Ephesians 6:10-14
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth …”
Paul’s message in Ephesians 6 is that the Lord provides us with the strength and the armor necessary to be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. “Stand” is a key word in this passage. Paul repeats it in verses 11, 13, and 14.
In the Greek text, the word for “stand firm” is steko. As you would expect from the context, it is a military term that defines the heart of the warrior ethos. It defines the warrior spirit. Steko describes three attributes — three disciplines — of a true warrior.
1) Be prepared.
Steko describes a warrior who has been trained to stand firm in battle; it is a warrior who has prepared himself to fight and win. The true warrior is skilled in the use of his weapons. He stands firm because that is what he has been trained to do. Standing firm in today’s world requires training (musar). It requires building discipline and skill into your life so that you are prepared to fight and win the battles you will face.
Never forget the admonition of 1 Timothy 4, which instructs you to strive (agonizomai) and train yourself (gumnazo) and do so with great effort (kopos).
2) Hold your point.
Steko describes a warrior who — in the midst of a battle — holds his position and defeats his enemy. It’s a warrior who holds his point. A warrior is part of a unit, and in that unit he has a position. He has an assignment. The true warrior does his job. He holds his point. He stands firm.
“Stand firm, hold your position, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” (2 Chronicles 20.17)
3) Be relentless
Steko describes a warrior who is relentlessly persistent and continues to stand firm and hold his point not just once, but again and again and again. The true warrior is tenacious. Unrelenting. Relentless.
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16.13).
The verbs in this 1 Corinthians verse express ongoing, continuous action. “Be continuously watchful; keep on standing firm in the faith; keep on acting like men; keep on being strong.” Standing firm is something you continuously do. Never give up. Never give in. Never stop.
Back to Ephesians 6, notice that in verse 13 Paul says that we need the whole armor of God so that we are able to resist the enemy “on the evil day.” This is a reference to specific times when Satan or his minions are targeting you and attacking you, when the enemy knows you are vulnerable and attempts to use a particular situation to discourage, tempt, deceive, or accuse you. These situations are the “evil days,” and if we are not equipped with the full armor of God and operating in his strength, then we will be defeated.
This defeat isn’t permanent, but it is painful. Very painful. And it is painful not just for you, but also for the people around you. Your defeat does not affect just you. That is why Paul says “having done everything, to stand firm.”
When you put together these passages of scripture, a very clear picture emerges. In order to stand firm against the enemy, especially in those situations when we are being targeted, we must be strong in the Lord. That means be humble, mentally tough, alert, trained, and equipped with God’s armor. This is the pathway to victory.
Here is what does not work. Being self-centered, mentally weak, distracted and not paying attention, untrained/unprepared, and lacking in key pieces of God’s armor. This is the pathway to painful defeat.
As a follower of Christ, you are in the arena every day. You are in the battle. Trust God, stand firm, hold your point.
“Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord.” (Philippians 4.1)
