Sit, Walk, Stand

Good morning! You just woke up and now it’s time to get dressed and grab your tools before heading out to work. You may be a carpenter, business executive, or local chef. Now that you’re ready to go, you just walk out to your car (or truck) and head off.

Your day goes well until just after lunch. A problem arises: with the framing of a house, or a customer getting the wrong product, or a meat supplier unable to bring your filet mignon. So, you summon up your on-the-job wisdom and stand against the challenge. By the end of the day (with the help of a couple of co-workers), all is well.

That is similar to the spiritual events whirling around us each day. God has given us great “tools” and abilities in Christ. When we walk out and use them, we may encounter the forces of evil that throw “roadblocks” in our way. But we summon up what God has given us in Christ and boldly stand until all is well spiritually.

One simple way of looking at this process is that we sit, walk, and stand. God gives us this clear direction in the book of Ephesians. First, we can “sit” with all the blessings and tools that God has given us in Christ.

Seated in Heavenly Places in Christ

Ephesians 1:3,4:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

God selected us in His foreknowledge before He set the earth’s foundations. And He blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing available. And He did that when we were spiritually dead.

Ephesians 2:4-6:
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

By God’s great love and grace, we SIT TOGETHER in heavenly places spiritually in Christ Jesus, our risen lord. Now that is a nice seat to have! God planned this forever as His eternal purpose. Not only that, we can go to God for His help anytime, because Christ gives us direct access to our Father.

Ephesians 3:11,12:
According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:
In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

With so much available to us, now it’s time to walk out.

Walking Balanced: in Love, as Children of Light, and Circumspectly

Ephesians 4:1:
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy [balanced] of the vocation wherewith ye are called.

With so much to do, how do we walk “balanced”? God shows us three simple ways to walk.

Ephesians 5:2,8,15,16:
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light.
See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

That’s how we walk: IN LOVE, AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT, and CIRCUMSPECTLY. Just as Christ gave himself for us, we give our lives in service to our risen Lord as we bless and help others. Even though our past may try to haunt us, we are no longer in the dark but light in Lord—so we take each step illuminated by God. And we walk with our eyes open and looking around spiritually. That way we use our time wisely, because the days are very evil.

Now that we are walking in this evil world, what happens when we encounter a spiritual “snag”? Whose power do we stand in?

Standing in the Lord’s Might: Against the Devil, Upon God’s Resources in Christ

Ephesians 6:10-18:
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles [tricky methods and devices] of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood [people], but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

The only way to be able to STAND AGAINST the tricky methods and devices of the Devil, is to STAND UPON the accomplishments of Jesus Christ and all the spiritual resources that brings to us. As we put on truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer—then we can overcome the principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness. Then we can withstand in this evil day and quench every fiery missile thrown at us.  And we do it together in constant and effective prayer.

Each morning, let’s grab all of God’s blessings where we’re seated spiritually in the heavenlies. Let’s walk out and live in love, light, and with our spiritual eyes looking about us. And let’s stand for God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and confidence in the power of His might!