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"For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." 2 Cor. 10:4 (ESV)
As I wrote in my last two post, there is a Battle. Actually, there are two battles. As believers, we have been given weapons to use in these Battles. In this post I in no way claim to do the subject justice or for this to be an exhaustive commentary. I would encourage you to study the subject further on your own.
If you have ever watched a war movie, inevitability there comes a time when the troops take count of their weapons. There's the usual assortment of rifles, knives and grenades and there are the specialty weapons like mortars, machine guns and bazookas...ones that have required additional training. These are all offensive weaponry. Then there are radios, binoculars, maps and gps units. There is body armour and helmets, camouflage and night vision scopes. These are more defensive type weapons. As believers we have been given the same type of weapons, both offensive and defensive. Let's take a look at a well known passage of scripture. Almost so well known that it has in some ways lost it's impact.
Eph 6:10-18 list a pretty good arsenal of offensive and defensive weapons.The Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Shoes from the Readiness of the Gospel of Peace, Shield of Faith, Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit/Word of God. Then there are the weapons of Prayer, Alertness and Perseverance. Google any reference to the above list and you'll come up with any number of sermons or commentaries on this passage of Scripture.
But, I want to look at one weapon which I have never heard taught as such, but which is definitely a weapon. The Holy Spirit recently revealed this weapon to me and it's specific purpose at a time when this was the exact weapon I needed for the Fight. I want to share this with you.
Eph 6:13, 14a reads like this. (ESV) "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore..." Stand is mentioned twice and withstand once. During the Civil War, at the first Battle of Bull Run, General Jackson earned the name "Stonewall Jackson" because his troops stood firm "like a stonewall" against the opposing army's advance. (There are those who say this was not a compliment, but the man who uttered the words was killed immediately after speaking them and he could not clarify) Needless to say, history has chosen to memorialise this phrase as something praiseworthy. Standing like a stonewall, standing firm, immovable. It doesn't at first seem like a weapon, but anything that keeps the Enemy from advancing, from gaining ground is a weapon.
So here are some ways we can use Standing as a weapon. You "stand" on the promises of God. Has God shown you or promised you something personally that has not yet come about? Then Stand on that. Do not waiver, do not give in to the Enemy's attacks when he tries to make you doubt. Stand firm! You can Stand against Evil, Poverty, Corruption and Complacency. In the Book of Ezekiel, God looks for a man to Stand in the gap between the corruption of the land and His wrath, but there is no one to be found. Ezk 22:23-31 Don't tell me that Standing isn't a weapon...and a powerful one at that.
As with all weapons we must learn to use them skillfully. It is the same with Standing. Practice it, you won't regret it. Stand firm, like a stonewall.
As I wrote in my last two post, there is a Battle. Actually, there are two battles. As believers, we have been given weapons to use in these Battles. In this post I in no way claim to do the subject justice or for this to be an exhaustive commentary. I would encourage you to study the subject further on your own.
If you have ever watched a war movie, inevitability there comes a time when the troops take count of their weapons. There's the usual assortment of rifles, knives and grenades and there are the specialty weapons like mortars, machine guns and bazookas...ones that have required additional training. These are all offensive weaponry. Then there are radios, binoculars, maps and gps units. There is body armour and helmets, camouflage and night vision scopes. These are more defensive type weapons. As believers we have been given the same type of weapons, both offensive and defensive. Let's take a look at a well known passage of scripture. Almost so well known that it has in some ways lost it's impact.
Eph 6:10-18 list a pretty good arsenal of offensive and defensive weapons.The Belt of Truth, Breastplate of Righteousness, Shoes from the Readiness of the Gospel of Peace, Shield of Faith, Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit/Word of God. Then there are the weapons of Prayer, Alertness and Perseverance. Google any reference to the above list and you'll come up with any number of sermons or commentaries on this passage of Scripture.
But, I want to look at one weapon which I have never heard taught as such, but which is definitely a weapon. The Holy Spirit recently revealed this weapon to me and it's specific purpose at a time when this was the exact weapon I needed for the Fight. I want to share this with you.
Eph 6:13, 14a reads like this. (ESV) "Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore..." Stand is mentioned twice and withstand once. During the Civil War, at the first Battle of Bull Run, General Jackson earned the name "Stonewall Jackson" because his troops stood firm "like a stonewall" against the opposing army's advance. (There are those who say this was not a compliment, but the man who uttered the words was killed immediately after speaking them and he could not clarify) Needless to say, history has chosen to memorialise this phrase as something praiseworthy. Standing like a stonewall, standing firm, immovable. It doesn't at first seem like a weapon, but anything that keeps the Enemy from advancing, from gaining ground is a weapon.
So here are some ways we can use Standing as a weapon. You "stand" on the promises of God. Has God shown you or promised you something personally that has not yet come about? Then Stand on that. Do not waiver, do not give in to the Enemy's attacks when he tries to make you doubt. Stand firm! You can Stand against Evil, Poverty, Corruption and Complacency. In the Book of Ezekiel, God looks for a man to Stand in the gap between the corruption of the land and His wrath, but there is no one to be found. Ezk 22:23-31 Don't tell me that Standing isn't a weapon...and a powerful one at that.
As with all weapons we must learn to use them skillfully. It is the same with Standing. Practice it, you won't regret it. Stand firm, like a stonewall.
