Standing Firm in the Face of Trials | Romans 5:2

How to Stand firm in the midst of a Fallen World.

Paul says that we are to Stand Firm in the Faith. That we as believers are given grace, and upon that grace we stand. But how are we to continue to stand in that grace? Especially as we face a fallen world that seeks to push us away from God. To get us sidetracked by the things of the flesh?

Standing Firm (Ephesians 6:10-20)

We stand firm By His Might not Ours: Through Him we have..obtained (v. 10)

Paul states we obtain access to this grace in which we stand firm through Christ. It is through Him, not through our efforts that we receive the grace we stand firm in.

He agrees with this in v. 10 of Ephesians 6

Ephesians 6:10 ESV

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

"The strength we are to manifest as Christians is the strength that is found in and through Christ. Why Christians need strength is explained here in one of the most magnificent treatments in the entire Bible of the Christian life in terms of warfare."

Sproul, R. C. (1994). The Purpose of God: Ephesians (p. 147). Christian Focus Publications.

You and I may have the tools to lose weight, or organize our schedules., or overcome many other tasks and obstacles, but we are not equipped to handle the biggest battles. Why?

We Stand Firm Against Powers and Principalities

The problem with our ability to overcome our enemies and our fears is that our enemy is not physical but spiritual.

We naturally seek out enemies to our safety and health.

We are not the Enemy. One of the biggest problems in the church is that we see others as the enemy. Whether they be other Christians or politicians, family members, neighbors. But scripture points out that our enemy is not people, but the powers and principalities.

Though because of movies like the exorcist and Annabell have made belief in spirits and the spiritual laughable, and seem like fiction, the bible says that these things are very real. We have an enemy, and it’s the Devil and his demons.

1 Peter 5:8 ESV

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

We have an enemy that seeks to keep us in bondage to sin. Sins like gossip, bitterness, anger, lust, pornography, lying, adultery, stealing, homosexuality, transgenderism, all of the sins of the age that are not only accepted but in our culture stoked by the media and celebrated by the World are cages the enemy uses to bind God’s people.

This year, the Devil would love to bind you in your sin and keep you from freedom in Christ. From standing firm in Christ.

But the BIble says that Christ has set us free:

Colossians 1:13 ESV

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

We Stand Firm By Taking His Armor

In one of the most well known passages of scripture, God commands his disciples to take up the full armor of God. Why?

Ephesians 6:13 ESV

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.

If we are going to stand firm in the grace of God, then it’s going to be because we stand firm by his strength in his righteous grace and by taking up his armor.

In 2021 we began the year with 21 days of prayer and fasting. We are beginning this year the same. We are challenging you church to stand firm in 2022. How, but working to instill in yourself the spiritual disciplines necessary for a godly life.

Paul speaks of these disciplines as putting on the armor of God.

Putting on the breastplate of righteous living. Guarding our hearts from evil by filling our minds and hearts with God’s Word.

Philippians 4:8 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Putting on the shoes of the gospel of peace. This means that we daily remind ourselves of the gospel truth that we cannot do it ourselves. That we cease to live in a “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” mentality and instead recognize our weakness and need for the “grace in which we stand.”

We do this by surrendering in prayer daily. We are passing out today 21 days of prayer guides that we are challenging EVERYONE to participate in. We want to be a praying church! We NEED to be a praying church. Read the guide introduction this week. Find the website that has the daily prayers and prepare your hearts to begin on January 1.

We do this by taking up the shield of faith, putting our faith in Christ to sustain us through these days ahead. We need the Holy Spirit on those days when we don’t want to pray.

We need the helm of salvation. The daily reminder that our salvation is in Christ, not in ourselves. And we need the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God. We need to be hiding God’s word in our hearts. To this end. We have put out a bible reading plan and scripture memorization plan at the back. We need to be reading and praying together church.

How do we start?

We Stand Firm by Praying at all Times

Ephesians 6:18–20 ESV

praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.