Tag: Battle

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Secure In Christ

The Right Words

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And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. 20 I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

Final Greetings

21 To bring you up to date, Tychicus will give you a full report about what I am doing and how I am getting along. He is a beloved brother and faithful helper in the Lord’s work. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose—to let you know how we are doing and to encourage you.

23 Peace be with you, dear brothers and sisters, and may God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you love with faithfulness. 24 May God’s grace be eternally upon all who love our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 6:19-24

Paul, who was currently in chains but still preaching the gospel, followed up the list of instructions for God’s armor with the instruction for prayers and petitions (specific requests). He urged the believers to stay alert so they would know how to pray through the battles. Then, Paul gets personal and shares a prayer request for himself. I am always blessed and inspired when I read his words. This man had been changed from the inside out, transformed from a hater and enemy of Christ followers to a bold and faithful proclaimer of the Gospel. Yet, he understands that he is in the midst of a battle that he cannot fight in his own strength. He understands the need for God’s strength and guidance. He understands the power of prayer and calls on the believers to pray for him, that God would give him the right words so that, even in chains, he could boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. He reminded the believers that he was in chains, but remained God’s ambassador, preaching the gospel message. He asked them to pray that he would keep on speaking boldly for God, as he should.

Gotquestions.org defines Paul before his conversion as “a religious terrorist,” and rightly so, based on Acts 8:3, which states, “Paul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.” However, the narrative of Paul changes in Acts 9:1-22 where we read of Paul’s encounter with Jesus on the road from Jerusalem to Damascus. A road he was traveling for the purpose of bringing any known followers of Jesus back to Jerusalem to put them in prison. However, after meeting Jesus along the way, his life was forever changed1 from that of a “religious terrorist” to a missionary taking the Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles.

Friends, this verse/passage is a beautiful reminder and vivid example that we are never alone in the battle(s) we face. Not only is God with us, but His people, our brothers and sisters in Christ, are a battalion of soldiers (whether side-by-side with us or in the trenches of prayer)’suited up” and ready to march into battle with us. May we, like Paul, understand the importance/necessity of prayer for every battle and never hesitate to share our needs and situations with one another so that we are covered with the prayers of God’s people.

The More We Know

For more insight on today’s journey, read today’s LGG blog

Posted in Bible study, Devotion, From the Insideout, Journey Through The Word, LGG Study, Secure In Christ

Mighty Warrior

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based on the LGG Study, Secure in Christ/w6d4

13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

Ephesians 6:13-18

Because we are fighting a spiritual battle against the rulers and powers of darkness and spiritual forces of evil, Paul says for the second time, we must take up the full armor of God! Paul is not simply being redundant here – he is emphasizing the need for the armor. The battle may not be physical, but taking up the full armor of God requires deliberate action on our part. Standing firm…fastening on the belt of truth…putting on the breastplate of righteousness…fitting our feet with the Gospel of peace…taking up the shield of faith…extinguishing the flaming arrows of the evil one…taking the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit…praying…being alert…persevering…and petitioning God for specific needs are not passive actions. We cannot sit by doing nothing while the battles wage around us. If we want to be ready for any assault the enemy brings our way, then we must be engaged mentally, spiritually, and yes – even physically, so that we can stand firm

So, if it is a spiritual battle, why and how can we prepare physically? The first and crucial preparation is spending time with God in His Word. You see, God has equipped us with both the Spirit and His Word; through their power, we are strengthened for victory in every battle. That is why Peter wrote that we have everything we need to live a godly life.1 But friends, we must be invested in His Word, reading it, gaining wisdom for the battles, using it as a weapon to stand firm. We must hide it in our hearts, have it ready on our phones, or in our car to pull out and use as a sword against the enemy’s assaults. We must stay actively engaged in prayer and be devoted to it, as Paul wrote to the Colossians.2 This doesn’t mean we walk around with our eyes shut and our heads down, but that we pray with His promises and Word in mind, for nothing can stop the enemy quicker than the Word of God. We need to stay alert to the Spirit’s prompting3

 But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

John 14:26

Father, help us to stay alert, never forgetting that our enemy, the devil, prowls around, like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Help us to be on guard – to know Your truth and walk in Your ways. The breastplate of righteousness not only offers great protection, but it also identifies believers in the battle. So help us to put it on and wear it well. Help us to truly understand the message of the Gospel, and to be prepared to talk about its good news wherever we go. Help us take up the shield of faith, that we might be protected from the weapons of the enemy, even his fiery darts. May we be faithful to wear the helmet of salvation, not only for protection but for comfort and peace, since the mind is often the easiest and/or primary target. Your Word, o Lord, is a powerful weapon against the enemy (Matt 4:1-11)- train us well that we might use it well. – Thank You for not leaving us defenseless and for the privilege of wearing Your armor. – Amen and Amen!

