STAND - Week 1: Stand in Strength

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Title of the Message this Morning is:

Stand in Strength -Week 1

Big Idea:

You were never meant to fight life’s battles in your own strength—

God invites you to stand in His power, not yours.

True strength begins with surrender: not the giving up kind, but the giving over control to the One who fights for you.

When we stop striving in our own strength and start depending on God, we find the strength to stand firm no matter what comes against us.

Prayer:

“Lord, I surrender this day to You.

I know I can’t stand on my own strength.

Please fill me with Your power and remind me that You fight for me.”

Scripture: Ephesians 6:10-13

Introduction

Welcome to our new sermon series, Stand—a journey through one of the most powerful and practical passages in all of Scripture: Ephesians 6.

Over the next few weeks, we’re going to explore what it means to live with strength, stability, and spiritual resilience in a world that often feels chaotic and unpredictable.

This is more than a call to arms—it’s a call to stand.

Not in fear.

Not in panic.

But in faith.

Let me ask you something—have you ever felt like you’re standing in a storm that just won’t let up?

Life keeps swinging…

The wind doesn’t stop…

The pressure doesn’t ease…

And you’re doing everything you can just to stay on your feet.

You try harder.

You push forward.

You fight back with all you’ve got.

But you’re exhausted.

Weary.

Maybe even ready to give up.

Pastor - Share a personal story here about a time when you felt worn and weary. What was going on and how did you respond?

This is exactly how the apostle Paul felt in Ephesians 6.

He comes not with a motivational speech to dig deeper or hustle harder—but with a command that changes everything:

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Before you put on the armor… before you pick up the sword… before you face the day ahead… Paul says: Stand.

Not in your own strength, but in the strength that only God can provide.

Today, we begin with this foundational truth: Standing begins with surrender—not to fear, but to God's strength.

Let's discover together what it means to truly stand in the power of the Lord.

Main Teaching

Read: Ephesians 6:10-13

I. The Strength to Stand Begins with God, Not You

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” —Ephesians 6:10

When Paul begins his final exhortation in Ephesians 6, he doesn't say, “Be strong, period.” He says, “Be strong in the Lord.”

That distinction is such an important one that we cannot miss.

This is not a rallying cry to dig deeper, try harder, or muster up some inner grit.

It’s a call to lean on a strength that is not your own.

It’s a call to lean on God in times of need – When all else fails, God is there and His strength is sufficient.

The Greek verb used for “be strong” is endynamousthe (inde - naw mo)—a passive imperative.

It literally means, “be strengthened” or “be empowered.” Paul is telling us that this kind of strength isn’t something we create; it’s something we receive.

It flows from our union with Christ, not from sheer human willpower or manipulation.

This is the consistent theme of Scripture. Isaiah 40:29 reminds us:     “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”

And in 2 Corinthians 12:9, Jesus tells Paul,     “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

In the kingdom of God, weakness is not a defect—it’s an invitation.

It’s in our lowest, most vulnerable places that God meets us with sustaining power…and we see this over and over again in our own lives and others.

When we stop pretending we’re strong enough on our own, we finally open our hands to receive what only He can give.

It’s when we finally let go and let God.

So if you feel worn down, burnt out, or barely hanging on—you’re in the perfect position to stand.

Not in yourself, but in the Lord and His mighty power.

II. Our Battle Is Not Against Flesh and Blood

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” — Ephesians 6:11

The real war isn’t the one we see—it’s the one we can’t.

Paul makes it clear: the enemy isn’t your neighbor, your coworker, or that person who disagrees with you online.

The true struggle runs deeper, beneath the surface of human conflict.

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood,” Paul writes, “but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

So often, we try to fight spiritual battles with earthly strategies.

We throw busyness at our anxiety.

We hide behind achievement to cover our shame.

We reach for control when we feel the chaos closing in.

But no amount of hustle can push back the powers of darkness.

We can’t muscle our way through this one. 

We don’t need stronger arguments—we need stronger armor.

We don’t need a louder voice—we need a deeper dependence.

