“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:58
“I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.“
Psalm 16:8
“You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
Hebrews 10:36
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October 31, 2025
After exhorting us to be strong in the Lord and put on His armor, Paul has one more thing to say before he lists all the pieces of armor: Stand. Twice, he tells us to stand!
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.
Standing may sound passive, as opposed to charging into enemy territory. But if we are constantly hit with “flaming arrows” meant to send us into retreat, standing is a choice—an act of the will and of faith. It’s an intentional measure, a solid “NO!” against darkness.
Standing in faith requires a number of things:
- Knowing what you believe. Are you spending time in God’s word? If we want to weigh what we hear against the truth of scripture, we need to know that truth. Trusting our gut will not allow us to stand firm, only God’s Word through His Spirit.
- Awareness. Physically it’s hard, maybe impossible, to stand up while asleep. It’s no different spiritually. We have to be alert!
- A long-term view. This is not a short war we can jump in and out of, as we wait for Christ to permanently destroy all of Satan’s work.
- Fellowship. As we all stand on the same common ground of Christ the Solid Rock, we encourage and remind each other of God’s faithfulness. We help each other employ armor when needed.
If we are standing in God, we will be attacked. But God, who has all the power, can keep us standing. Sometimes our standing is with tears and suffering. Yet we can be encouraged. The writer of Hebrews reminds his readers of their early suffering for the Gospel, and the ways they stood alongside others in persecution. He calls for them to not throw away their confidence, and writes “You need to persevere (stand) so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he (God) promised,” and “We do not belong to those who shrank back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.”
We stand on the Solid Rock, we stand in His victory, we stand waiting and watching. May it be so!
Questions for Reflection and Discussion
- Are there battles that have tempted you to “throw away your confidence?” How can knowing God’s promises help us to stand in those times?
- How can keeping our eyes on the Lord (Psalm 16) help us to stand, unshaken?
Church Reading Plan:
Today, October 31: 2 Kings 13; 2 Timothy 3
Saturday, November 1: 2 Kings 14; 2 Timothy 4
Sunday, November 2: 2 Kings 15; Titus 1