CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 664

“Stand Firm”

Ephesians 6:11 (ESV) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. … 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.
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While contemplating the command of God to ‘Stand Firm’ I visualized a scene from the movie: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, where Gandalf the Grey, in order to protect the others, is standing his ground on a tiny rock bridge against a giant fire demon. Gandalf stood firm and successfully prevented the demon from pursuing his companions when he emphatically declared: “You cannot pass! … Go back to the shadow. You shall not pass!”

God does not expect us to stand firm in our own strength and abilities. We are commanded to stand firm in the power of the Lord, in the knowledge of Him, and in faith. We are to stand firm wearing His full armor. Standing firm requires a commitment to action on our part. We cannot waver between two opinions. We cannot be lukewarm in our decision to follow Jesus. We need to make a choice and decide to take up and put on the whole armor of God in order to stand firm.

The belt of truth: The belt was used to gird up the robe of their garments in that day in order to be more agile and sure-footed in battle. Possessing the truth of God’s Word in our heart and mind empowers us to withstand the sneak attack of the enemy who seeks to trip us up with subtle counterfeit ‘new-age’ alternative ‘truths’. The belt of truth also affirms our commitment to not speak falsehoods or lies. When we are given to lying we make it easy for the enemy to trip us up and destroy our testimony.

The breastplate of righteousness: The breastplate protects our heart and vital organs. It is the righteousness of Jesus Christ that is imputed to us when we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. It is His righteousness that protects us and keeps us safe until the Lord calls us home.

Shoes for your feet: To advance the kingdom sometimes calls for us to bring the battle to the land of the enemy. The shoes make us ready to advance into the rocky ground of the world bringing the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost.

The shield of faith: Propaganda is used in times of war to shake the confidence and instill fear into the hearts of the opposing force. These are like flaming arrows that penetrate your defenses and bring destruction from within. Our faith is strongest when we abide in Christ. The shield of faith represents His abiding presence in us. This requires our commitment to holiness and purity for our bodies which are the temple of the Holy Spirit.

The helmet of salvation: The helmet protects our head. Assurance of our salvation is critical to defend against the doubt that the enemy seeks to bring to our thoughts. Our salvation came at a steep price paid by Jesus Christ for our sins. Sin begins in our thought life. The helmet of salvation keeps those thoughts from taking root and dragging us down.

The sword of the Spirit: The Word of God, the indwelling Holy Spirit, and our prayers are like a sword used to defeat the enemy. With it we can stand and declare, ‘You shall not pass!’

In the full armor of God we can stand firm in the gap to protect ourselves, our families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, leaders – and yes, even our nation. Rise up and be the church. Choose to stand firm and declare to the enemy: ‘You shall not pass!’

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God