C.S. Lewis once wrote,

“There is no neutral ground in the universe. Every square inch, every split second, is claimed by God and counterclaimed by Satan.”

That’s the tension we live in.

That’s the battleground.

Every square inch, every split second.

But here’s the hope: while the enemy is real, his power is not ultimate.

His power is subservient to that of Christ and Jesus has already won the decisive victory on the cross (Colossians 2:15),

disarming the powers and authorities and triumphing over them. We don’t fight for victory—we fight from it.

Our battle originates from a place of victory, triumph, and the divine sacrifice of Jesus’ death on the cross.

So when you feel like giving up, remember this: you’re not just caught in a random struggle.

You’re engaged in a holy resistance.

And the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

III. Standing Requires Surrender

At first glance, the command to “stand firm” sounds like a call to personal strength and willpower.

But in the kingdom of God, the ability to stand is not about asserting control—it’s about yielding control.

True strength is found in surrendering our will to God's.

Jesus shows us this in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Facing betrayal, torture, and death,

He didn’t resist the Father’s plan or attempt to escape the cross.

Instead, He knelt.

He prayed.

He surrendered.

“Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).

His victory came not through force, but through faithful obedience.

This is echoed throughout Scripture.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you”(James 4:7).

Notice the order—submission precedes resistance.

You cannot resist the darkness in your own strength.

You must first surrender to the Light.

The paradox of the Christian life is this: the more we let go, the more we’re held; the more we surrender, the more we stand.

“When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Surrender isn’t passive.

It’s the most powerful act of trust.

It’s choosing to believe that God will hold you up when you no longer can.

IV. God Doesn’t Call You to Fight Alone—He Calls You to Stand Covered

Ephesians 6:13: “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Notice the order: the armor comes after the call to be strong in the Lord.

The armor is not our strength—it’s what God provides because He is our strength.

Every piece points us back to Him: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the sword of the Spirit.

These are not man-made weapons; they are God-given grace.

You were never meant to fight alone.

You were never meant to win in your own power.

The call is not to charge the battlefield swinging wildly—it’s to stand, covered in the strength, truth, and protection of God.

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14).

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper” (Isaiah 54:17).

“Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

So today, if you feel weak—stand.

If you feel overwhelmed—stand.

Not because you're strong enough, but because your Savior is.

Not because you have it all together, but because you are covered by grace.

The victory has already been won.

Your job is not to achieve it—but to receive it, to walk in it, and to stand in it.

Conclusion: Are You Standing in God’s Strength—or Striving in Your Own?

So let me ask you:

Where are you standing today?

Are you standing in God’s strength—or striving in your own?

We’ve seen today that standing strong in the battles of life isn’t about pushing harder or pretending to be tough.

It’s about recognizing where your strength comes from—and it doesn’t come from you.

1. We stand not by our own power, but by being strong in the Lord.  2.We stand not in panic, but with purpose, armed with truth, righteousness, faith, and salvation.  3.We stand not through striving, but through surrender—just like Jesus in the garden.  4.And we don’t stand alone—we stand covered in the full armor of God, because the battle belongs to Him.

So where in your life are you worn out because you’ve been fighting solo?

Where is God inviting you to stop striving and start trusting?

Application / Response:

This week, I challenge you to do something bold—let go and let God.

Stop white-knuckling control.

Stop trying to earn a victory that’s already been won.

And instead, surrender your battles to the Lord.

Because when you rely on His strength,

When you kneel in surrender,

When you stand in faith—

You won’t just survive the storm.

You’ll stand through it—victoriously.

Let’s pray together.

Salvation:

The Word of God says in: John 3:16

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 10:13 NKJV

For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you’d would like to receive Jesus today, please pray this prayer with all of us:

Lord I believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He died On the cross for my sins and His resurrection from the dead gives me eternal life. I ask forgiveness of my sins, and I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior. Amen.

Pastor [e-mail]

Church Office: 909-922-8090

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Pastor, please continue reading

“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood,” Paul writes, “but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).

Have a Great Week! Goodbye!

This is Pastor Doc and Lady Pepper signing off until next time we meet. Love you all!