How To Stand Firm

Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News.

 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.

 For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him. We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it. [Philippians 1:27-30]

Wow, there’s a lot in this passage, let’s break this down. This is another one of Paul’s letters to his peeps who were working for the Lord in Philippi. Even though Paul was in prison, he was writing this letter to encourage them to keep pressing on, and to keep standing firm.

You can see a few things in this passage starting with the last verse and working our way back up to the top. We can see that standing with and for Jesus is a privilege and it’s a responsibility that we shouldn’t take lightly. But remember with privilege, there is a cost.

When we decide to stand there will be struggles and suffering, just as Jesus suffered. There will be people who don’t agree with us, who will make fun of us, people who will tell lies about us, and people who will try to destroy us in any way they can.

There will be struggles, but one thing Paul was trying to emphasize is that we don’t need to do this alone. This is exactly why we need one another. Paul encouraged his people to keep standing and to stand together. He also wanted them to know while they were suffering, they were not alone because he too was suffering; just as Jesus had suffered.

Continuing back up to verse 28, he also reminded them to not be intimidated in any way by their enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that they are going to be saved, even by God himself.

So, praise God, because not only can we stand with one another, but we can know that God is on our side. When God is on our side, who can hurt us. People can say whatever they want because God will take care of those who persecute us. There is nothing anyone can say to us that should bother us because we have God almighty on our side. We should have the courage to speak freely and boldly what the Lord guides us to speak. Knowing that those who cause us suffering are going to be destroyed by God himself.

Paul also pointed out in the second half of verse 27 that we need to not only stand together but we need to stand together with one spirit and one purpose. Girlfriends, when we as women stand together in one spirit and with one purpose there is a supernatural power that is released. Our entire purpose here on earth is to stand in faith together and let other people know about Jesus.

Yes, as the beginning of verse 27 says, we are commanded to live as citizens of heaven and conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News of Christ. This means that even though we live in this world, we don’t live like everyone else. We have been called to be different. We have been given the ability to be light in this dark world. We have been called to go higher than what the evil spirits of this world are doing. We are to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy that through us, people can see the love that Jesus has for them.  Wow, what a huge responsibility and a great privilege we have been given.

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. [1 John 2:15-17]

If you are faithfully digging deep into the scriptures it can appear to be very overwhelming on how we are to live as our lives as believers and to continue to stand. Rest assured, because there is a secret sauce to how we stand. First and foremost, we need to remember that we CAN NOT do this in our own power. We CAN NOT do this in our physical flesh. We CAN NOT do this with our carnal minds. We CAN NOT do this simply by coming together. We certainly CAN NOT do this without protection and the tools for the job.

Remember, standing firm is a battle so we must use all the tools and protection God has given us to use. Ephesians 6:10-18 are some of my favorite verses because God has not left us out here in the Wild West to defend things on our own. We have been given everything we need to stand. This symbolic imagery of these scriptures is so wonderful because it demonstrates through this physical armor that God wants to protect us from the top of our heads to the soles of our feet. It’s so amazing and I know this verse is familiar to most believers, however, if we really using it as the powerful weapon that is we would be unstoppable. (I’m speaking to myself too my friends).

¹⁰ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 

Girlfriends right there we are being told that we CAN NOT do this on our own. We need to be strong in the Lord and HIS power. Throughout these scriptures being strong in the Lord means, standing and believing God’s Word. This is why it is IMPERATIVE that we read the bible every single day and make the Word real to us, so that it permeates into every cell of our mind, body, and soul.

¹¹ Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 

ALL OF GOD’S ARMOR: Pay attention to this verse, because it says to put on ALL of God’s armor. That means we don’t just take one piece of the Word and hope and pray it will work. We need to believe every word God has spoken. We need to believe ALL of God’s promises. Every single thing God has said is ours and we have the authority and right to claim ALL of these promises. If God said it, it’s done… ALL OF GOD’S ARMOR is the Word.

¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Remember we are in the battle against good and evil which is taking place in our minds. The enemy will do all that he can do to steal, kill, and destroy everything God has given us. This includes the promises of God, our health, confidence, strength, wealth, prosperity, faith, families, gifts, calling, our destiny, and even our lives.

¹³ Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 

Therefore, we must know what the Word of God says. Then we must take the Word that we know and speak the Word to circumstances, which is the way that we resist the enemy. Knowing the Word is how we will be able to stand, and consistently speaking the Word will give us the strength to continue to stand.

¹⁴ Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. (breastplate of righteousness)

Stand firm girlfriends! THE BELT OF TRUTH is a great piece of armor that protects us against the lies and deceptions of the enemy. As we know, the devil likes to talk with half-truths (think about how he deceived Eve). He twists the truth to cause people to stumble away from the truth. THE BELT OF TRUTH prevents us from falling for the devil’s stupid lies.

Take hold of this because if we don’t know the truth, the rest of the armor will become useless. If we have the belt on crooked, we will have a hard time taking the Sword of the Spirit (God’s word), which will put us at risk of exposing more of our vital organs. THE BELT OF TRUTH also symbolizes us living a life based on truth and honesty. THE BELT OF TRUTH is the Word.

THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS symbolizes the righteousness that was purchased FOR US BY JESUS at the cross. It is part of the armor that protects our hearts and souls from evil and deception. THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS also helps us to live a life of righteousness and purity. Again, may I emphasize that we CAN NOT do anything without Jesus. THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS is the Word.

¹⁵ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News  so that you will be fully prepared.

THE SHOES OF PEACE provide a foundation that allows us to keep a sure footing and gives us a preparedness TO STAND FIRM. I’m not personally a fan of shoes, because I much prefer to go barefoot. However, these shoes my friends should be gold and purple with bling rhinestones!

THE SHOES OF PEACE have two purposes: They defend against the flaming arrows of the evil one and they provide confidence in OUR position IN Jesus Christ. (thank you, Lord). THE SHOES OF PEACE is symbolic of our relationship with the Lord. The only way we can wear these shoes is by nurturing a daily friendship with the Lord.

THE SHOES OF PEACE give us power and the ability to:

1. Stand Firm against the enemy!
2. Be ready for action, ready to share the gospel at any time!
3. Spread the good news an offensive weapon by taking ground from the enemy!
4. Declare the good news by allowing the Holy Spirit to show us an opportunity to speak about Jesus and give our testimony!
5. Bring peace to the battle as spiritual soldiers, to bring this message of peace to everyone who is an enemy of God.

Wow, these are some powerful shoes on a powerful mission. This was just a brief outline of these shoes, will plan on teaching solely on the purpose of the SHOES OF PEACE shortly. Ok, don’t think I’ll leave these shoes behind. 😊 THE SHOES OF PEACE is the Word.

¹⁶ In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.

THE SHIELD OF FAITH goes back to everything we have been saying. This is a symbol to remind us to trust in God and His Word.

When the Romans were fighting, their enemies used arrows filled with flammable liquid, kind of like a Molotov cocktail. These fiery arrows were designed to hit and burn the soldier. However, when the soldiers had their shields up and in the right position, they were protected from these arrows.

The devil attacks in the same manner. He sends fiery darts in our direction to destroy our faith and confidence in who God is, what God has said, and who we are in Christ. These darts can include discouragement, delay, disappointment, distraction, and deception. Regardless of which dart he chooses to throw at you, they are designed to lower your faith. Once he has accomplished that goal, he has lowered one of your primary defenses.

THE SHIELD OF FAITH is meant to protect us from the fiery darts of the enemy. However, the shield of faith is only effective when it is raised by the authority that we have been given. When the fiery darts come, you can put up your shield by reminding yourself of who God is and what he has said.

There is power in God’s Word and when we speak it, in Jesus’ name to those fiery darts, they must obey. THE SHIELD OF FAITH is the Word.

            ^17a Put on salvation as your helmet

When a soldier put on his armor, the helmet was the last piece of armor to go on. It was the final act of readiness in preparation for combat. A helmet is vital for survival, protecting the brain, and the command center for the rest of our body. If the head or brain is damaged, the rest of the armor becomes useless.

Every piece of the armor that we just talked about becomes useless IF you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus. If that’s the case for you let’s take care of that right now. As a believer listening to this, don’t zone out or go check your messages. Stand with this new sister and pray that this precious seed will be protected and nurtured. If you are reading this post instead of listening to the podcast, go to THIS PRAYER. 

All right, now THE HELMET OF SALVATION and all other pieces of the armor can start protecting you. This is yet another promise that you can take hold of because our salvation is an impenetrable defense against anything the enemy throws at us. As you put THE HELMET OF SALVATION there should be no fear because God has given us the authority to STOP any evil attack. Oh, and remember, the devil is already defeated but because his entire mission is to steal, kill, and destroy he will fling those fiery darts when he sees an opportunity to do so.

Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. [Matthew 10:28]

Putting on THE HELMET OF SALVATION defends our minds. This may be one of the most important pieces we put on because the mind is where the battle is.

Let’s look at a few ways we can use this helmet.

1. Take every single thought captive. Put on and use every piece of armor to protect your mind from those fiery darts. We do not want to let them in to set our negative thoughts on fire.

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. [2 Corinthians 10:5NIV]

2. Allow the Word to transform your mind. Don’t just read the Word allow it to become alive in your soul and life. Let it transform you into someone awesome that you don’t even recognize!

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. [Romans 12:2]

3. Trust Your Life with God. we must trust God with everything we have. Ladies this includes your hubby, your singleness, your mind, your words, your thoughts, your career, your money, your kiddos, EVERYTHING.

You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. [1 Peter 1:8-9]

4. Love God. Loving God is getting to know Him. How we get to know Him is by meditating on His Word. The Word should saturate your mind, then, then into your heart, and then into your soul.

Jesus replied, You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. [Matthew 22:37]

5. Think Godly Thoughts. As a woman, we have a zillion thoughts going on every waking moment. We need to choose the thoughts that we are going to entertain or allow to take root. The thoughts we choose to have should bring us an unexplainable peace.

