Stand Firm!

When fierce spirits attack you, what do you do? “Stand firm!” (Ephesians 6:14). Keep watch in the power of prayer,⁹ lest you “fall from your secure position.”¹⁰

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

Never become comfortable¹¹ in this world, which has turned traitor to its rightful King. Expect spiritual attack from any direction.

• Attack may come from within, through your own weaknesses, wishes and wants.¹² “As sojourners and exiles… abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11).
• Attack may come through relatives and friends,¹³ or even fellow-Christians who set poor examples that discourage and hurt you.¹⁴
• Attack may come through good times or through illness,¹⁵
• It may come through religious leaders who follow demons (1 Timothy 4:1-4) into teachings that itching ears like to hear.¹⁶ “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Paul warned the elders of the church in Ephesus: “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert…” (Acts 20:29-31).
• It may come through opponents who seek to ruin your good name and influence.¹⁷ Everywhere Paul went, enemies soon rose up to resist the truth. Of his experience in Ephesus, Paul wrote, “But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:8-9). Satan, the “father of lies,” trains his children to lie about God’s family. Hence Jesus and Paul were falsely accused, and you will be too.¹⁸
• Attacks may come through threats,¹⁹ losses,²⁰ hard-pressing burdens,²¹ government oppression,²² or even physical harm.²³ Paul wrote about his experiences in Ephesus, “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself” (2 Corinthians 1:8). In Ephesus itself, “there arose no little disturbance concerning the Way” ²⁴ and “the city was filled with the confusion” (Acts 19:23,29).

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9. Watch and pray: Matthew 26:41; 1 Peter 4:7 cf. 1 Peter 1:13; Luke 21:36; 1 Thessalonians 5:6,8; 2 Timothy 4:5; Romans 12:3; also Matthew 24:42-44; 25:10,13; Luke 12:39-40; Nehemiah 4:9

10. 2 Peter 3:17 Research Subject – Falling Away: Matthew 5:13; 13:20-23; 24:10-13; 25:13; Mark 4:17; Luke 8:13; 9:62; 11:24-26; 17:32; John 6:67; 15:1-8; Acts 8:13-23; Romans 11:20-22; 1 Corinthians 9:27; 10:1-12; 2 Corinthians 12:20-21; Galatians 1:6; 2:4; 3:1-3; 4:9-11; 5:4,7; 6:4-6; Colossians 2:18-19; 1 Timothy 1:19-20; 3:6-7, 4:1-3; 5:6,8,12,15; 6:3-5,10; 2 Timothy 1:15; 2:12,17; 3:1-8; 4:3-4,10; Hebrews 3:12-15; 4:1,11; 6:4-8; 10:26-29, 36; 12:15; James 1:13-15; 4:4; 5:19-20; 2 Peter 1:9-11; 2:1-2,20-22; 3:17; 1 John 5:16-17; 2 John 1:8-9; Revelation 2:5; 3:1-2,16 cf. Matthew 11:6; 26:31; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Jude 1:4-6; Deuteronomy 4:9; 8:14; 13:13; 29:18; 32:15; Psalm 85:8; 101:3; Proverbs 26:11; 1 Kings 11:1-10; 1 Chronicles 28:9; 2 Chronicles 15:2; Ezra 8:22; Isaiah 1:28; 65:11; Jeremiah 17:5; Ezekiel 3:20; 18:24-26; 33:12-18; Zephaniah 1:6

11. John 12:25; Luke 6:24-26; 14:26; James 4:4

12. Desires: Like 8:14; 22:31-34,54-62; James 1:14-15; 4:1; 2 Timothy 4:3 e.g. Genesis 12:12-20; 2 Samuel 11:2-4

13. Relatives: Matthew 10:21; Luke 21:16 e.g. Deuteronomy 13:6; Job 2:9, Nehemiah 13:26. Misguided friends: Matthew 16:21-23; Job 42:7; Psalm 38:11; 55:12-14,20-22; 88:8,18.

14. Misguided members: Galatians 2:11-13; Philippians 2:20-21; 2 Timothy 1:15; 4:10,16 cf. Matthew 24:10; 2 Corinthians 11:26; Psalm 41:9

15. Attack may come through sickness: Satan attacked Job this way, Job 2:1-10, and likely Paul, who said, “a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me” 2 Corinthians 12:7 cf. Galatians 4:15. See The Winning Family (Part 2), segment “God-given Ability And Strength”, Note 7. About attacks through “good times” see segment “Ironies That Should Not Surprise”, Note 29.

16. Misguided teachers: 2 Timothy 4:3-4; 2 Peter 2:1-2; Matthew 7:15; 1 John 4:1

17. Enemies: Matthew 5:11; Acts 14:2; 18:6,12-13; 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16; 1 Peter 3:16; 4:14; Revelation 2:9

18. Lies: John 8:44; 18:30; Mark 14:56; Luke 23:1-2; Acts 17:7; 24:5-9; 25:7; Romans 3:8. Knowing this danger, conduct all your dealings – from finances to friendships – with the safeguards that “avoid any criticism,” 2 Corinthians 8:20 cf. 1 Timothy 3:2,7; 4:12; 5:1-2,14; 1 Samuel 12:2-5.

19. Threats: Acts 4:21,29; 9:1

20. Losses: Philippians 3:8; Hebrews 10:34 e.g. Job 1:9-22

21. Burdens: 2 Corinthians 1:5-9; 4:8-10

22. Official oppression: Acts 5:18; 8:3; 12:1-5; 24:26-27; Revelation 13:7-18; 19:19; 20:8 cf. Matthew 2:16-22; Luke 22:63-71; John 19:1-19

23. Physical harm: Matthew 24:9; Acts 5:40; 7:58; 8:1; 12:2; 14:19; 2 Corinthians 6:4-10

24. “The Way” is another name for Christianity, Acts 9:2; 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:14,22 cf. John 14:16; Isaiah 35:8.

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Picture: “Stand Firm!” A modern statue honors Sparta’s King Leonidas who, with 300 city fathers, delayed Xerxes’ vast armies at the pass of Thermopylae (480 B.C.). The Spartans stood firm, which helped Greece’s eventual victory over the Persians.