“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” (Ephesians 6:13, ESV)
There are bleak scriptures in the Bible that Christians tend to gloss over. They might look at the gloomy context of that scripture and ignore the difficult meanings. They might overlook negative aspects in order to accentuate the positive. When this happens, faithful people tend to miss that fact that the spiritual life may at times be very difficult. Sometimes, to grow spiritually, God will allow you to see or experience “an evil day”.
Usually when people read Ephesians 6, they focus on the wonderful power of God’s Spiritual armor. God gives this armor for Christians to fend off evil powers. Ephesians 6:10 encourages the faithful children of God to be “strong in the Lord and in the strength of HIS might”. It sounds so uplifting and empowering to read those words! The following scriptures in Ephesians 6 accentuate this power God gives with spiritual armor. The faithful will be given the “breastplate of righteousness”, “a shield of faith”, “a helmet of salvation” and a “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:13-17). These powerful pieces of spiritual armor will help good people to fight the “flaming darts of the evil one” and “stand strong”. However, what Christians often ignore is the fact that spiritual armor is needed and necessary to fight evil. That means evil will come looking for you!
Our scripture for today from Ephesians 6:13 affirms this spiritual battle with evil that you will face. It is a reminder that you need the “whole armor of God… to be able to withstand in the evil day”. Do you know that you must experience evil days in your life?
So many Christians get the impression that when you start your faithful journey with God, your days will be filled with good things, blessings, and rainbows. Even popular TV preachers have touted that good Christians will have lives filled with blessings and the comfort of God. While God does comfort the afflicted and bring blessings to the faithful, there will be “evil days” in every spiritual life. There will be days of spiritual battle where evil will seek to defeat you and hope will seem distant. Even in the days of the Old Testament prophets, there was the knowledge that evil days would come. Jeremiah even mentions evil days coming upon the faithful people eight specific times! At one point, Jeremiah calls upon God for help, saying, “Thou art my hope in the day of evil.” (Jeremiah 17:17).
Why is it necessary for Christians to face evil days? Good question! To answer this, I will ask you a few questions. Why was Jesus tempted in the wilderness? Why did demons face Jesus? Why was Jesus put to death on the cross? Jesus was clear that this world is full of Satan’s temptations and influence. In John 12:31, Jesus even called Satan a “ruler of this world”. 1 John 5:19 also teaches that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one”. Evil is intrinsic to living in this world. Evil forces make sure evil attacks all those who stand with God. The book of Revelation is full of open warfare faced by holy people against evil people and demonic spirits. Jesus faced his evil days. The disciples faced their evil days. Paul faced evil days, even lamenting his own temptations to do what was wrong (Romans 7:18-20). All these faithful ones faced evil days so to let their faith shine. In fact, evil days cause faithful people to develop a greater and more powerful faith in Almighty God.
Evil days prove the loyalties of human beings. In the day of evil, a faithful person will grow closer to God. In the day of evil, a faithless person will fall away from God. Over time, evil days will show whether God is your Lord or just a passing fancy.
Let’s be absolutely clear, here. Evil days will come for you. Satan and his lackies will make certain of that truth. In that evil day, your faith will be tested. Your worth will be proven. What you believe will come to light. It will be a time for spiritual battle. You will feel that challenge in body, heart, and soul. You may want to give up or give in to the evil forces. Do not! Let your love for God shine brightly. Let your faith deepen. Let the scars of battle prove your worth. Remain faithful in that hour! Eternity awaits the outcome of that day!
Charles Spurgeon wrote on this topic of the evil days that come upon even the most faithful. Here are the words he penned:
“The path of the Christian is not always bright with sunshine; he has his seasons of darkness and of storm. …There are many who have rejoiced in the presence of God for a season; they have basked in the sunshine in the earlier stages of their Christian career; they have walked along the “green pastures” by the side of the “still waters,” but suddenly they find the glorious sky is clouded; instead of the Land of Goshen they have to tread the sandy desert; in the place of sweet waters, they find troubled streams, bitter to their taste, and they say, “Surely, if I were a child of God, this would not happen.” Oh! say not so, thou who art walking in darkness. The best of God’s saints must drink the wormwood; the dearest of his children must bear the cross. No Christian has enjoyed perpetual prosperity; no believer can always keep his harp from the willows. Perhaps the Lord allotted you at first a smooth and unclouded path, because you were weak and timid. He tempered the wind to the shorn lamb, but now that you are stronger in the spiritual life, you must enter upon the riper and rougher experience of God’s full-grown children. We need winds and tempests to exercise our faith, to tear off the rotten bough of self-dependence, and to root us more firmly in Christ. The day of evil reveals to us the value of our glorious hope.” (from Morning and Evening: Daily Readings).
