Taking A Stand

Read Ephesians 6:13-17

How many times have you wanted to take a stand but for one reason or another you just weren't prepared? When I think about this question it causes me to consider the many times and many ways I wasn't prepared to take a stand. Maybe it was a test in school, an interview for a job, an opportunity to stand up for someone who couldn't stand up for themselves or maybe it was an issue of faith. We've all been there - where we want to take a stand but for whatever reason, we just weren't prepared.

Ephesians 6:13-17 tells us we never have to be unprepared when it comes to matters of faith. The Apostle Paul was a bold man, a man always ready to take a stand for his faith. So when writing to the Ephesians He boldly says "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." He clarifies the full armor of God by comparing it to the Word. You see in the battles we face we have a real enemy. And think about it. What does every enemy desire? By definition, enemies desire to defeat their opponents. Our enemy is looking to destroy us, to make us ineffective for the cause of Christ.

But we don't have to be rendered ineffective! God has given us everything we need to live godly lives. So we ought to be excited and intentional about getting in God's word. It is full of God's wisdom and direction, power and holiness, truth and love.

Listen we all have the advantage of being able to get into God's word in various ways. We can "do it" the old fashioned way and read it right from our Bibles, or we can read it online at one of the thousands of sights that share His word on the world wide web. Many of us enjoy listening to music that praises our Father with lyrics originated from the Scriptures; and others enjoy sitting down with a great Christian book that draws us into God's presence while quoting countless Bible verses about living and loving as God created us to live and love. We have no excuse friends. God's word is more available to us now than ever before.

Let's hear it from the Psalmist who said -

Oh, how I love your law!
I meditate on it all day long.
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
for they are ever with me
I have more insight than all my teachers,
for I meditate on your statutes.
I have more understanding than the elders
for I obey your precepts.
I have kept my feet from every evil path
so that I might obey your word. Psalm 119:97-101