When I was about ten years old my sister and I were playing at a playground in our small town when some bigger boys came over to us and started calling us names. My sister, a whole year older than me, was not going to let them bully me so she began defending us. Without warning one of the boys stepped over to her and punched her square in the face, then again until she fell down. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. My sister was super tough and she was laying on the ground crying. I ran to her and helped her to her feet and we started home.
As we walked into the yard our older brother saw us and dropped what he was doing to see what happened. Upon hearing that three boys beat up his little sister, his face twisted into a look of sheer rage and he took off running in the direction we had come.
We aren’t sure exactly what happened that day, but anytime we crossed paths with any of those boys from that day forward, they would turn and go the other way. Our brother stood up to the bullys and protected his family.
We were little girls who, at that time, needed someone to stand up for us, and our brother did just that.
Scripture tells us that before we were yet formed in the womb, God knew us, (Jeremiah 1:5) and while were were still sinners Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
Christ came between the ultimate bully – Satan – and you before you ever took your first breath. As we mature as Christians we learn to stand on our own. We learn the importance of being firm in our faith and fighting against the devil.
Fighting the devil is just that, fighting daily battles that can be exhausting. You will win some, and you will lose some, but you need to be prepared, and the only way to train for these battles is to read scripture, meditate on the Word, study to understand, and make the Truth within the Bible the foundation of your life. Christ is the solid rock to stand on.
Ephesians 6:11-17 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself against the bully who is Satan. I mean, after all, you do have the creator of the universe on your side!