Because of what Jesus Christ has done for us – because of His life, death, and resurrection, and the resulting victory over sin and the devil – we are now to stand fast in Him, united as God’s soldiers against a spiritually hostile environment.

It’s a remarkable fact that at several crucial junctures in Paul’s letters the practical outcome of the Christian’s warfare against the world and Satan is defined as a matter of “standing,” and this is even more remarkable because it is part of a military metaphor. If we were writing the passage and were using Paul’s image, we should most likely speak of invasion, marching, or conquest. But Paul does not do that; instead, he speaks of standing. God does not tell us to march into battle or to conquer, God tells us to stand, and the implication of that command is that God has already done or is doing the conquering. We are only to hold the ground He conquers.

The difference between marching and standing is the difference between offense and defensive warfare. It’s like a football game; the defense has the ground (goal) and the offense is fighting in order to get the ground (goal). And that is precisely the difference between the warfare waged by the Lord Jesus and the warfare waged by us. Jesus was offensive; our is defensive. Jesus warred against Satan in order to gain the victory. Through the cross He carried that warfare to the threshold of Hell itself, to lead forth thence his captivity captive (4:8-9). Today we war against Satan only to maintain and consolidate the victory which He has already gained. By the resurrection God proclaimed His Son victor over the whole realm of darkness, and the ground Christ won He has given to us. We do not need to fight to obtain it. We only need to hold it against all challengers.

Standing on the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and on His promises does not mean there will not be work for us to do. There will always be testing. There will often be much strenuous activity. It does not mean escape. But it does mean that even in the activity and even in the testing there can be and overriding confidence in God and in His promises. We shall know we are merely standing on ground that He has already won and given to us. By His grace we shall expect at the end of the battle still to be standing with Him victorious and in triumphant possession of the field.

Philippians 4:1 Reflection Questions:

What are the conquests that Jesus has made for those who trust Him?

How are you doing your part in standing with Jesus?

What is He calling you to do for Him