“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our astruggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, 15 and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE. 16 In addition to all, having taken up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one, 17 also receive THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,”

(Eph. 6:10 LSB) https://accordance.bible/link/read/LSB#Eph._6:10

We so often want to take the things of God and make them the things of men. We hear be strong and so we seek to increase our strength. Our strength is not our own but God’s. We are to be strong in the Lord and in the might of His strength. What makes us strong in Him? How do we strengthen ourselves with the Lord’s might? We place God’s word deep in our hearts, minds and soul. Our loins are girded with truth. Jesus is the truth, He is the living word of God. From this word we are declared righteous because of the work Jesus did in living among us and dying for us. Our righteousness, our acceptance by God, comes from belonging to Jesus and not performing for God. The good news of God’s work moves us to action, the action of sharing God’s love for the world demonstrated through His work for the salvation of the world accomplished at the cross. This message is why we are in a battle in the first place with the principalities and powers that seek to keep men ignorant of God and on their current path of destruction. By doing this work we encounter resistance through lies, persecutions, deceptions that faith reminds us to ignore, rebuke and persevere through knowing Jesus our Lord, Who suffered the same things we are even without sin. Our faith keeps us focused on Jesus, His work, His word, His life and His resurrection so that we remain steadfast, immovable and overcome the schemes of the wicked one designed to steal, kill and destroy us and our testimony. Our testimony is the reminder of our salvation, the work of Christ done for us and appropriated to us so that the response of the world and its subsequent actions toward us neither defeat us nor keep us from sharing Jesus’ love for the world and how He has personally entered our lives. None of these things are from us but all of these things are from God Who supplies everything we need for glorifying Him in this world through His riches and grace in Christ Jesus our Lord. Be strong in the Lord!