Have You Seen the Visible of the Invisible?

Prayer ~ Lord Jesus, thank you for revealing Yourself to the world and to me—in God’s word. You are the Word. You are the light of the world—shining visibly.

 

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Colossians 1:15-17

 

Meditate. Consider life before anything existed—only God.

 

Paul wrote this passage to the church as Colossae, which is about 100 miles east of Ephesus—in what is now Turkey. Those Christians were influenced by Oriental mysticism, Greek thinking, and Jewish legalism. He was setting them straight about the deity of Jesus Christ. You can read more of Colossians to gain more insight into his teachings dealing with worshipping angels and the self-disciplined view of asceticism.

 

There is an unseen world around us. Paul continued to write about this “unseen” in a warning to the church at Ephesus.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:12

Just as they were battling unseen forces two thousand years ago…we are still battling unseen forces today. Satan knows that the end is nearing…and he won’t give up using his evil spirits to influence and encourage people to not worship the one and only true God. Look at the evil that you see in the world. Terrorism, disunity, distrust, television programs and movies that depict wicked, disgusting, and malicious situations, negativism, and of course, the wars and rumors of wars that terrorize so many people. Is there no end to the sinful and immoral behavior and activities in this world? God help us.

The helmet of salvation.
What other parts of God's
armor do you need?

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 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. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:10-18

Dress for spiritual battle. You won’t have to fight alone—God is always with us. But as Paul taught—be strong. Resist the enemy. One of the key elements in fighting a battle is knowledge. Know yourself and know your enemy. You also need to know the one who is fighting with you. Jesus Christ. Have you seen the visible of the invisible?

 

Verse of Salvation ~ Open up, O heavens, and pour out your righteousness. Let the earth open wide so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together. I, the LORD, created them. Isaiah 45:8

 

Memory Verse of the Week ~ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28

 

Did you memorize this verse this week?

 

© 2022 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

Parenting Day By Day - Daily Devotional for Building Character

Coins of the Bible: New Testament Stories

Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com