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. Ephesians 6:13
We’re entering the warmest days of the year here in the US and I can’t help but think how things are heating up in more ways than one. 2026 has been quite a year already, hasn’t it?! As Christians we realize the circumstances around us are ever-changing. The world is in turmoil and the path it is on pulls many further and further away from the Lord, not closer. We see the subtle and not-so-subtle reminders on an almost daily basis. The enemy is working and honestly, he is quite good at what he does. Deception, lies, hatred, jealousy, and an ultimate contempt for the Lord is all that consumes Satan. We know he is at work, yet the One Who lives inside of us (Christ) is still greater than the one in this world.
It’s been a confusing time especially as I’ve looked at the present-day church. I’ve never seen as much in-fighting within Christianity as I do right now. There are folks being called out daily. Some are too charismatic. Some aren’t charismatic enough. Some are too right-leaving. Some too left-leaning. Whole ministries are devoted to exposing sin and bringing to light the skeletons in the closets of many. Truth be told, there are things needing to being dealt with. In many ways, God is cleaning house in His church. At the same time, the fallout and division is real and palpable.
As I thought about the mess of the world and the mess of the church, I was just encouraged to say to myself “Stand firm.” I believe that’s the word I am to pass along to you today, knowing that the confusion of our time is leading some believers to become disheartened. In many ways our hopes and longings have been misplaced and misapplied: we’ve sought answers through a man or men rather than going to the Lord. We’ve been disappointed but God is reminding us: “Put your trust in Me, don’t put your trust in anything or anyone else.”
Today’s blog (and accompanying podcast) centers around this idea of standing firm. The Bible speaks about this concept over and over and in order to get through uncertain times, we need an anchor that is immovable. I hope that this message will encourage you and redirect you if you’ve felt hopeless. We can stand firm despite the messiness. In fact, we are called to stand firm in the midst of it!
1. We must realize where our hope is found
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me. John 14:1
Jesus saw the disappointment and confusion on His disciples’ faces as He laid out the steps He would soon face. He was going to the cross. In a few short hours, their whole world and what they had known for the past 3 years would change. For all of them, the cross was scattering moment: Then all the disciples left Him and fled. (Matthew 26:56) Their hopes, their dreams, all that they thought was going to happen was taken away. But Jesus did not stay buried. After His resurrection, He restored each one (look specifically at the encounters with Thomas and Peter, post-resurrection). From there, church history tells us 10 of the remaining 11 disciples were martyred. Their hopelessness turned into an unshakable confidence: they were even willing to die for Jesus.
The proper perspective must be gained in our lives as well. Is Christ still King? Does He reign on the throne? Are His words truly true? If so, what must be our response? We cannot remain fearful. We cannot keep running to places of disillusionment. At some point we have to come to the same crossroads in our path with Jesus: He is alive so I’ll live for Him. No regrets, no second-guessing. Our hope is not in this world. It is in the one to come. We will go to be with our Savior…FOREVER. We must look past the cross and see the empty grave and the ascended, reigning King. That’s where we are headed and where our hope lies.
2. We must test every word
Do not despise prophecies; but test everything; hold fast what is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1
One thing we greatly lack within the church today is a spirit of discernment. Discernment can be a spiritual gift that gives specific insight and revelation. This gifting is something only certain people have. But in a more general sense, every believer is called to practice discernment between what is right and what is wrong. This is open and available to all who are in Christ. The problem is, we ignore the Holy Spirit’s voice and the Scriptures when they lead us to question a certain word or teaching. This lack of discernment leads to an increase of voices within the church that are simply “off” and not of Christ.
Testing a word means exactly that: test what you hear and what you read. Take it directly to Scripture and see if it checks out. Scripture validates Scripture. God doesn’t contradict Himself. But those who put words in His mouth can be in error. What’s a good way to know if a pastor or leader is taking this seriously? If they are called out for something they said which didn’t line up with the Bible, are they quick to repent and be corrected? If not, perhaps there is already a false spirit operating in their ministry. From there, we’d be right to question them. In addition, is fruit evident in a particular church or ministry? Are people coming to know Christ and get baptized; i.e. is spiritual growth happening? This goes back to the whole notion of “If God is blessing it, who am I to condemn it?” In most cases, we can let the fruit speak for itself.
3. We must strive for unity wherever possible
Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! Psalm 133:1,2
These verses from Psalm 133 are verses I’ve pulled in when my kids are fighting and there is a spirit of disunity within my home. I can’t stand constant infighting and bickering. I hate endless picking at each other with the goal of getting someone else aggravated and upset. I’ve learned the truth of these verses in those moments: when there is peace, it is a good thing. When we get along, it’s like the oil anointing Aaron and running down from his head to his beard and to his robes. I love that picture and I think that is what it’s like when the church comes together and works as one for the goal of Christ. We are so much more powerful united than we are divided.
There are some caveats and of course I need to spell them out. First, we let God deal with sin. Let Him expose what needs to be exposed. But at the same time, let’s not live in the camp of “overexposure.” Let’s deal with it, move towards repentance, help victims find healing, and find how to move forward. Secondly, there are some who simply believe things that are “Scripturally off.” Are we called to make peace with those brothers and sisters? Honestly (and this is a much larger discussion), if someone is preaching a gospel other than Christ, we must mark and avoid. Paul warns us of this in 1 Corinthians 5:11: But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. The warning is clear: unity cannot be achieved with such a person so we must do everything in our power to avoid them and remove their influence.
At the beginning of this, I shared Ephesians 6:13: 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. This is the verse that directly precedes the Full Armor of God passage and from here, Paul describes each piece of the armor we must put on. That’s the key in all of this: are we putting on and applying the armor of God each day? If we do, we have all the tools we will need to stand firm: the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes fitted with the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit (side note, I did a podcast series on these verses if you’re looking for more). If we adorn these pieces of armor, we go out into the battle ready for the enemy’s attack. The Lord will keep us firmly planted.
Last thing: in all that I share, I urge you to test the words and be discerning here as well. I’ve shared things publicly on a regular basis since the beginning of 2017 (blogs and podcasts). My goal has been to share and speak truth. But I am not above being held to the same standard; I want my readers and listeners to be discerning and that starts right here with AS BOLD AS LIONS.
I love you guys and I love walking the journey with you. I hope you are blessed today and that this has been impactful for your own walk with Christ. I’d love to hear from you if you have any questions or just want to follow-up with a comment (contact information below). Until next time, be blessed!
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Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 5:15-17
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