May 27

“Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” —EPHESIANS 6:11

In Ephesians, there are three positions or postures Paul talks about that the believer is to take. The first one is to be seated. Having been raised from the dead, Christ is now seated at the right hand of His Father. God put all things under His feet and gave Him complete authority and dominion over everything. In Ephesians 1:3, Paul tells us that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms; that is, everything we will ever need when we need it, we have in Jesus Christ. To be seated in Christ is about our relationship with Him, and resting in His total sufficiency.

Then we are to walk. “I, therefore a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…” (Ephesians 4:1 ASV) This is the disposition of our hearts. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient bearing with one another in love” (Ephesians 4:2). Walk in love, Paul says, as Christ loved us. Walk as children of light. Walk not as unwise but as wise. To walk in Christ is seen in our relationship to others and to the world.

The third posture is to stand. “Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…. so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand” (Ephesians 6:11 & 13). Whether we realize it or not, we are caught up in a cosmic scene of warfare. It’s as real a battle as the physical wars taking place in our world today.

Satan is the most formidable enemy of all time. To stand against him doesn’t sound like a very active role, but that’s because the battle is already won. As Christians, we are not fighting for victory, but from a position of victory, because Christ has already defeated sin, death and the devil. Paul refers to the word of God as the sword of the Spirit and when we stand firm in it, as Deuteronomy 1:30 says, “The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you…”.

To sit, walk, and stand in Christ is to be rooted in Him, and to be rooted in Him, we are indeed blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.

PRAYER: Dear Father, You are gracious in every way. Your blessings never end. Help me to rest in You, stand firm in your word and walk in your ways. Thank You, Lord.

TO REFLECT UPON: Am I prepared to stand firm in God’s Word when tempted by the devil?