Take a Stand

"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you." 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)

Have you ever reached that place where you just did not know what to do?

I mean you have tried everything. You have prayed. You have fasted. You have called everybody you know. You have read every scripture you could find. And still nothing seems to be moving. Most of us have reached that spot where we just throw up our hands and say I quit.

But here is what waited for me when I opened my Bible to this scripture. What a gold mine.

The Bible is loaded with information on how to live our lives. And most of us never reach that place of just standing because we are always thinking about what else we should have done or what it is we did not do. We keep replaying the battle in our heads instead of planting our feet in the middle of it.

Ephesians 6:13 through 14 says it plainly. 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. Stand therefore.

After you have done everything. Stand.

Not sit. Not quit. Not run. Stand.

But here is where the problem lives. Most of us want to stand without first doing everything we are supposed to do. We skip steps. We put on half the armor and wonder why we are taking hits. We buckle the belt of truth but leave the breastplate of righteousness sitting on the floor. We pick up the sword of the Spirit but forget the shield of faith. We suit up halfway and then get knocked down and look up at God and say what is up with that.

God is not confused about what happened. We did not do everything.

The belt of truth buckled around your waist. The breastplate of righteousness in place. Feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. The shield of faith to extinguish every flaming arrow. The helmet of salvation. The sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. And prayer on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

All of it. Every piece. Every time.

When you have done all of that, when every piece is in place and every weapon is loaded and every prayer has been prayed, then the instruction is not to sit down and say man I am tired. The instruction is to stand.

You do not have to lose another battle. Not one. But standing only works after you have done everything you were supposed to do first.

So stop asking what else you should do. Check the armor. Fill the gaps. Do everything. Then plant your feet and do not move.

"After you have done everything, stand." Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)

TODAY'S BATTLE ORDERS

Do an honest armor check right now. Go through each piece of the armor in Ephesians 6:14 through 18 one at a time. Truth. Righteousness. Gospel of peace. Faith. Salvation. The Word. Prayer. Write down which pieces you have been wearing consistently and which ones you have been leaving behind. Be specific. Not I struggle with faith but I stopped reading the Word two weeks ago and my shield has been down ever since. Find the gap. Fill it today. Then stand.

WEAPON CHECK

The Full Armor, Not Half

Most defeated Christians are not defeated because the enemy is too strong. They are defeated because they showed up to the battle half dressed. The armor of God is not a suggestion. It is a complete battle system and every piece serves a purpose. You cannot leave one piece behind and expect full protection. You cannot skip prayer and wonder why your discernment is dull. You cannot neglect the Word and wonder why the enemy's lies sound so convincing. Every piece matters. Every piece is connected. When the full armor is on and everything has been done that can be done, standing becomes the most powerful move on the battlefield. Not because you are strong. Because God is and you are covered.

CHECKPOINT

Think about the last battle you lost. Be honest. Had you done everything you were supposed to do before you tried to stand? Or did you skip steps and then blame God when it fell apart?

How many times have you said what is up with that God when the truth is you never finished suiting up?

Here is the truth. God is not withholding victory. He gave you the armor. He gave you the weapons. He gave you the instruction. The only question is whether you are using all of it.

Write this down: "I will not stand half dressed. I will do everything I am supposed to do and then I will stand firm and let nothing move me."

Check the armor. Fill every gap. Do everything.

Then stand.

Do not move.