Today I was thinking just what does it mean to be strong in the Lord and to stand firm in the Gospel. Not only does it mean building a strong relationship with him and spreading my faith but it also means protecting myself from everything that is evil. Of course the easy answer is to put on the Armor of God, but exactly why would I do such a thing? If God is already for me then why do I need to put on all this extra equipment? The answer comes from Ephesians 6:10-13. It states, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand."
What I have not understood about what these verses mean and what it means to put on the full armor of God has led me to destruction and almost pulled me away from God. It is one thing to be saved and trying to live for God and then the next level is to seek God and prepare for the attacks of Satan. Adam and Eve sinned based on the choices they made but they were tempted by something not from this world. They were not fully aware of the consequences of their actions and they did not know how to defend against Satan. This is where we know that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, there are other forces out there that try to tear us down. Sure we act on our own sometimes without much persuasion but that is because we are already being manipulated by the devil. There were times when I would get on the internet and knew what I was doing wrong but it was almost as if my mind was not fully there. I was in a trance so to speak and it was almost like my conscious was irrelevant. Putting on the full armor of God means being in the word and praying everyday while letting the Holy Spirit come in and take control of your life. In the John 1, chapter 4, we are also told to test the spirits and make sure that they are from God because there are many out there. Now the Holy Spirit is one and there are no other spirits like it, but we need to make sure that we are getting the truth and not being led astray. Being able to discern what is good is part of putting on the armor and is a part of growing in God and being close to him.
I know that I have struggled with this in the past and I feel that God is telling me that it is time to strengthen the walls. I need to do this so that when I am being attacked for my beliefs by those I know as well as those I do not know, I will be able to stand strong and fight back in the proper way. Instead of attacking them we should be sharing with them what is true and staying on a level that is above theirs. Then when Satan comes to get us, we should be able to stand strong and show him that we have been tested and will continue to pass his tests by the grace of God and because we have the One, true God on our side.
A little side note, I had a friend who was verbally attacked on election day for her beliefs and for voting for McCain. She was mature and stood strong in the Lord instead of stooping to her attacker's level. Being able to do this shows inner strength and shows that patience comes from God and works through us as long as we remain faithful. Continue to stand strong in the Lord and in his mighty power and people will be able to notice that there is something different about you and God will be well pleased.
Phone line is still open, and it is the weekend so I have tons of time. The number again is (480)292-1754. Feel free to text or call me anytime to discuss or just talk about anything. Have a great night!
Joseph Robinson
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