Prayer
– Lord Jesus, You were so aware of the demonic powers that affect people’s
lives. Open our eyes to see what is really going on around us and give us
wisdom to deal with it—to stand firm against all strategies of the devil and to
get our strength from You.
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. Ephesians 6:10-17 (Underlined for
emphasis.)
Armor of God
Calvery Chapel
Kennewick, WA
Meditate.
Consider the spiritual world.
Have
you read This Present Darkness by Frank Peretti, The Bondage Breaker
by Neil Anderson, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, or other
spiritual warfare books? So many books…so little time. Beyond the Bible, there
are lots of spiritual warfare books available to challenge, inform, and
entertain.
There
is a spiritual element around us…and within us…that is part of human life. God
created us in His image—which is spiritual, so whether we believe in God, or
not, we have a spiritual dimension to our lives. In the focus scripture for
today Paul is advising the church at Ephesus to be careful and be protected
from the evil that was around them. The same continues for us today.
So be careful how you live. Don't
live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every
opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what
the Lord wants you to do. Ephesians
5:15-17
Jesus had
warned about demons and Satan after He had cast out a demon from a man who
couldn’t talk, and some people accused Him of getting His power from Satan.
One day Jesus cast out a demon from
a man who couldn't speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak.
The crowds were amazed, but some of them said, "No wonder he can cast out
demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons." Others,
trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven
to prove his authority. He knew their thoughts, so he said, "Any kingdom
divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart.
You say I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against
himself, how can his kingdom survive? And if I am empowered by Satan, what
about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you
for what you have said. But if I am casting out demons by the power of God,
then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. For when a strong man like Satan
is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe—until someone
even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and
carries off his belongings. Anyone who isn't with me opposes me, and anyone who
isn't working with me is actually working against me." Luke 11:14-23
Jesus was
aware of the demonic power in people’s lives. We should be, too. Paul
encouraged those reading his letter to the Ephesians to put on the armor of God,
to be fully armed, and to be protected. The full armor of a Roman soldier that
people of Paul’s era would have understood included a shield, sword, lance,
helmet, greaves (protection for the shins or lower leg), and breastplate, as
described in the Strongs concordance. Paul goes beyond that include shoes and
belt.
Do you have or use these elements of
God’s armor? It is a choice for each of us to daily put on the armor of God as
Paul challenged in Ephesians 6:11. Put on all of God's armor so that you
will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
Verses
of Salvation ~ This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time
is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first
believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So
remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes and put on the shining armor of
right living. Romans
13:11-12
© 2024 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
Available as e-books or paperbacks at Amazon.com
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