When our world is in complete chaos and all hope is lost, when we have exhausted all ideas, all options, and strength, what do we do? What do you do? What is left? Where is your trust? How do you go on?
We can fall apart, give up walk away, become jaded, bitter and weighed down because of our circumstances and stop growing and just continue the rest of our existence in a hopeless senseless repetitive cycle or…we can stand. Just STAND. Before the oncoming storm or in the midst of it stand up and remember you are not alone, you DO have hope and you have a mighty Warrior who goes before you and cannot be defeated. God has equipped us for such times and our job is to stand in spite of the chaos around us. There is a time to pray and wait on the Lord but there is a time to Stand. We were not meant to be bowed down because of our problems and in a constant holding pattern, but instead we were meant to be on the offensive.
Joshua 7:6, the only time we were meant to bow is in the presence of the Almighty God and in His presence, situations, spirits, powers, and authorities cannot withstand and will run and be broken because of his power. However we cannot stand when we are unprepared, if we don’t know what to do, if we haven realized that the Holy Spirit is within us and we do not understand the Power that comes with the anointing. Isaiah 10:27 NKJV.
We cannot cultivate this power if we do not run to the source consistently, unashamedly and with passion and if we do not use the tools already set for the battles ahead. Ephesian 6:10 tell us that tools are needed because we do not battle against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers and spiritual host of wickedness. The physical things we see with our eyes have a deeper, more serious layer beneath that can only be dealt with through the Spiritual anointing. You cannot go into battle as if it was everyday life. We must have protection, armor, tools that we can only become experts at through consistent use. We must use ALL tools because each one is meant to cover and deal with specific attacks.
We are told to be:
Girded with Truth
Have the breastplate of righteousness
Shod with the Gospel of peace
Shielded with Faith
Have the helmet of salvation
Wield the sword of the spirit
To be praying always
To be watchful with perseverance and supplication
Once you are covered head to Toe…STAND!
Study the list above and pick 2 “tools”. What do you think they mean?
Why do they speak to you personally?
How can you get better at daily putting on this armor?
Look for verses in the Bible where we are called to Stand, pick one and do a SOAP study, explain why you picked that verse.