Stand firm with Christ in these difficult times

Life can come at us hard. One moment, we are healthy. The next, we are seriously ill. One moment, we are on top of the world. The next, we’re searching our car seats for loose change. Whatever Paul meant by “the evil day” in Ephesians 6, it can feel at times like we are in it, depending on the nature of the trial that confronts us. That is why Ephesians 6, that wonderful chapter on the spiritual armor, is relevant for all seasons. Whatever our evil day may be, our heavenly Father has given us what we need to maintain our faith in Christ—and our sanity. He has given us “the whole armor of God.”
Paul is clearly using figurative language when talking about this heavenly battle gear. As much as we like putting our kids in cardboard armor during Sunday school, the armor of God is not something that you can buy off the shelf. It is made up of articles like “the belt of truth,” “the breastplate of righteousness” (v. 14), the shoe-like “gospel of peace” (v. 15), “the shield of faith” (v. 16), “the helmet of salvation,” and “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (v. 17). These are all clearly spiritual and ethical qualities. And that final piece, “the sword of the Spirit,” ought to tell us what this whole armor is. Since the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God—God’s Word, not our words—the whole armor is a gift from God. It comes from outside of us (which explains why Paul says to “take up” this armor). This would imply that the belt of truth is not our own personal integrity, important as that may be for daily life. Nor is the breastplate of righteousness our own personal virtue, vital as that may be for good citizenship. The whole armor is your Father’s gift to you! And it had better be from Him if we are to stand a chance against these bad guys: “the rulers…the authorities…the cosmic powers over this present darkness…the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (v. 12). We are wrestling against ancient dark powers, great and malevolent intelligences, that shape whole civilizations over time. Standing against them in our own personal goodness would be as effective as shooting at tanks with a nerf gun.

So to take up the whole armor of God is to take refuge in all that Jesus is for you! Only when you do this are you are able to stand up to the shadowy princes who pull the strings of human society. Stand in the truth of who Jesus is for you—that He is God in human flesh, your Savior, who died and rose from the dead to forgive you and give you eternal life. Stand with your heart enclosed in Christ’s righteousness, knowing that God the Father has declared you just on the basis of Christ’s fulfillment of the Law. Stand also in Christ’s Gospel of peace so that you will be ready to give His Word of peace to those He sends your way. Stand with faith in all that Jesus is for you so that the Enemy’s flaming arrows won’t score a hit on your conscience. And don’t forget your noggin! Stand with your head in the heavenly clouds, filled with the glorious reality of Christ’s salvation! And finally, take up your weapon! Use the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, to hew the Devil’s lies, left and right.
To stand in the armor of God is to stay believing in your Lord Jesus Christ. It is to trust Him as your Savior in the thick of your personal battle, knowing that He is with you all the way and has, in fact, defeated all the dark powers for you. Stand firm in Christ so that you can resist the Lie that God hasn’t forgiven you and that you need some lesser god to save you. Stand firm in Christ so that you will not be tossed about by the cultural, political, and religious fads of the day. Stand firm in Christ to stay faithful to your spouse, love your kids, and serve your neighbor. Stand firm in Christ so that you won’t get crushed by a bad prognosis. Stand firm in Christ to keep standing firm in Christ! Let’s pray: “Lord Jesus Christ, you are my truth, my righteousness, and my life. I rest in You! Amen.”