“BE STRONG IN THE LORD!”

 Ephesians 6:10-13                                         (ESV)

“10 Finally, “BE STRONG IN THE LORD” and in the strength of HIS might.

11 Put on the whole armor of GOD, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

12 FOR WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers OVER THIS PRESENT DARKNESS, against the SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES.

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of GOD, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, TO STAND FIRM.”

The SPIRITUAL FORCES OF EVIL IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES are at work overtime currently in “this world”!  It is evident to anyone whose SPIRITUAL EYES have been opened that THE BATTLE is raging, and we MUST have on the WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD as soon as we get off our knees in the morning, until we lay our heads on our pillow at night!  Satan is running scared because he knows that he has already been defeated, but he wants to take as many to hades with him as possible!  

We mustn’t lose sight that we are on A TEAM.  Either we are on the side of the WINNERS, or with the ones who are LOSERS!  Just because we have setbacks and troubled times doesn’t indicate that we have LOST!  We are conquerors through HIM WHO loves us (Romans 8:37)!  According to John 17, our TEAM has THE FATHER and THE SON as our most valuable assets, but WE MUST REMEMBER THAT!  In John 17:23 JESUS says “I in them and YOU in ME, that they may become PERFECTLY ONE, SO THAT THE WORLD MAY KNOW THAT YOU SENT ME AND LOVED THEM EVEN AS YOU LOVED ME”!!!

One of the greatest tools that “the enemy” has in his arsenal is to cause us to DOUBT that GOD is able to overcome his efforts.  Please remember that this is the same enemy that lost at the Red Sea in Exodus 14, was at the wrong end of David’s slingshot in 1 Samuel 17, and especially was whipped at the empty tomb of JESUS!  Our TEAM is THE VICTOR, and the opponent has been DEFEATED!  That is what we MUST REMEMBER!  

FEAR and DOUBT are exactly opposite to living in FAITH.  YAHWEH spoke these worlds into existence from nothing.  HE is able to get this lowly servant through whatever HE allows to be in my path.  SEEING GOD in everything instead of seeing the enemy is what I need to work on.  Joseph (Genesis 37-50) asked a question of his brothers in Genesis 50:19 “DO NOT FEAR, FOR AM I IN THE PLACE OF GOD?”  We MUST recognize that WE ARE IN THE PLACE OF THE LORD!  GOD is still GOD even though we fail HIM!  “BE STRONG IN THE LORD” and remember what TEAM you are on!