WEDNESDAY
Warfare – The Spiritual Battle
Then he said to me,“This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel: It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies (Zechariah 4:6 NLT).
We are in a battle. The battle rages in the spiritual realm. Corporately, our nation is under attack from evil forces, but individually, we have major skirmishes going on around us. These battles are not fought with blood and guts but with the very power of God. It is by His power that evil is defeated.
I'm a firm believer in the unseen battle that is going on in this world. I personally know and understand the battles that go on in my life. This is not hand to hand combat but a battle between good and evil. This is a war for our very soul. While under attack, we must rely on God to send His warring angels to help us engage the enemy.
Those that read this and chuckle about how crazy this sounds, apparently don't understand or know God's word. It's clear, over and over in Scripture that we do not battle flesh and blood enemies, but those from the unseen world. (Ephesians 6:12 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.) I believe a battle with a physical person is much easier to deal with than the spiritual battle that rages around us. This spiritual battle in impossible to win without the very powerful arm of God in our lives.
The battles we face might be attacks on our health, on our homes, our family, our jobs...anything that we hold dears. We must be diligent in reading and studying God's word as well as attentive to prayer.
The devil is full of lies and deception, which are his tools he uses to conquer us and draw us away from God. Beware my friends, the devil wants to control this world and he is only able to do this by controlling each of us. Be strong brothers and sisters. Put on the full armor of God (Eph. 6:10-18).
Dear Lord, protect Your people. Bring them to Your holy Word and the understanding of Your mighty power. The evil one has no authority over us, by the power of Your word. Jesus Christ has already won the battle for us. He has victory, we must stand firm and understand the battlefield that is set up before us. Father God, I pray that you will bring more people to You and that more will read and understand Your word. Father, there are many battles going on, stand for us, as we aren't capable, but You are. I pray this in the mighty and matchless name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
THURSDAY
Our Home
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NLT).
I know we must live, work and survive in this world, but we are really only visitors. Our eternity is in heaven. That is our real home. That is our destination. No, we are in no hurry to get there, but God's promise to His children is right, dependable, and true. The key to securing our heavenly home is to accept Jesus, repent and follow Him. Thanks be to God.
So fight with this world, live and enjoy Gods gifts and when you hit those gravel roads and wildernesses, just remember, God is with you. He will bring you through these trials and troubles. The fire of life's trouble will draw you closer to Him.
Lord God, draw us closer to You and let us know that You are with us through the trials and tribulations of this world. I ask and pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.
FRIDAY
Relive His Grace Daily
Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin (Psalms 51:1-2 NLT).
Through God's grace and our faith, anyone can have a total life change. This is not a change that is of this world or by worldly standards. This is not a change that today's culture can seem to understand. This is change that comes from the grace of God. This is change that forgets our past sin. This is a change that alters our present lives and this is change that has eternal promises. Thanks be to God !
Lord God, wash us, cleanse us and restore us. We are broken sinners with no hope, outside of Your mercy. In Jesus' mighty name, I pray. Amen.
SATURDAY
Thankfulness Brings Peace
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful (Colossians 3:15 NLT).
If you are feeling sorry for yourself, just look around. I bet it won't take you long to find someone in a lot worse situation in life than yours.
The world is broken and we must live in this broken world. This world brings us many trials and tribulations to endure, it's part of life. Remember that today is the first day of the rest of your life, use it to praise God. Today, demonstrate to the world how to live a good, Christ-following life.
Dear Father, lead us to the realization that no matter what we are going through, You are with us and will never leave us. Remind us of how blessed we are, no matter the situation that we might be going through. Teach us how to pray for the lost and those that are struggling. In the mighty and matchless name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
SUNDAY
Lust And Idolatry
Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever (1 John 2: 15-17).
Lusting for things of this world...cars, motorcycles, homes, etc., it's part of the lure of this world. Sure it provides excitement when you get that new item that you have desired, but that wears off in time and you start looking for something else "that you just gotta have." Try something that will never wear off: Jesus Christ!
Father God, may Your Holy Spirit capture the hearts of those that are struggling today. I pray for those that are trying to fill the God-sized hole in their heart which can never be filled with stuff of this world but only filled by the presence of Jesus Christ. May you draw all of us closer to You and away from our worldly desire and wants. Father, remind us that You provide all of our needs, which is more than enough. Thank You Father God for Your Son, Jesus Christ. I praise Your Holy Name. Amen.
