A Time to Stand
Carlos J. Craig | Texas Conference President
In Ephesians 6:13, we find the following challenge: “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!”
Two things immediately leap off the printed word. Number one, we live in that “evil day.” Secondly, we are instructed to do “all, to stand!” As we look around us in the world today, there is no doubt that iniquity and corruption abound. Lying is the admired virtue, or lack thereof, of the hour. Selfishness and self-centeredness permeate the atmosphere, and the evil one roams about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. At this time of vital and crucial importance in the history of this fallen world, we are commanded to “stand.” In God’s view, what exactly does it mean to stand?
I am a bit of a world history enthusiast and am intrigued, in particular, with the Civil War and the World Wars. It is said that Hitler’s appetite for power and thirst for dominance grew as his army began to march across Europe. In some instances, the little battles could hardly be referred to as a war. That imposing Nazi War machine with its tanks and technologically advanced (for that time) weapons basically steamrolled the opposition. Some of the under-developed nations that put up a fight made futile efforts to resist the German aggression, fighting back with spears and rocks. It became painfully evident that it was no contest at all. Simply, because these nations were not equipped for the battle.
The same could be said of Satan and those who oppose him today. Many of the enemy’s victims do not even realize that they are in the midst of a war. We are distracted with the news of the day; the headlines that grip our attention, and the social chaos that surrounds us. Thus, we fail to gear up and gird up for the fight that is at hand. When we fail to decipher the nature of Satan’s schemes, we fail to be prepared to withstand them.
God has made a divine provision for our defense. Fervent prayer, careful Bible study, the fellowship of His people and the strengthening of spiritual muscle through active and enthusiastic witnessing prepares us to meet the enemy head on.
My dear fellow believer in Christ, we are engulfed in a battle for our lives and the lives of our loved ones. It will require every ounce of spiritual stamina on our part to stand and withstand. Let us pledge to be “diligent” and unrelenting in this Day of Battle.
As you go through 2019, stay connected to Christ, remain harnessed in the word and keep your eye on the enemy. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted or dismayed. If God is for you, who can stand against you?