Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions

“Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17 NLT)

 

The pieces of the armor of God that the apostle Paul lists in Ephesians 6 are almost all defensive in nature. They are designed to protect. Only one—the sword of the Spirit, the word of God—is intended as a weapon. Unfortunately, many believers never use it as one. They have the rest of their armor in place, but they keep their sword in its sheath.

They talk about it. They study it. They compare swords with others. But they never use it in spiritual battle. That pacifist approach plays right into the devil’s hands. He knows all too well the power and authority of the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s Word.

The author of Hebrews wrote, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12 NLT). God Himself said, “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it” (Isaiah 55:11 NLT). The devil has no defense against the Word of God. That’s why he doesn’t want you to use this incredible weapon God has given you.

Remember how effectively Jesus used the sword of God’s Word to defend Himself when He faced spiritual attack in the wilderness in Matthew 4:1–11? Jesus was God. He didn’t have to stand around and deal with the devil. He could have gotten out of the situation very easily. Instead, He engaged the enemy and modeled for us the right way to fight temptation: with the Word of God.

When the devil tries to attack you with temptation, fear, or doubt, or when he brings up past sins you’ve already confessed and been forgiven of, remember the sword of the Spirit. Pull God’s Word out of its sheath and use it aggressively to defend yourself.

The more time you spend in God’s Word, the more formidable you’ll be in battle. You can hone your swordsmanship by studying God’s promises and committing them to memory. You might start with Hebrews 13:5: “For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you’” (NLT).

You can hone your skills further by studying your enemy’s battle tendencies throughout Scripture. Look at the way he approached Eve, the way he tried to devastate Job, and the way he tempted Jesus. The more you know about your enemy’s movements on the battlefield, the better you can prepare to defend against them.

Look at Paul’s words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15: “Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (NLT). The person who can wield God’s Word with accuracy, understanding, authority, and humility is thoroughly equipped to do spiritual battle.

 

Reflection question: How would you use God’s Word to protect yourself if the devil tried to attack you with doubt? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Ephesians 6:17 NLT)

 

There are a lot of motorcyclists today who don’t like helmet laws. Rather than donning a helmet, they prefer to feel the wind in their hair and the sun on their face. It feels like freedom. That is, when things are going well. But the moment they lose control, and their bike goes airborne, is when a helmet suddenly seems like a really good idea. In fact, it might be the difference between life and death. Between walking away from an accident and being carried away from it.

The helmet of the Roman soldier was made of leather and covered with metal. It was the last piece of armor the soldier put on. It was essential in battle for the same reason a motorcycle helmet is important: It protected the brain, the command center of the body. The brain processed the input of the soldier’s eyes and ears. It recalled the soldier’s training. It deciphered the enemy’s battlefield strategies. It directed the soldier’s movements. The protection the helmet provided was crucial. If the soldier’s brain was damaged, the rest of the armor was useless.

In spiritual battle, believers must put on the helmet of salvation because our minds, thoughts, and imaginations must be protected. That’s where most temptations start. The devil recognizes the importance of getting a foothold in the realm of our thoughts and imagination, because it prepares the way for that thought to translate into action. Perhaps you’re familiar with the adage, “Sow a thought; reap an act. Sow an act; reap a habit. Sow a habit; reap a character. Sow a character; reap a destiny.” It all starts with a thought.

Putting on the helmet of salvation means embracing the assurance of salvation that God offers. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross saves us from God’s ultimate punishment for our sin and makes eternal life possible. But it does more than that. In the here and now, it saves us from the devil’s attacks. God has equipped us to win the battle for our minds.

We may not be able to control all the things in this world that we’re exposed to, but we can control some things. We can control the social media we choose to explore. We can control the movies and shows we choose to watch. We can control what we choose to read and listen to. 

In his letter to the believers in Philippi, Paul offered some insight into how to do it. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (Philippians 4:6–8 NLT).

Be careful what you allow into your mind. Put on the helmet of salvation.

