Today I’d like to share a note from a friend who is leading a small-group prayer challenge I’ve join. Our focus, for forty days, has been to learn more about how to pray and how Word-based prayer effectively changes things. I hope this note encourages you to tap into the power of prayer as a way to break free from hard circumstances.
Be encouraged!
I love to study different words and phrases that are in the Bible. Delving into their meaning can bring to light a rich revelation of new ways that I can apply God’s Word in my life. I thought I’d share a few nuggets that I gleaned from studying Ephesians 6. This is not a summary of the entire chapter. It is a capsule of points of enlightenment about the verses that describe the armor of God (Ephesians 6:12-18).
The armor we are encouraged to put on is not our own, it’s God’s. When David decided to face Goliath, King Saul wanted David to put on his royal armor for protection against the powerful enemy. But David told Saul that he’d prefer not to put on the king’s armor. It was unfamiliar and uncomfortable. David had no confidence in that armor. But, he was accustomed to God’s protection. God had protected him when he fought against a bear and a lion as he watched his father’s flocks. As he talked with Saul, he recalled how God had come through for him so many times. David had confidence in God. He chose to trust God as he went out into the field to battle the giant. David was refusing man’s mode of protection– he didn’t want to fight in his own strength. Instead he put on God’s armor by his faith in God’s love for him and his confidence that God was willing to protect him (1 Samuel 17:23-46).
” We must all be aware that our defeats have mainly come from one of two errors– the one being that of fighting in our own strength and the other being that of leaving unused our God-given power.”
Alexander MacLaren
Putting on God’s armor means having an attitude of dependence on Him. This provides a higher level of confidence in His power. It makes it easier to have an expectation of the fulfillment of His promises. As we draw closer to Him and commune with Him, we rest and receive His power. It’s all about receiving Him. It’s all about receiving His love.
Hear Jesus encouraging us, “Be of good cheer, I have already overcome the world [the troubles that we face].” If He has already overcome whatever we are facing, why would we try to defeat an enemy who has already been defeated? If He has already finished doing everything it takes for us be more than conquerors, why would we try to complete a work that’s already been completed? He wants us to rest in His victory.
Jesus accomplished the vanquishing of every foe on our behalf (Colossians 2:15). He stripped them and disarmed them, publicly shamed them, and triumphed over them on the cross and through His resurrection. That’s why we can now stand as more than a conqueror– He did all the work in order to let us enjoy the spoils of His victory.
Would it make sense for a soldier to only wear one piece of armor and then expect to enjoy complete protection? No! A soldier can expect complete protection only when wearing the whole/complete armor provided. It is likewise with God. We’re instructed to put on the whole armor of God in its entirety so that we can experience all the blessings He has planned.
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Focus on the following scripture throughout the day. It’s God’s Word and it’s what He desires us to believe. Believe it is true for you because God’s Word is Truth. Speak this Word to yourself throughout the day. Personalize it by putting your name in it!
“For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.” Psalm 91:3 [NLT]
When I feel exasperated by my circumstances, and find myself not knowing what to do next, it’s typically because I haven’t asked God for guidance on that specific thing. When will I learn to always ask Him first? It makes life so much simpler and joy-filled!
David, in 1 Samuel 30:8, inquired of God about his next step, setting a good example for us to follow:
“So David inquired of the LORD, saying, “Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him, “Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”
Asking God for our life’s game plan is always the best thing to do when considering our “next steps”. It’s best to do it though BEFORE exasperation sets in from going on our own plan that has no input or influence from God.
Sometimes, when we feel alarmed about an issue in our life, we can draw hasty conclusions that are wrong.
The Bible tells us that David experienced this. He wrote in Psalm 31:22 [NLT], “In panic I cried out, “I am cut off from the LORD!”
Infertility can make you feel that way, especially when it has lasted for a while. It’s as if God doesn’t care, like He’s turned away and cut off from hearing you. But that’s a deception straight from the devil. The devil’s mind games and antics are always meant to make us draw away from God because he knows the solutions to our problems are found in drawing near to God.
David did eventually see the folly of his panic-inspired thought that he was cut off from God. He chose to draw near to God and encourage himself in the Lord by remembering God’s love for him. David told God, “But you heard my cry for mercy and answered my call for help.” [Psalm 31:22 NLT]
God passionately loves us and will never turn away or cut us off. As believers in Jesus, we can be fully assured of this. Jesus said, “And be sure of this: I am with you always.” [Matthew 28:20 NLT]
How do you deal with deceptive panic whenever it raises its ugly head in your life?