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. [Philippians 4:7-8]

6. Reject Doubts. Doubt is another fiery dart, don’t let it come into your mind. Know what the promises are that God has already given you. Understand your inheritance as a Child of God. Believe what God’s Word says and stand on that.

But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. [James 1:6]

^17bTake the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

The SWORD OF THE SPIRIT is the last piece of our armor and it’s an offensive piece of armor. All the other pieces were defensive, but the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT is what we metaphorically use to slice through the lies of the enemy. This is also where we have been given the power and authority to use the Word of God to rebuke all the schemes and tactics of any evil force.

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. [Hebrews 4:12]

To use the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT we must know and understand the Word. The only way that we can understand is by allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the meaning of God’s Word. Meditate on the following scriptures.

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. [1 Corinthians 2:10-15]

^18a Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.

So practically what does this look like since we all have other life obligations like work, family, meals, kids, parents, friends, church, volunteer activities, ministry, etc.? All the time and on every occasion is the privilege and honor we have to come to God all day, at any time, or anywhere.

Yes, we do need to have our intentional focused prayer time, but girlfriends we can speak to the Lord:

• While in Walmart when someone has a mask on ask the Lord to immediately calm our spirit and to give us words of love.
• We can ask the Lord to bring to remembrance what we need to buy to feed our family when the kids are hanging all over us in the grocery store and we have forgotten our list.
• We can ask for peace when we are stuck behind a Q-tip driver going 35mph in a 65mph speed zone.
• We can ask for the strength to run when a hot guy is asking us to go beyond what we should be doing outside of marriage!

You get the picture; we can come to God at all times and on every occasion. Thank you, Lord. I believe that PRAYING IN SPIRIT here has two applications.

When we become a believer, we are automatically filled with the Holy Spirit. PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT means that our prayers are guided by the Holy Spirit. Everything we do and every decision we make is based on the leading of the Holy Spirit instead of our emotions and limited thinking! We obtain our wisdom and power through the Holy Spirit.

Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand. [1 Corinthians 14:15]

There is also another separate experience where we are baptized in the Holy Spirit. Being baptized in the Holy Spirit activates the power and authority that has been given to us. One of the fruits of baptism of the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues.

Now these are not tongues that need an outside interpretation, this is our spiritual prayer language to the Lord that is done mostly in private. PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT here is another entire level of prayer where the Holy Spirit is praying on our behalf. (we will talk about this more in another message). But just know, PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT at this level opens up ALL the power and authority.

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. [Romans 8:26]

Either way, the Holy Spirit is involved with our prayers, and it is His power that is interceding on our behalf.

^18b Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Stay alert girlfriends because that sneaky enemy prowls around looking for who he can devour. Stay alert because there are a lot of false teachings in this world, be discerning of what you listen to and what you allow into your minds. Stay alert and be on guard regarding all your thoughts and words, for they can bring life or death. Stay alert and be sure that you are in constant communication with Jesus so that you don’t stumble. Stay alert and be sure you are living differently than those who do not know the Lord. Stay alert and evaluate yourself with the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Stay alert and don’t always go with the flow. Stay alert and know what bible prophecy says, so you are not bowing to the antichrist spirits (government or any other people).

While you are staying alert, continue to always pray and support other sisters (and brothers) in the Lord. We cannot walk alone as the world will become even more evil and more confusing.

And so, dear sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. [Romans 12:1-3]

Wow, wow, wow I don’t know about you, but I was blessed and encouraged by the words that the Lord has given us. As mentioned in a previous podcast/blog when I’m preparing these messages the Lord leads me to what I need to learn and hear. We are commanded TO STAND, this is not an option girlfriends this is our responsibility.

THIS IS HOW WE STAND FIRM…  

We stand by living as citizens of heaven.
We stand by standing together with one spirit and one purpose.
We stand by knowing that God himself will destroy our enemies.
We stand by Jesus because it’s a privilege and an honor to do so.
We stand by taking every thought and word captive in Jesus’ name.
We stand by committing our lives wholly to God as a living sacrifice.
We stand by being faithfully reading the Word daily.
We stand by having daily intentional prayer time.
We stand by believing that EVERY word God says is true.
We stand by putting God first in all that we do.
We stand by taking hold of ALL the promises that God has given us.
We stand by using the Holy Spirit’s power and authority to rebuke the enemy and all evil forces of this world.
We stand by trusting only in the leading of the Holy Spirit not in ourselves.
We stand by recognizing we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world.
We stand by putting on EVERY PIECE OF GOD’S ARMOR to resist the enemy.
We stand by putting on the BELT OF TRUTH
We stand by putting on the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.
We stand by putting on SHOES OF PEACE.
We stand by holding up the SHIELD OF FAITH
We stand by putting on THE HELMET OF SALVATION.
We stand by using the authority of THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is the Word of God.
We stand by PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT at all times and on every occasion.
We stand by STAYING ALERT
We stand by being PERSISTENT IN OUR PRAYERS for other believers.
We stand by PUTTING ON ALL OF GOD’S ARMOR TO STAND FIRM AGAINST ALL THE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS OF THE DEVIL.

WE WILL STAND FIRM WITH JESUS UNTIL HE RETURNS.