 

Reflection question: What’s your most effective strategy for guarding your mind against the devil’s attacks? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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“In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:16 NLT)

 

Keep in mind that as the apostle Paul was writing his letter to the Christians at Ephesus, he was chained to a Roman guard. He had plenty of time to observe Roman armor, including the shield. The Roman shield was made of wood—rectangular in shape and about four feet high and two feet wide.

The shield was especially useful in long-range warfare. Prior to an actual hand-to-hand engagement with the enemy, a Roman soldier often would encounter a barrage of flaming arrows coming from all directions. The primary purpose of this barrage was to demoralize and confuse the soldier. To protect themselves from the onslaught of fiery arrows, Roman soldiers would put their shields together, creating a protective barrier for all of them. Their shields provided protection above and beyond what their breastplates could provide.

The shield of faith provides similar protection in our spiritual battles. The devil will direct his flaming arrows toward Christians. They could be arrows of immorality, hatred, pride, envy, covetousness, doubt, worry, or any other kind of sin. They will be delivered primarily in the realm of our thoughts. He will barrage us with his flaming arrows at strategic times, like when we decide to read the Bible or go to church. Flaming arrows will come our way during times of trial and hardship.

It’s during these times that you hold up the shield of faith—not the shield of feelings, not the shield of emotions, but the shield of faith. You base your faith on what God has done for you, not on how you feel at a given moment. Emotions come and go. Sometimes you feel great, and sometimes you don’t feel anything. It’s then that you learn to use the shield of faith.

One way to use your shield is to remind yourself that every fiery arrow the devil launches can be extinguished. The apostle Paul wrote, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT). When you sense that you’re being fired upon, double down on your faith in God. Spend time in His Word. Ask Him to show you the way out of the line of fire.

In Roman warfare, the shield was used most effectively in conjunction with fellow soldiers. By holding their shields together, they gave one another more protective coverage. The same principle applies to spiritual warfare. We may be able to protect ourselves alone, but we get more protective coverage when we unite with fellow believers.

When we spend time with other believers, in worship and in fellowship, our unity gives us greater protection in our spiritual battles. Our fellow believers can pray for us, come alongside us, encourage us, and hold us accountable. Together, our shields of faith can withstand anything our enemy fires at us.

 

Reflection question: What are some of the fiery arrows the devil shoots at you? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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“For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.” (Ephesians 6:15 NLT)

 

The shoes that Paul described as part of the armor of God in Ephesians 6 do more than give believers the stability to maintain solid spiritual footing. They also provide mobility. These aren’t uncomfortable dress shoes that you walk carefully in so that you can keep them clean and unscuffed. These shoes allow you to move at a moment’s notice.

The apostle Peter wrote, “If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it” (1 Peter 3:15 NLT). In the original language, these words communicate the idea of giving a defense, as in a court of law. So, we should always be ready to give a defense of what we believe. We need to be ready at a moment’s notice to seize opportunities to share the gospel.

The way to prepare ourselves, to “break in” the shoes that are part of our spiritual armor, is through practice. We can do that by studying and committing to memory Scripture passages that present the gospel message. The fresher these passages are in our minds, the more quickly we can access them when an opportunity arises. A good place to start our studying and memorizing is with passages such as John 3:16; John 14:6; Ephesians 2:8–9; Acts 2:38; and Romans 5:8.

Another way to “always be ready to explain” our hope is to anticipate questions, objections, or concerns that people may have about the Christian faith. For example, someone may ask, “Don’t you think it’s narrow-minded to say that Jesus is the only way to God and eternal life?” If we’re prepared to answer the question before it’s asked, it may strengthen our credibility. A great way to anticipate such things is to think back to the questions, objections, or concerns we had before we became Christians.

We can prepare ourselves by talking to other mature believers, drawing on their gospel-sharing experience. Christians who have been “in the trenches” can offer valuable guidance on how to approach people and what to say and what not to say.

