Stand. Part 1
Stand. • Sermon • Submitted
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· 19 viewsWe must stand against Satan's lies and plots. In order to do so, we must know that we are in Christ. When we are assured of our own salvation by faith in the Gospel of Christ Jesus, then we will be completely assured of the promise of Christ to infuse us with His power, so we can stand against this invisible - yet really - enemy of all righteousness and truth. God bless you.
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Stand. Part 1.
Stand. Part 1.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
The United States of America, our beloved homeland, is under supernatural attack manifested through the unrighteous acts of many of our fellow citizens.
There is a monster working behind the scenes of this great nation to deceive it and destroy it.
We, the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, must recognize that our foes are not merely wicked, human beings. We must receive the divine intelligence we have been given from above and act in accordance to it.
We are not engage with a mere human enemy, but with a spiritual foe that is so powerful that he can deceive whole nations into rebellion against God, His Word, and His people.
Understanding and believing God’s truth will direct us in the way we are to fight against a wicked generation lead by the supremely wicked, spiritual being we know from Scripture as Satan, Lucifer, the devil, and the dragon of old.
Paul, the humble apostle, wrote to believers in the first century who were confronted with Satan’s schemes, plots, revolution, and temptations, and he revealed to them how to stand in the face of the wicked onslaught and war on God’s people.
Never forget, that when political leaders make war against the body of Christ that it is demonically motivated, inspired, and empowered, and you cannot be fighting it merely on a physical front. You must engage in this combat as God requires or you will fail!
Therefore, we must not fight a merely carnal battle. We must not submit to a compromised physical response, alone. We must understand the nature of the war we are in and fight according to God’s rules of engagement.
1. Be STRONG in the LORD - 10
1. Be STRONG in the LORD - 10
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
The LORD wants His people to be strong in Him and by Him. He wants us strong. He does not want us to be weak believers.
Our strengthening from the Lord is revealed in our ability to stand against Satan’s schemes.
“Being made strong in the LORD by the LORD should be the reality of our lives. It is not a goal that we work to achieve. Being strong in the LORD is a free work of His Spirit in our lives by His grace simply because we believe in Jesus” - RR (Eph. 6:10).
We are called to be “strong in the LORD” not ourselves. To be strong, then, we must be assured that we are “in the LORD.”
A. The ASSURANCE that we are in the LORD.
I am in the LORD by faith in Christ:
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Being justified by faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ has great theological significance. Being justified means we are declared righteous because God has forgiven us of all our sins! Being forgiven, we are forever justified and given eternal life by God’s grace.
B. I ACQUIRE the strength of the LORD.
Because I am in the LORD by faith, I am made strong by the Lord through faith.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
“Be strong” - stresses the idea of receiving strength from an outside source - Exegetical Comm. It’s imperative - a command requiring the believer who is motivated by faith to seek God for His empowerment.
“Be” - present tense. Never cease to be this...
“Strong” - endunamoo, en-do-nawe-moe - to cause one to be able to function or do something, strengthen.
Recall Joshua 1:
6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Paul writes: “Be strong in the LORD.”
The LORD is the One who “causes (en-do-nawe-moe) me to be strong.” The LORD is the One who causes me to be able to resist the temptations, to kill the desire to sin, to share His Gospel, make disciples, and stand up against wicked men and women who are demonically induced to do wickedly.
En-do-nawe-moe, “stong,” is used in
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Paul is speaking of being empowered by Christ to practice Christlikeness throughout all the circumstances of life.
En-do-nawe-moe is used in
17 But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
The Lord stood with Paul and strengthened him to preach Christ even while in prison.
The Lord strengthens His people to endure in Christlikeness all that may come our way and to confront wickedness whether it be in our own hearts or the hearts of others.
The LORD wants us to be strong in Him - not without Him - with Him, by Him, and through Him. We must be fully persuaded that we can do nothing without Him:
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, Saith the Lord of hosts.
9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars.
We are to trust God to strengthen us to do His will in any circumstance we find ourselves in.
If you have been to the gym, then you know the scene: muscle dudes flexing every chance they get, mirrors everywhere, and people hurriedly exercising. What would you do if a Mr. Universe (or Miss Universe, if you are female) told you, “You don’t need to go to the gym anymore. In fact, you don’t need to do one push up, sit up, or run one lap ever again to get stronger, fit, and toned. All you need to do is hang out with me - be my friend, and I will infuse my great strength, stamina, and physique into your physical body. The result will be that you will never again lack strength, you’ll never lose a wrestling match or a fight, and you’ll never be out of breath no matter what mountain you climb. You’ll always be victorious. What would you say?
Strength to handle life, to kill the sinful emotions that life triggers, to speak the truth in love, to recognize and crucify every sinful thought and desire, to mortify ungodly attitudes and behavior, and represent Christ in all we say and do comes from being in fellowship with Jesus Christ.
C. His power is made AVAILABLE.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
“And in the Power” - kratos, krawe-toce - the power of God given us in Christ. “And” clarifies being strong in the LORD not yourself. We are strong in the LORD through the power of His might. This repetitious “power language” emphasizes “the abundant power of God available to the believer” - Exegetical Comm.
“His Might” - dominion, might. “Meaning the strength that has prevailed manifestly and demonstratively:” (Exegetical Comm.)
19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
If we are in Christ, then we do not lack the supply or resource of God’s power; if we are not empowered by Him it is because we lack faith in the truth that He will empower us when we are motivated by faith to wait on Him:
31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
I believe! I wait on the Lord Jesus everyday, and He empowers me to put on Christ and make no provision for the flesh:
14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
“Put on the Lord Jesus” is glorious Christlikeness! When we seek to be like Him by faith in Him, our flesh has no power to perform its evil desires at war within us!
The LORD wants us to be strong in Him, and I rejoice!
2. Stand against the SCHEMES of the Devil - 11
2. Stand against the SCHEMES of the Devil - 11
A. We have an INVISIBLE enemy.
Why do we need to be strong in the LORD and in the power of His might? The reason is given: we are fighting an incredibly, significant foe - Satan.
Ephesians Explanation of the Text
God’s people face more powerful enemies than mere human opponents.
Satan is seeking whom he may devour! We are to resist him by being steadfast in the faith that Christ strengthens me against him, so I may overcome his whiles, schemes, and lies.
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
This truth is glorious!
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
May you seek to be strong in the Lord Jesus Christ through the power of His might, so you may defeat the true enemy of our souls and our great nation. God bless you.