Be alert!
The Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Bee's Thoughts:
Again I am reminded of the spiritual warfare I am in daily. The devil will always cause me to sin subtlely.
I am still very human and is subjected to all kinds of temptations, mood swings, weariness, sensitivity, busyness, etc. All these things can easily be used by the devil to make me move away from God's will. When I am not alert, the devil strikes at me in my moment of weakness.
The only way to overcome the devil's darts is to pray constantly, not only for myself, but also for those close to me.
Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your reminder today that I need to stay alert and pray constantly. Forgive me of all my sins, for the times I gave in to the devil and do what's not right in Your sight. Cleanse me now and make me pure. May I live a life that is pleasing to You always.
I also want to pray for my close ones that you will help them be overcomers of sins and temptations too. Keep them in Your Spirit as they go about doing their works and activities.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Tommy's Thoughts:
Satan and his army of demons are powerful and real; not mere fantasies or things we watch in movies. Most of the times, they operate ‘quietly’ by seeping lies into our lives with ways we least expected. With his clever schemes and devices, Satan deceives and influences believers and unbelievers through our weaknesses, pride, selfishness, lust, greediness, fear.
Many continue to sin in their lives by believing in the lie that their actions is not anywhere as bad as those ‘big’ wrongs like murder or robbing the local bank. But, these ‘small’ sins can develop slowly to trap the person further to a point where things badly irreversible and irreparable. Like what Rick Warren said in his book “A little sin is like being a little pregnant. It will eventually show itself.”
Our battle with the forces of Satan becomes fiercest when we desire to be closer to God. It’s because he sees us as a real threat to him and his evil kingdom. It takes supernatural power to defeat Satan and his forces. Until Christ returns to end Satan’s reign, we need God’s strength and every piece of His armor to withstand his array of attacks. For every believer, God has also given us His Holy Spirit to dwell within us, helping and guiding us in this battle.
Dear Lord, thank You for making me aware everyday how and where Satan’s lies can leak into my life. Help me to focus unto You, to be alert and prepare always by putting on and using every piece of Your armor. Teach me also to pray in the Spirit constantly and on all occasions, making prayer my life and my life a prayer. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
.......the devotion of Bee & Tommy
