"Stand in the Victory of Christ"

"And having done 'all', to stand" (Ephesians 6:13c) I can not imagine what kind of life I would have without Jesus, because there is so much that I see in this world that could make my life seem miserable. However, it is the things in this world which grab my attention; and even sometimes, they grab my affections. Given what we looked at in the 'new creature', which in fact is no longer of this world, we can see that really the victory is ours to lose; in other words, we have the victory already present and established, but we must stand in that victory, which is Christ Jesus. If we find ourselves being defeated by the flesh, or by the sin which so easily can grab us, it is because we are not standing in Christ!!! As I was praying this morning, I asked God why I can drift off track so easily, and He showed me something which I already knew, but can easily forget; I must be doing something! What? That's right, I must be doing something for His Kingdom, or else I will be distracted by the things of this world. Okay, maybe He did not mean that I must constantly be doing something; or maybe He did! Because, as I look back to the times when I have stumbled, it is the times when I have been idle, and not doing those things which bring me closer to Him. 'Idle time makes idols'; that is the message that I received; and in case you did not know this, an idol is any thing which can stand between you and God. That can account for a whole lot of stuff, don't you know? After I have figured in this 'not so new' revelation, I again looked at the 'new creature', which this time I could see why this doing for the Kingdom thing was not just a part time thing; because the 'new creature' is all about the Kingdom of God; it lives for the Kingdom, longs for the Kingdom, and is of the Kingdom; therefore, it must be about the things of the Kingdom, always! Now then, as I continue to dwell upon this, I am reminded again of the verse 7:1, and the instruction which Paul gives, "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from 'all' filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God". Because, this cleansing of ourselves, is likened to be cleansed of leprosy, where not only are you to be made clean of the disease, but you must take care not to get infected by it again; this may require us getting rid of all of our old clothes (habits!).