Stand

 August 2, 2024

“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.”

                                                                                                                    —Ephesians 6:13 

That little word “stand” just keeps popping up all over the place. I’ve told you how the prophet Elijah described himself as one who “stands before the LORD.” Recently, I was reading in 2 Kings 5:16, where Elisha who was his protégé used the same words to describe himself. In other words, Elijah mentored him by example, and when his ministry was finished, Elisha asked for, and received, a double portion of Elijah’s spirit. 

Whatever gift or talent you have been given, hone it to perfection by practice, hard work, and lots of prayer. Then make sure you pass it along to someone else. If everything works the way it should, the one you train will reach higher and go farther than yourself.

Here in Ephesians, the imagery is military, “last man standing,” having fought his best, weary and perhaps wounded, he still stands. There is no finer example than one that has been tested and proven. Linda and I constantly are praying that by God’s grace we will stand so you can see what it looks like, follow our example, and take it to a whole new level.