I wonder how your faith will hold up on that evil day? I wonder if your faith will shine before the world. Get ready for evil days. Still, heaven is not far away. God’s Spirit is still in you! God’s hand is still upon you! God’s Word will guide you! God’s Spirit will strengthen you! You are not alone in this fight!
Usually when people read Ephesians 6, they focus on the wonderful power of God’s Spiritual armor. God gives this armor for Christians to fend off evil powers. Ephesians 6:10 encourages the faithful children of God to be “strong in the Lord and in the strength of HIS might”. It sounds so uplifting and empowering to read those words! The following scriptures in Ephesians 6 accentuate this power God gives with spiritual armor. The faithful will be given the “breastplate of righteousness”, “a shield of faith”, “a helmet of salvation” and a “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:13-17). These powerful pieces of spiritual armor will help good people to fight the “flaming darts of the evil one” and “stand strong”. However, what Christians often ignore is the fact that spiritual armor is needed and necessary to fight evil. That means evil will come looking for you!
Our scripture for today from Ephesians 6:13 affirms this spiritual battle with evil that you will face. It is a reminder that you need the “whole armor of God… to be able to withstand in the evil day”. Do you know that you must experience evil days in your life?
So many Christians get the impression that when you start your faithful journey with God, your days will be filled with good things, blessings, and rainbows. Even popular TV preachers have touted that good Christians will have lives filled with blessings and the comfort of God. While God does comfort the afflicted and bring blessings to the faithful, there will be “evil days” in every spiritual life. There will be days of spiritual battle where evil will seek to defeat you and hope will seem distant. Even in the days of the Old Testament prophets, there was the knowledge that evil days would come. Jeremiah even mentions evil days coming upon the faithful people eight specific times! At one point, Jeremiah calls upon God for help, saying, “Thou art my hope in the day of evil.” (Jeremiah 17:17).
Why is it necessary for Christians to face evil days? Good question! To answer this, I will ask you a few questions. Why was Jesus tempted in the wilderness? Why did demons face Jesus? Why was Jesus put to death on the cross? Jesus was clear that this world is full of Satan’s temptations and influence. In John 12:31, Jesus even called Satan a “ruler of this world”. 1 John 5:19 also teaches that “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one”. Evil is intrinsic to living in this world. Evil forces make sure evil attacks all those who stand with God. The book of Revelation is full of open warfare faced by holy people against evil people and demonic spirits. Jesus faced his evil days. The disciples faced their evil days. Paul faced evil days, even lamenting his own temptations to do what was wrong (Romans 7:18-20). All these faithful ones faced evil days so to let their faith shine. In fact, evil days cause faithful people to develop a greater and more powerful faith in Almighty God.
Evil days prove the loyalties of human beings. In the day of evil, a faithful person will grow closer to God. In the day of evil, a faithless person will fall away from God. Over time, evil days will show whether God is your Lord or just a passing fancy.
Let’s be absolutely clear, here. Evil days will come for you. Satan and his lackies will make certain of that truth. In that evil day, your faith will be tested. Your worth will be proven. What you believe will come to light. It will be a time for spiritual battle. You will feel that challenge in body, heart, and soul. You may want to give up or give in to the evil forces. Do not! Let your love for God shine brightly. Let your faith deepen. Let the scars of battle prove your worth. Remain faithful in that hour! Eternity awaits the outcome of that day!
Charles Spurgeon wrote on this topic of the evil days that come upon even the most faithful. Here are the words he penned:
“The path of the Christian is not always bright with sunshine; he has his seasons of darkness and of storm. …There are many who have rejoiced in the presence of God for a season; they have basked in the sunshine in the earlier stages of their Christian career; they have walked along the “green pastures” by the side of the “still waters,” but suddenly they find the glorious sky is clouded; instead of the Land of Goshen they have to tread the sandy desert; in the place of sweet waters, they find troubled streams, bitter to their taste, and they say, “Surely, if I were a child of God, this would not happen.” Oh! say not so, thou who art walking in darkness. The best of God’s saints must drink the wormwood; the dearest of his children must bear the cross. No Christian has enjoyed perpetual prosperity; no believer can always keep his harp from the willows. Perhaps the Lord allotted you at first a smooth and unclouded path, because you were weak and timid. He tempered the wind to the shorn lamb, but now that you are stronger in the spiritual life, you must enter upon the riper and rougher experience of God’s full-grown children. We need winds and tempests to exercise our faith, to tear off the rotten bough of self-dependence, and to root us more firmly in Christ. The day of evil reveals to us the value of our glorious hope.” (from Morning and Evening: Daily Readings).
I wonder how your faith will hold up on that evil day? I wonder if your faith will shine before the world. Get ready for evil days. Still, heaven is not far away. God’s Spirit is still in you! God’s hand is still upon you! God’s Word will guide you! God’s Spirit will strengthen you! You are not alone in this fight!