The great lesson for us all at the moment is the intentional interrelationship of

`preaching' and `praying'. Paul's preaching and Epaphras's praying are both marked by

the same intensity. In both passages the word agonizomai `to agonize' or to be in great

conflict is used: "striving" (Col. 1: 29); "Great conflict" agona (Col. 2: 1); "Epaphras

who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently

(agonizomai) for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect (mature) and complete in all

the will of God" (Col. 4: 12).

If we are to use the armour provided, we must not only take the sword of the Spirit

which is the Word of God, but we must sanctify all that has been provided by the grace of

`all prayer' (Eph. 6: 10-18).

If some are to stand in the breach and successfully withstand the onslaught of the Evil

one, others must as earnestly kneel in the presence of God in upholding prayer. We are

dependent upon one another, and no member of the Body of Christ, is superfluous.

There is however one thought more that Truth demands before we can feel that we

have presented this matter in all its aspects. We have closed the list of references under

the heading `stand' with II Tim. 4: 17.

Here we are no longer in an atmosphere of active and united fellowship; we have

arrived at the conditions and characteristics of "the last days",--isolation, rejection,

misunderstanding. The actions of those like Demas who could not endure the limitations

set by the exclusive truth of the Mystery, and who go back unto those conditions from

which in the first flush of their acceptance, they had withdrawn. Paul was not absolutely

bereft of human fellowship, he could still write "Luke is with me"; that was blessed, but

he had to write "only Luke is with me" which was sad (II Tim. 4: 11).

The words translated `stand with' in these two passages are not the same in the

original. The first means "to come in at the same time" the other means "to stand beside"

a word already brought to our notice in the transitive form "to place one beside", "to

present" (Col. 1: 28).

While therefore the active fellowship of the Lord's redeemed children is everywhere

stressed as a vital factor in this great stand for the faith, it is nevertheless made very clear

by this closing experience of the Apostle, that even though all men forsake us and none

stand with us, "He hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee", and consequently

though at the last we have to experience the bitterness of solitude and rejection, we shall

nevertheless have the joy of knowing that He will remain with us to the very end.

We earnestly desire the active cooperation and fellowship of all like minded believers

in our stand for the truth entrusted to us, but we seek all sufficient grace, to be prepared to