armor of God

Prepare yourself for each day's spiritual challenges by making the following prayer part of your morning routine: "Dear Lord, as I get out of bed today, I know I'm stepping onto a battlefield. But I also know You've given me everything I need to stand firm. So in the power of Your Holy Spirit, I put on the armor of God: "First, I place the helmet of salvation on my head. Protect my mind and imagination. Guard my eyes, allowing no sin to creep in. Focus my thoughts on the things of God. Let the breastplate of righteousness keep my heart and emotions safe. I pray that I won't be governed by my feelings, but by truth. Wrap Your Word around me like a belt. And safeguard me from error. I put on the sandals of peace to guide my steps. Plant my feet in Your truth. Empower me to stand firm against attack. "Next, I take up the shield of faith. Protect me from Satan's fiery arrows. Place me shoulder to shoulder with Your army to oppose the Devil's schemes. Finally, I take up the sword of the Spirit, Your Word. Help me to read the Bible in a fresh, exciting way so I will always be ready to deflect attacks and pierce hearts with Your truth. "I know I'll face assaults today, Lord. But You've empowered me to stand firm. Give me strength for the battle today." Without God's armor, you're as vulnerable as a soldier who goes into battle wearing only a bathing suit. Get dressed for success!

seeking God 4-26-07

King Hezekiah of Judah served the Lord faithfully. He intentionally pursued righteous living for most of his life. He sought God devotedly, and the Lord allowed him to prosper.

Our Father wants us intimately connected with Him, like a child whose relationship with his parent is marked by deep, mutual love. Seeking after God is characterized by several traits:

Believers who seek God should approach Him wholeheartedly. When we read Scripture or pray with a distracted mind, we have a divided heart. God desires our full attention. He wants us to keep Him in first place. Jeremiah 29:13 points to the importance of giving the Lord priority above everything else.

Christians should also diligently seek God. Our attitude should include a sense of devotion to God and careful attention to His will. This requires a steady effort to understand how God operates and what He wants us to do.

In addition to diligence, believers should approach God with persistence. Psalm 42:1 says seeking the Lord should be a continual, sustained effort toward deeper intimacy and involvement in His work.

We should be confident in seeking God. Our heavenly Father wants us to know Him. And He desires the best for us. Proverbs 3:5 says that trust is an essential component of confidence.

Finally, it's important to approach the Lord with a humble spirit. We're totally dependent on God for everything in life. Scripture tells us in Isaiah 66:2 that He's pleased when we approach Him humbly.

When our hearts desire for God, He delights in revealing Himself and pouring out blessings (Hebrews 11:6). Make an honest assessment of how sincerely you're seeking after Him.

About the Author
This devotional was written by Dr Charles Stanley

spiritual warfare

Every morning, believers are at war. According to Scripture, spiritual warfare is certain. Yet some Christians fail to take it seriously. But the Word is clear that each day, we awaken to a real, personal battle.

Failure to recognize this vital truth results in painful defeat time and again. Some dedicated Christians may get confused and frustrated because they continually experience failure in their spiritual lives. Just when they believe they've overcome temptation, it rises up to defeat them again.

One of the main reasons the Enemy defeats Christians is because he catches them off guard. These believers go about their days without giving a single thought to the war being waged in their own lives.

At the same time, they may develop a hardened attitude toward the Scriptures. Some might say, "God, if Your Word is as powerful as You say, then why isn't it working in my life?"

The issue isn't that the Word lacks influence. The problem is, we often fail to recognize the intense spiritual battle taking place. We're at war. And it's a fight for our spiritual lives. The only way we can survive this conflict is by preparing for combat.

How seriously do you take spiritual conflict? I challenge you to watch for spiritual attacks today. They should be easy to spot. In this weekend's devotional, we'll learn exactly how to pray using the armor of God.

About the Author
This devotional was written by Dr Charles Stanley