Stand Your Ground 13 Mar.2022
Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-13(NIV)
Text: Ephesians 6:13(NIV)
13 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.
We are in a spiritual battle and we must armour up each and every day. We are reminded here that no weapon formed against us will prosper!
Whatever battle you are facing today ‘Stand Your Ground’
See “The Stand-Your-Ground Law gives a person the right by which a person may defend yourself against threats or perceived threats, even to the point of lethal force regardless of whether safely retreating from the situation might have been possible. Such a law typically states that an individual has no duty to retreat from any place where they have a lawful right to be. The enemy is trying to fight you off of your ground and your dreams. He’s after your ground. When the Bible says, “Neither give place to the devil,” it means give up nothing to the devil. It’s telling us to ‘Stand Your Ground. The devil is after your ground.
Today I’d like to take a look at what God wants to say to us about Stand Your Ground. God has brought us here to this point in our lives so that we can increase in knowledge of God and His plan for us. To turn back now or retreat or admit defeat is turning our backs on the work that God is doing in us. That is why God gives us the strength to stand firm.
God wants us to live victorious lives even in the midst of trouble and adversity. The key is to believe in Jesus Christ and walk daily with Him. Jesus gives joy in our sorrow, and peace in our pain.
God wants us to win the struggles we face. And He wants us to work together and help one another stand our ground, not giving up nothing to the devil.
The message today is this: God wants you to Stand Your Ground and God will give you everything you need to “Stand Your Ground”
I simply want to encourage somebody today, You maybe looking at your situation and the devil wants you to believe, you made the wrong choice. You maybe looking at the current condition of your life and the enemy is saying to give up. You maybe facing a test and the enemy is trying to get you to believe God doesn’t care about you… STAND YOUR GROUND!
Whether you’re in a new relationship, started a new job, car broke down, bank account in the negative, more bills than money or maybe you’re feeling like giving up, STAND YOUR GROUND!
Maybe everything is all good in your life, finances are good, health is good, and family is doing alright but the enemy is still messing with you. Depression, you thought was under control, is missing with you. Grief you thought was gone, is messing with you. Anxiety and fear, you thought was under control; got you crying in the car. STAND YOUR GROUND!
Not only do you have the right, to stand your ground, you can use the word of God ‘'No weapon formed against you shall prosper' - This is not a promise that you will not receive attacks, or that you will not be struck by a weapon or test, or suffering of any kind, but like Job we are born to the trouble (Job 5:7). God’s promise is that it will NOT PROSPER. Meaning that we will be able to rely on God's hand to lift us up out of the trouble that we are in, and God will turn the trouble around for our good, just ‘Stand Your Ground’
Because the enemy is after your ground and if you have no ground, you have no place to stand. And if you allow the devil to take your land, he’ll come after your life next. STAND YOUR GROUND, The bible says in 1 Peter 5:8-10, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil.
The devil prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand Your Ground, and be strong in your faith.
Christains all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are going through, God called us to experience His Grace and Mercy. So after you have suffered a little while, God will restore you, support you, and strengthen you, then God will place you on a firm foundation.” just ‘Stand Your Ground’
This is a great lesson that the church needs to hear. So many people give up when things get hard. Some of us are under the impression that working for God should be all hearts and flowers.
Why then does Paul use the comparison of a warrior, fully armed, and dressed for battle? The fact is that there are spiritual forces that don’t want us to succeed in our service to the Lord. The victory comes from knowing that it’s the Holy Spirit giving you strength, and not giving up.
We need to learn how to stand our ground when we are facing the enemy. The ancient Romans knew how to do this. It was the secret to the success of their army. Each of the Roman soldiers was taught how to defend a 3-foot square of ground from an invading army. Together, there was no way to break through their lines.
We need to understand this morning that the only way to victory is to move forward in the Lord. Backing up WILL NOT get you out of the battle. It will only make you have to fight to regain that ground later.
Most of all, the thing about this verse that gives me the most trouble, is when Paul says when the day of evil comes. Not “if”, not “there might come a time when problems come our way”.
Paul is telling us that the day is coming, whether we are ready or not. So we need to be ready at all times, if we ain't ready we need to get ready right now.
The word that Paul uses for stand means to stand and resist the enemy or situation you are facing. This word is used in James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
The word resist in this verse is the same word as stand that Paul used. We need to stand our ground and resist the devil. We’re told that if we do this, in submission to the Lord, the enemy will flee. It’s the time frame between the resisting and the fleeing that gives us the most problem.
Why would the devil ever flee from us? After all, we’re not that strong compared to him. The answer is back in the verse from Ephesians.
Ephesians 6:13 after you have done everything, means after you have fully accomplished your work. When you have done everything you were assigned to do by the Lord, then it’s time for the Holy Spirit to take over. One thing I know. The devil is no match for the God I serve!
So, being warned with the knowledge that the day of evil is coming, we need to be ready. We must be fully armed and prepared to stand our ground in Christ. Then we will see the victory of God manifest in our life.
“Take your stand”, “stand your ground”, “stand”, “stand firm”. It’seasy just to “go with the flow”. Standing your ground is hard. It takes diligence and strength. Going with the flow, not making waves, taking it easy all these are much less demanding. But standing your ground requires hard work it ain’t easy, the song writer tells us,
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand all other ground is sinking sand;
Standing your ground also reminds me of some mighty men. David stood his ground against the Philistines and defeated Goliath while the rest of the army watched, and was victorious.
Moses took his stand in the middle of the red sea till all of the Israelites crossed, and saw a great victory. These men did not “go with the flow”. Instead, they stood firm even when faced with overwhelming odds, and were victorious.
Stand Your Ground and stay connected Jesus Christ, not watching where other people are going but keeping my eyes on Jesus, believing his words, and let God change your life! Put on the full armor of God, recognize the enemy, and then stand firm against it, holding to the piece of ground God has placed me on.
Are you standing your ground? Are you doing it with God’s strength or your own? Victory begins and ends with God and His power over the enemy. By ourselves, we can’t do it! We will be defeated in our own strength. But with God for us, and His armor on us, all things are possible! We can win our struggle against our invisible enemy.
If you need God to help you and strengthen you today,
Maybe you are really feeling the weight of the struggle and just need the Lord to breathe new life into you right now. One thing about it though, you have the power and the authority to stand your ground. You are anointed to stand your ground, called to it, and you must stand your ground.
When you stand on the word of God, God backs you up with more power, more authority, more anointing, more victory, more opportunity, more grace, more conviction, my success, but you have to stand your ground! Stand Your Ground.
Let Us Stand- God Tests us But the devil tempts us over and over again ‘Stand Your Ground’
