“Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:14
Why is it necessary to “stand” in the spiritual conflict? What does Scripture mean by instructing all believers to stand?
Standing is an act, followed by an attitude, of faith, whereby one takes a position before God primarily concerning the will and purposes of God. That stand is based on truth, and a knowledge of the will of God concerning specific circumstances or situations. The importance of standing is seen in the illustration of a battlefield. Many are the battlefields in the Bible, but there is usually only one victor left standing.
The victory of Christ was set on “promised land,” Israel. There were many battles there during the ministry of Christ, when the enemy of God, and of our souls, sought at every opportunistic moment to deny Christ the overwhelming victory in doing the will of God, and accomplishing salvation for all who would be saved. The prelude to the culminating battle on that battlefield was fought first in the Garden of Gethesemene. It was there that Christ’s stand was resolutely taken. The immutableness of God’s purpose would be embraced, even when flesh and blood trembled, sorrow overwhelmed the soul, and the plea of the heart was that of asking if the cup of suffering could pass from Him. Through His battle in prayer, with little of no help from his followers, the Christ began that trek towards Calvary, towards the final victory over all the power of the enemy, and all that pertained to the sin of man. Here before mankind would be lifted up the ultimate warrior, who had taken His stand on the revealed, redemptive will and purpose of God, to save men from their sins. The accomplishment of that work would determine the destination of every living soul, whether to be with God forever, or to be separated from Him. Christ’s last stand was the crucial moment, when against all odds of man’s misunderstanding and opposition, He cast all aside, to embrace alone the Father’s grace and help. It would be in the hour of sensing His abandonment, that in the depths of His sorrow and suffering, the Son of God would cross the finish line of life, never yielding to the pressure and power of the enemy. He never yielded His ground, but by His indestructible life, would create a new and living way into the very presence of the Father. His stand taken, until the victory was won, accomplished what no man could ever do. In so doing, the Lord Jesus gave to every believer two immutable things to grasp with regard to his stand, and ultimate victory, which would apply to the faith of all concerned. The first thing was a declaration of the victory, when He declared from the cross: “It is finished.” In that phrase, not only would there be the welcome accomplishment of the redemptive work of God, but the settled, eternal application of it to every sinner who would trust Him for salvation. Christ conquered every enemy on Calvary. His stance to be faithful to God the Father assured this.
The second thing that Christ has given to every believer who is born again of the Spirit, is the power of the Eternal Spirit that enabled Him to overcome, and the power of the resurrection, which is communicated to every believer, not only with the hope of heaven in view, but the present enablement by God the Spirit to live, to stand, to overcome. The same Spirit who sustained, and enabled Christ to overcome all of His enemies, and the last enemy, death, is the same One who indwells the believer. The objective victory has been declared to the believer. It is absolute, perfect, and complete, there being nothing lacking in it. The revelation of the Eternal Spirit’s ministry to communicate the power of God in response to the faith of every believer, is the assurance and confirmation of His Presence.
Dear Father, Make us to stand. In Jesus’ name, Amen.