Have You Done ALL to Stand?

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:10-13) How many times have you either read this passage of scripture or have heard it preached? Like most believers I am sure that it has been numerous times. But how many times have believer's failed to act upon these words daily?

The Apostle Paul told Timothy, "Fight the good fight of faith"…(I Timothy 6:12) Believers were and still are in a noble conflict against Satan. The conflict is centered on who shall have the authority and is directed at believers because they know that ALL authority has been give to Jesus in heaven and on earth and consequently His authority has been given to the church. Satan will try to either steal the Word from a believer’s heart or twist the Word to get believer’s to compromise or have doubts about the Word. Believers can no longer afford to sleep in the sense of not being watchful. Peter says it this way, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world." (I Peter 5:8-9)

"Resist him (Satan) steadfast in the faith," the weakest believer can overpower Satan if they have steadfast faith in Jesus Christ. This is a fact because Gods Word says that it is so! Every believer will meet opposition from the devil and his demonic gang of fallen angels, but we do not have to stand idly by when the wiles of the devil come knocking at the door. Believer's must be watchful over what they say when trouble comes. They must stop making faithless statements like, "Oh well, that's life" or "it must be Gods mysterious plan for me to be sick, have this disease or be poor". Statements like these are not statements of faith but a defeated attitude or a negative confession that are contrary to Gods Word.

So why do so many believers still struggle and accept the things that the Father has destroyed through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ? Why won't believer's, believe beyond the day they were saved? Remember Mark 4:15..."Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts," and also remember Genesis 3:1-7 "Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD had made." Believer's struggle and accept these things that are not from God for three reasons. They have either been indoctrinated with doubt from church leaders who have little to no faith in Christ and believe that some how Gods Word in many instances is not for today, their faith is in their minds and not real faith that comes from the heart or they must not believe that the devil and his demonic gang of fallen angels are real.

However, the good news is that God and His Word have not changed one bit. It was, is and will always be activated through faith. "For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says." (Mark 11:23) The question is, do you BELIEVE it?