Paul gives guiding words to the Thessalonians and us: stand firm in the faith. In the days Paul lived, the enemy would overcome a soldier who could not stand firm in battle. Ephesians 6:10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.[1] To stand firm in the faith is about relying on and looking to the Lord for strength and His power. We are in a spiritual battle in the unseen realm, including people satan uses against us.
Relying on the Lord to Stand Firm
Paul knew that the Thessalonians would be in a spiritual battle and face various difficulties, from persecution from false teachers, the world, and their apathy to leave their faith behind. To help them stay true to the Lord, Paul wrote to encourage them in their spiritual battle. 2 Thessalonians 2:15 With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter. [2]
When persecution comes upon us, only faith sustains us and enables us to continue to build God’s Kingdom. It is a temptation to become lazy once we have come to faith. We think God will shield us, and we play no part in the battle. This is far from the truth. The Lord does protect us, but that does not mean we are to be idle and lazy. We must nourish ourselves in God’s word and prayer to succeed in the spiritual battle. The enemy will easily overpower and defeat a starving soldier.
Standing Firm
How do we stand firm with a strong grip? As Christians, we must meditate on God’s Word and take it into our hearts like daily food. Only when we know God’s truth can we spot the hidden deception of the enemy. As we endure the trials of life, those who rely on the Lord and spend time with Him are quickly separated from those whose roots of faith are shallow. The Lord is urging us to build our house on Him to have stability in the storms of life.
Matthew 7:24 “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise, and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. [3] Because Jesus lives in us, we can remain brave and hopeful throughout life and weather the storms that come on us. Without Jesus, storms will toss us like leaves blowing in the wind.
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[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Tyndale House Publishers.