It’s Time to Stand

I know you will be greatly blessed by this month’s message from my son, Evan.  By God’s grace, the Lord rescued him from a prodigal life, called him into ministry, and gave him a wonderful gift for teaching the Word. Today, Evan travels around the world, sharing his testimony of redemption from addiction, and ministers to young men and women through apologetics teaching. —Gary Wilkerson
 

History reveals that in times of great spiritual darkness, God raises up brave men and women to stand and be the light, to make a difference, and to change the course of history.

I believe we are living through one of the greatest spiritual crises of our time, as people call evil good and good evil. A time, as Paul says, when “evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13, ESV). People are abandoning the truth of God for lies, many are leaving the church, and even some pastors are compromising biblical truth. Meanwhile, those who boldly stand for righteousness are often mocked or persecuted.

Yet in every generation, God raises up people who are willing to stand boldly for his Word and shine as light in the darkness. It is a call to a spiritual battle as the apostle Paul wrote: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). This is God’s call to us today: To faithfully and fearlessly live out God’s Word in our everyday lives and to share the gospel in our homes, workplaces, and communities, trusting that God will use our obedience to draw people to Christ, renew hearts, and bring his light into a broken world.

From Burden to Vision 

So how do we stand in these desperate times? And how can we know where God is calling us in this battle? It often begins with what deeply burdens our hearts. That burden for people grows into a vision and desire to see lives changed.

In 1958, my grandfather, David Wilkerson, was burdened when he looked at a picture in Life magazine of seven boys who were on trial for murdering a young boy with polio. He wrote about this burden in his book, The Cross and the Switchblade. He described how one of the boys on trial caught his attention, “The artist had caught such a look of bewilderment and hatred and despair in [the boy’s] features that I opened the magazine wide again to get a closer look. And as I did, I started to cry.” That burden broke my grandpa’s heart, causing him to receive the vision, the goal, and the battle plan. He wrote, “I was dumbfounded by a thought that sprang suddenly into my head—full-blown, as though it had come into me from somewhere else. Go to New York City and help those boys.”

My grandpa’s clear call from God was to leave his comfortable home and the church he pastored in Pennsylvania and go to the streets of New York City, a place where gangs and addiction were out of control, and violent bloodshed was normal. Drug addiction and attempts to be set free were so bleak that people would often say, “Once an addict, always an addict.” It was in this context that God raised up my grandfather to take a stand, be the light of Christ, and push back the darkness. This led to the founding of the faith-based drug rehabilitation program Teen Challenge, which is now a global ministry known as Adult and Teen Challenge that has set countless souls free from sin and addiction.

David Wilkerson’s burden began with a simple vision: Help those boys! What started as a small spark of obedience grew into something far greater than my grandfather could have ever imagined. In the same way, the burden God places on your heart doesn’t have to begin with a grand plan. It may simply be a burden to see the lost saved, orphans and widows cared for, or unborn babies protected from abortion. As we recognize the battle, God will often place his burden within us to be a light and make a difference.

His Strength for Battle

But before the battle, we must first admit to God that we are not strong in ourselves and recognize our desperate need for him. What can we do? The apostle Paul wrote to the churches in Ephesus, who lived among great spiritual darkness, including rampant idol worship and the practice of magic arts. He instructed them to stand and be a light. “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Ephesians 6:10-11). If we are going to boldly share our faith and rescue the vulnerable, our strength must come from God.

This reminds me of my high school years, when I was lifting weights to make the football team. Each day, I tried to bench press more to get stronger. One day, however, I tried to lift more than I could, and my arms gave out. The bar was stuck on my chest, and I struggled to push it back up. Finally, I had to tilt the bar to one side so the weights would slide off. That experience taught me why having a spotter is so important—someone who will be there with extra strength when my strength fails.

Depending on God for strength is far greater than relying on a spotter. In spiritual battles, we can’t lift a finger. In the mission God has given us, we are helpless. Yet this is right where God wants us so that his great power can be displayed through us. When we recognize the burden but feel it is too heavy a load, God says, “Be strong in me in the strength of my might.” His power can take us beyond our limits, and the results of operating in his strength are that his glory is on display for all nations.

The Shield of Faith

Paul continued, “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. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:13-15). Paul doesn’t tell us to put on only one piece of armor, or just a few pieces that feel comfortable. Instead, we are to put on the “whole armor of God.” He urged the church that only the full armor of God enables us to stand firm, no matter the battle.

When Paul tells believers to “put on the breastplate of righteousness,” this symbolizes the righteousness we have in Christ. When we live by faith, we know we are righteous before God, which silences the accuser’s lies about us. But it’s also our witness to the world to live righteously—to be distinct, set-apart, and holy. When we are radically transformed, we become agents of God’s justice in the world. To quote my grandfather, “The heart of the gospel is change. It is transformation.” We are to live differently and represent the true God. This is crucial in being the light of the gospel.

Yet we know the arrows will come when we accept the call of God to be bold and courageous and be the light. Does this mean we give up? No, as Paul says, “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:16-17).  To “take up your shield of faith” means to lift up our faith in God like a shield, trusting him to destroy every lie of the enemy.

Victory Through Prayer 

Lastly, we take up the shield of faith through prayer. Paul continued with this instruction: “Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:17-20).

Brothers and sisters, never underestimate the power of prayer. Never forget that God is always listening, and the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in our groanings too deep for words. Prayer is a powerful weapon, and we have the sword of the Spirit ready for battle. It’s in the power of prayer that we see our vision for change become a reality.

Will you pray that God gives you his heart for the lost? Pray for revival in our homes, communities, and across the nation, that the light of Christ would shine through his Church so brightly that the lost can’t help but be drawn to him.

And as God burdens your heart, be bold in the call of God, relying on his mighty power. Remember, we are to fight from a place of victory. We have nothing to fear. We can live with great expectation that God’s word is effective to change lives forever. The Lord is with you. He will be your strength in this battle. “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21).  ▉