Stand…

There is so much chaos, confusion— fear and anger swirling these last few days. The LORD has put these passages on my heart —(and the hearts of many others) there is so much more going on around us than Covid19 and the political positioning.

I write this exhortation for MYSELF— to “encourage myself in the Lord” (as David did)—but also for all who have felt arrows in the dark coming from every direction:

Stand up and stay standing! We are children of the living God! We are the Bride of Christ! The same power that raised Him from the dead also lives in us! Beloved— you are ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, not the kingdoms of this world.

Satan (and his legions) come to steal, kill and destroy. Our mighty- sovereign God has given us POWER, LOVE & A SOUND MIND!

This difficult season has revealed that Satan has a strategy to steal our power by making us think we are power-less and alone.
He also comes to kill love with a spirit of fear ( God’s perfect love casts out fear), and to destroy our soundness of mind with chaos and confusion.

The Apostle Paul reminds us in His letter to the Ephesians:

“Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. (one paraphrase translation says “Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage.”)

For this reason take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. Stand, therefore, with truth like a belt around your waist, righteousness like armor on your chest, and your feet sandaled with readiness for the gospel of peace.

In every situation take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit — which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.”

Ephesians 6:10-18 CSB

STAND!