Standing Firm in Place – Having Done All

When I was a young thing, I looked forward to our church mid-week kids’ program. We wore cool uniforms, learned memory verses, earned badges, and had a lot of fun. Every week we would repeat Ephesians 6:13. I have never forgotten it.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Ephesians 6:13 (KJV)

In those days we memorized verses in the King James Version, with all the ye, thee, and thou references. The verse didn’t seem particularly significant at the time, but all these years later I realize it has formed me. It informed the “standing firm” theme of this blog.

Standing as a Child

As a kid I focused on the first portion of the verse, imagining a battle-ready believer, ready to take on any evil. In my mind’s eye I could see the breastplate of righteousness protecting the courageous heart of the warrior. Pointy metal shoes perfectly fit the pounding feet of the Christian soldier carrying the gospel of peace. Not even flaming arrows could pierce an impenetrable shield of faith, held high in the grip of strong hands.

Standing as an Adult

It was not until I became an adult that my attention turned to the end of the verse, “… and having done all, to stand.”

Adult life is more complicated than childhood. There have been many victories, joys and loves. But not every dream gets realized. Not every hurt is healed with a Band-Aid and a kiss. You don’t get a medal just for showing up.

Sometimes I did my best, and it was not enough. A conflict did not get resolved in the way I longed for. A friend did not come to faith. A ministry initiative did not take off. People disappointed me. I disappointed people. Perhaps you can say the same, because life is like that, life can be hard.

Standing in the Darkness

Sometimes it is in the darkness that the light of God’s Word is most visible. It was in the tumultuous season of adulthood that the full truth of Ephesians 6:13 finally shone through.

There are times when we armour up. We muster up all of our courage and strength and take a step forward in faith and in expectation… then we trip over our own feet. Or we feel the shove.

Ephesians 6:13 reminds me that there will be times when we have done everything we can do.

We may feel spiritually-physically-intellectually-relationally-emotionally bruised, wounded and weary on the battlefield of life. Our mighty swords and impenetrable shields may have dropped out of our trembling hands.

Having Done All – To Stand

That is precisely when the counsel of Ephesians 6:13 is most important. The end of the verse calls out encouragement – to stand. In the power of Christ, we face the principalities behind that illness, loss, temptation, criticism, or rejection, and having done all, stand. We stand empty before God and let his power, grace, goodness, courage and strength fill our souls and bind our open wounds.

Whatever you are facing today, don’t give up. Dig your heels into the foundation that is Christ and find renewed strength in the Lord.

This is the message of inSPIRE® – us doing our part in the battle of good and evil, and God doing the part that we cannot do.