“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
Last week, I watched news footage of Hurricane Dorian as it moved through the Bahamas and up the eastern coast of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. The damage in the Bahamas was devastating, and the first pictures I saw showed that most of the area had been leveled by the storm. Although some structures survived, in many places, the only things left standing were palm trees.
How do palm trees withstand hurricane force winds? Palm trees are well grounded. They grow roots that are very thin and spread out horizontally from the tree base, extending long distances for maximum stabilization. These roots not only anchor the tree, but they absorb nutrients from the soil for growth.
Our faith needs to be well grounded like the palm tree, or we may be tossed aside when adverse conditions arise in our lives. The foundation of our faith is a relationship with Jesus Christ, God’s Son. Once we’ve accepted Him as our Saviour and made Him Lord of our life, there is nothing in this world that can topple us (1 John 4:4). We then can root ourselves in the Word of God and receive all the nutrients we need to keep our faith alive.
How do we stand strong in our faith? Chapter 6 in Ephesians gives us step-by-step instructions on how to stand strong in our faith by wearing some very special “articles of clothing.”
First, we must have our loins girt about with the truth (v 14). Jesus said “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). We must remember to study the Word of God and hide its words in our hearts. Take time today to memorize a Bible verse!
Second, we must wear the breastplate of righteousness (v 14). Isaiah 61:10 states “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” It is the righteousness of God in which we must clothe ourselves, and we acquire that righteousness through a relationship with His Son, Jesus. Walk in the footsteps of Jesus today!
Third, we must have our feet shod with the gospel of peace (v 15). Our feet take us everywhere. As we travel, we must take with us the gospel and share it with others. In Mark 16:15, Jesus gave us a job to do. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” We are “on the job” 24/7 until He calls us home. Share Jesus with someone today!
Fourth, we must hold high our shield of faith for with it we will be able to repel the attacks of Satan (v 16). It is our faith that sustains through the storms of life. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” 1 Peter 1:7. Although the battles we are in belong to the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:15), we should never let our own guard down. We are Christian warriors, fighting a battle for the souls of men!
Next, we must have the helmet of salvation (v 17), which assures us of our standing with God once we have been forgiven of our sins. When we have accepted Christ as our Saviour, we are adopted into God’s family, and as children of the Lord, we know that our future is secure in Him. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”(John 3:16). The helmet of salvation protects our minds from the lies of the world that would have us believe otherwise. “But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation” (Psalm 13:5). “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7. If you haven’t trusted Christ as your Saviour, make today the day of your salvation!
We must also be equipped with the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (v 17). It is the Scriptures themselves that empowers us to fight the battle that rages around us, which, we are reminded in Ephesians 6:12, is not a battle against flesh and blood. In order to be prepared, we must “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Set aside a time to spend in personal Bible devotion time!
Lastly, we must pray (v 18). God commands us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and we have the assurance from Jesus that He will answer when He said, “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” John 14:13. It is through prayer that we touch the heart of God. Take time to pray today!
After all this, you will be like the palm tree, deeply rooted and secure, ready to face whatever lies ahead. “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Psalm 1:3
Stand up, stand up for Jesus! Stand in His strength alone,
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own;
Put on the gospel armor, and watching unto prayer,
Where calls the voice of duty, be never wanting there.
(from “Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus” by George Duffield, Jr.)
“Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:13
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When was the last time you took a stand for Christ?
Thank you, Jayne. Always timely. Always.