Stand, Stand, And Withstand

Finally, brethren, be strengthened in the Lord, and in the might of his power. (Ephesians 6:10)

The Lord is our strength. Don't trust the arm of flesh. It will fail you every time.

In Ephesians 6:12-14, the Lord instructs us to stand two times and to resist or withstand one time. To stand is to take a position. The standing position in wrestling is a neutral position. To wrestle is to struggle in an attempt to advance the position; to be on the offense. To withstand is to defend your position; to be on the offense. To withstand is to defend your position when the enemy shoots for the take down.

Put on and take unto you the whole armour of God are the two commands. The whole armour, not some of your favorite pieces of armour. We also see no armour for the back. All of our armour is to protect us as we advance, not as we retreat, as we face the enemy, not as we flee the battlefield. Back to back, we protect one another's back. When you're not where you need to be, someone's back is open to attack. "The Children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; Yea, they turned back and temted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel." (Psalms 78:9, 10 & 14) When they turned back they not only exposed one another's, they also limited God." God giveth the victory, (I Corinthians 15:57) but He cannot give victory to a coward. When David faced off with Goliath, God granted supernatural victory.

When we turn our back on responsibility and on the enemy he'll defeat us and God will be robbed of His glory. I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14). We are to press forward and press forward with the whole armour of God.