The More We Know
  1. By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 2 Peter 1:3-4 ↩︎
  2. Colossians 2:4 ↩︎
  3. John 14:26 ↩︎

Posted in From the Insideout

The Bondage of Fear

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The Bondage and Battle of Fear

The bondage of FEAR is a great and scary thing. It is real beyond words and until one has been captive to it you can not understand it. IT sneaks up on you and grabs hold of you before you realize it. You try to shake it off but it whispers to you and tightens it’s grip with every whisper of worry and doubt, or truths you can’t control and lies you choose to believe.

Yes, the bondage of FEAR is real and it is scary! Those that know it understand – they know that you can’t “just” shake it off – you can’t “just” ignore it. It’s grip is tight and it must be battled with sword and shield and truth. It can be fought and defeated for sure but not alone. Victory requires the Spirit of God but is better still with God’s army of supporters. The Aarons and the Hurs of your life that can come to your aid or those of the household of faith who faithfully walk with you and pray circles around the “fear” until it falls captive in obedience to Jesus Christ! (2 Cor. 10:5).

It can be a long and weary battle, you may see the enemy fall only to meet him at the next corner. Fear can be cloaked in health issues, in pain, in needs, in pride or dangers and a host of other phobias. But no fear is greater than our God – and that is the first step to every battle with fear. The belief that God is greater than all powers and entities of this world. Only this belief will allow us to say to our fear, like David did to Goliath, “You come to me with sword, spear, and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies—the God of the armies of Israel…” (1 Samuel 17:45). The same God of whom the Gospels boasted when they taught – “Nothing is impossible with God!” (Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 1:37), and of whom Paul said, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13).

Experience God’s Peace

Are you plagued by worry or anxiety? Hear (don’t just read) the words of Paul – who was persecuted, threatened, beaten, imprisoned and yet wrote … “Don’t worry about anything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for what He’s already done. THEN you will experience Gods peace which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7). These are two of my life verses – and I can say from experience, the truth they teach and proclaim has loosened endless grips of fear from me and lowered countless prison bars that held me captive. The words themselves aren’t magic. You can’t just read the words and get results; you have to know the words are true. This happens when you get to know God – when you see Him part the Red Sea allowing the Israelites to cross safely – and then watch as He releases it on the enemy who pursued them into it. It happens when you see Daniel survive the lion’s den or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego the fiery furnace. It happens when you watch them crucify our Lord but see Him alive on the third day. There is no limit to the power of our God – whatever you are facing He is greater and able to overcome it or to bring you through it. We only have to be still and know (and remember)that He is God, another of my life verses, Psalm 46:10. When we don’t know the answers and can’t see a clear or hopeful path or a way out of our situation – we must keep the Lord always before us and say, “because the Lord is at my right hand I will not be shaken,” Psalm 16:8. It is during these times that God allows us the opportunity to practice walking by faith and not by sight – or feeling for that matter, (2 Cor 5:7).

Able to Steel, Kill, and Destroy

Fear is a ferocious giant, an enemy like no other, a predator and captor – it is able to steel, and kill, and destroy us … IF we allow it a foothold. The key is choosing not to give fear a foothold – to stay alert – to be prepared with the truth – ready to take captive every thought that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and make them obedient to Jesus Christ! The victory is ours through Him who has already overcome the enemy on our behalf!

To borrow a line from a Veggie Tales song – “God is bigger than the boogieman … and He watches out for you and me! … I know whatever’s gonna happen that God can handle it.”

Does fear or anxiety or worry have you trapped? Let me offer this one last encouragement – from the words of the Apostle Paul … “and now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

Breath Prayers

A truly helpful exercise to make a daily habit (morning, noon, and night – and any time anxiety creeps in): Take a deep breath in through your nose and as you inhale think (I am weak) then exhale thinking (God is strong) … repeat/inhale (be still and know) exhale (that He is God) … repeat (I can do all things) exhale (through Him who strengthens me) repeat/inhale (do not be afraid) exhale (for I am with you) … four times at least three times a day will honestly change your life in more ways than I can count or share here. You can use any number of scripture combinations – keeping in mind that the purpose is to refocus from self to God.

Me – from the inside out 💕