Stand Firm

Are you killing the sin that is trying to kill you? Standing firm in the faith requires taking sin seriously. Sin is like an apex predator set on destroying your life—and you're not meant to pet an apex predator. We're not called to tame our sin or invite it in to cozy up with us on the couch. We are called to put it to death.

So how do you do that? You start by being honest. You’ll never learn in freedom until you learn to walk in honesty. Start being honest with God and with others you can trust.

Call the sin in your life what it is, and remember: our fight is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces. The Enemy has been watching your game film—he knows which lures to use to tempt you. And the thing about temptation...is that it's tempting.

So how do you combat the schemes of the Enemy? Ephesians 6 tells us to put on the whole armor of God so that we can stand firm in the face of temptation and trial. To stand firm doesn’t mean leaning back on your heels— it means shifting your weight forward onto your toes, ready for action, prepared to fight.

The first piece of armor we are called to put on is the belt of truth. Truth is under assault in our world today, and as a man of God, you are called to fight for the truth—not a truth rooted in opinion or preference, but the truth: what God has revealed to us in His Word. If you are not equipped to fight for the truth because you don’t know it, open your Bible and start reading.

The second piece of armor we are called to put on is the breastplate of righteousness.To put this on means that when you place your faith in Jesus, He places His approval on you. When God looks at you, He sees His sinless Son—not because of anything you’ve done to deserve it, but because of what Christ has done on your behalf.

This means that God cannot be dissatisfied with you, and that truth should compel you to love and guard the hearts of those around you.

The third piece we are called to put on is the shoes for your feet, having the readiness given by the gospel of peace. Here’s what that means: when you walk into a room, do you bring peace or chaos?

Through Christ, you have been reconciled—brought to peace with God. Because of that, you can be an ambassador of peace to others. But carrying that peace forward requires a life marked by confession and repentance.

The fourth piece of armor is the shield of faith. Ephesians 6:16 ESV says that “in all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one.” Notice it says in all circumstances, and that all of the darts will be extinguished. All doesn't mean sometimes or when you feel like it—all means all.

A shield isn't meant to be used individually—it's even more effective when locked together with others in battle. Do you have a band of brothers you can lock shields with?

Next, is the helmet of salvation. Just as the breastplate guards our hearts, the helmet guards our minds. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the ability to take every thought captive that comes against the truth.

This leads us to the final piece of armor: the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. This is the only offensive piece of the armor—your weapon against the Enemy. It is your responsibility to know the Word of God and teach it to your family.

When you put all the pieces together, here's how to sum it up: Bow to Jesus. Then stand up and act like a man. Dress yourself for battle and go to war to defend and protect your loved ones. Stand firm—because your victory is in Jesus.

What do I do now?

Get in the habit of praying Ephesians 6:10-18 out loud every week with your band of brothers.