have wounds God is worthy to be praised. The waves of the world snarl and break themselves against us like the storm breaking around a lighthouse. We stand and by standing, shine.
We also stand by never letting go of the truth about who God is and who we are. The very first lie to Adam and Eve raised a question as to whether God was truly good. The serpent argued that the fruit of the forbidden tree was off limits because God didn’t them to become gods like Him. In other words, God could not be trusted. This lie against God’s character is often the beginning of all falls from grace and corruption of leadership.
Satan is called the accuser of the brethren because after he has tempted us, Satan throws a fit and demands God punish us. We stand firm by taking refuge in Jesus, his forgiveness, his cleansing of our soul. We stand firm as children of God, destined for glory and life eternal. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus lives in us. When Satan comes pounding on the door, we can say, “Jesus, will you get that?”
We also stand firm when we refuse to stop loving. Few things are as boring as standing. Few things make us as weary as loving and serving others. But Satan’s schemes relentlessly to divide God’s people. We stand by being unoffendable, day after day, year after year. If day by day we let God’s love pour into our hearts, time and trouble cannot exhaust our love for others.
I wrestle with hard questions. I struggle with how to hear God’s voice and not my own noisy heart. I often don’t know when trials are the will of God or the attack of the enemy or some third thing. I have come to doubt any promises from God except those given to all believers in Scripture. I am, however, certain God has said, “When you don’t understand, stand!”
