TEXT: Ephesians 6:11,13,14a
Reading:
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth,…
NTRODUCTION
We see in these verses that we are to take a stand. To take a stand means to stand firm, to abide, to persevere, to be fixed. We, as God’s people, are supposed to take a stand for what is right. Many a time, Christians will be faced with the chief to buy land. The chief will demand for schnapps (an alcoholic beverage). We will buy the schnapps for the king or the chief, instead of letting them know that we are different and take a stand for what is right. We live in a world that is constantly trying to get us to compromise, to give in, and to go along with what everybody else is doing. We are to take a stand for what is right – even if it makes us unpopular.
This is not always easy to do. In studying Paul’s letters to the churches, we find him telling the Believers to stand.
- To the Corinthians, “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.” (1 Corinthians 16:13).
- To the Galatians, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free…” (Galatians 5:1).
- To the Ephesians, “Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, …(Ephesians 6:14a)
- To the Philippines, “… stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” (Philippians 4:1)
- To the Colossians, “… that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.” (Colossians 4:12).
- To the Thessalonians, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, …” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).
God wants us to take a stand for truth and righteousness. This world desperately needs men and women who will STAND UP for what is right and stand against what is wrong. Today, I want to remind you of the two truths that can help you to take a stand for what is right.
(1) God is watching
Ezekiel 22:30, “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” God was looking for someone to take a stand. To stand up for truth and righteousness, to intercede for the wickedness of Israel. However, He couldn’t find one. Therefore, He poured out His wrath on them and consumed them. Think with me in our modern day the activities of the gays, homosexuals, blood money, and killing humans for sacrifice. What about LGBTQ+? Evil things are on the rampage today. The Christians are standing and looking and compromising with them. May God help us.
I believe that today, God is looking for some people to take a stand for what is right,
He is watching, and He is searching. 2 Chronicles 16:9, “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.” Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” TAKE A STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT BECAUSE GOD IS WATCHING.
(A) God will reward the righteous
Psalm 34:15, “The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” Psalm 5:12, “For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.” Jesus said, “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is
with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” – Revelation 22:12. God is watching, He will reward those who take a stand for what is right.
(B) God will punish the wicked
Psalm 34:16, “The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.” Psalm 68:21, “But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.” Psalm 37:38, “But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.” For example, a taxi driver was asked by the policeman, “Where are your particulars?” The taxi driver was searching for something that he himself knew that he did not have. The policeman realized that the driver didn’t have the particulars, that he was lying to him, and the policeman was furious with the driver. The driver was afraid of the policeman, and he lied. We ought to fear God more than we fear the police. STAND FOR THE RIGHT – BECAUSE GOD IS WATCHING.
(2) The devil is watching
In 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”. Verse 9 continues, “Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” The devil and his demons are looking for a weak area in your life so that they can use it to destroy you. The devil hates you. The devil wants to destroy you, but remember you are made in God’s image, and he despises you. The devil wants to kill and destroy, He is watching you. This is why Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:27, “Neither give place to the devil.”
CONCLUSION:
We sing –
“Stand Up, Stand Up, for Jesus”
“Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong,”
- God is watching. He will reward the righteous, He will punish the wicked.
- The devil is watching, He is looking for a way to destroy and devour you.
ARE YOU RESOLVED IN YOUR HEART TODAY THAT YOU WILL STAND FOR WHAT IS RIGHT? GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU DO THAT.
Amen!!!