Some people say, “The Lord never opens up opportunities for me to share my faith.” I think He does, but we may not be paying attention. Opportunities are all around us. We just need to hone our skills in recognizing and seizing them.

More than anything, we need to talk to people. In John 4, Jesus sat down with a woman at a well, asked her for a drink of water, began to converse with her, and transitioned into a spiritual conversation. That’s how it’s done.

People will rarely will come knocking on our doors to ask what they must do to be saved. Generally, there will be other kinds of opportunities, but we need to have our spiritual antenna up, so to speak, and seize the moment when it comes. We need the spiritual shoes that allow us to move swiftly and efficiently in presenting the gospel.

The armor of God is useful not only for holding our spiritual ground but also for gaining spiritual ground. We gain ground by walking through the doors of opportunity that God opens for us.

 

Reflection question: How can you be prepared to share your faith when an opportunity arises? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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“For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared.” (Ephesians 6:15 NLT)

 

No matter how solid the breastplate of a Roman soldier was, and no matter how tightly he cinched his belt, those pieces of armor would be of little use if he slipped and fell in the heat of battle. So, in the apostle Paul’s list of the pieces that make up the armor of God, he says, “For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared” (Ephesians 6:15 NLT).

The shoe of a Roman soldier was called a caligae. It was a sandal-boot hybrid designed for maximum comfort and protection. The straps of the caligae were held firmly at the sole. The bottom of the sole was studded with thick nails, providing the soldier with sure footing, thus preventing him from slipping and sliding on the terrain. Sporting cleats are the footwear descendants of the Roman caligae.

The shoes were an essential part of the Roman soldier’s armor because one of the common battlefield tactics of ancient times was to place sharpened sticks in the ground at an angle. A soldier whose feet weren’t protected by shoes was vulnerable to serious injury—and even death if the puncture wound became infected. What a terrible battlefield irony it would have been for a soldier armored to the teeth with a belt, breastplate, shield, and sword to die because he cut his foot.

Of course, in the heat of battle, the greatest protection the shoes offered was solid footing. With solid footing comes leverage. With leverage comes advantage. With advantage comes victory.

That explains why one of the favorite tactics of our enemy is to throw us off-balance, to keep us from getting solid spiritual footing. Look at the serpent’s question to Eve in the Garden of Eden. “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” (Genesis 3:1 NLT). Did. God. Really. Say.

If our enemy can get us to question the bedrock of our faith, then everything becomes negotiable. If we can’t trust what the Lord really said about the trees in the Garden, how can we trust what He says about salvation? Or forgiveness? Or eternal life?

Without shoes in our armor, we start to lose our spiritual footing. We start to lose our boldness. We start to lose our joy. We start to lose our peace. We start to lose our desire to share our faith with others.

In his parable of the wise and foolish builders, Jesus said, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock” (Matthew 7:24 NLT). Paul’s reference to the shoes of the armor of God builds on the same principle. In spiritual warfare, solid grounding is essential. We stand firm by studying the Lord’s teaching and following it in the way we live. If we do that, we will always have leverage against our enemy.

 

Reflection question: What are some areas in which you have less than solid footing, spiritually speaking? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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“Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.” (Ephesians 6:14 NLT)

 

The second item on the apostle Paul’s list of the armor of God is the body armor—or breastplate—of righteousness. On a Roman soldier, the breastplate protected the vital organs. Because of the nature of close combat, the area covered by the breastplate was the area most likely to be targeted by an enemy. So, the breastplate was essential to the soldier’s survival.

In spiritual warfare, the devil goes for the heart, too. He knows that one well-placed blow could prove fatal to your spiritual growth. He also knows that you’re most vulnerable when you sin, when you fall short of what God intends for you. That’s when he attacks. He comes to you and says, “You sinned. You’re not worthy of God’s forgiveness. You’re not deserving of His blessings. God won’t listen to your prayers. You’re a hypocrite.”

He turns the message of Romans 3:10–12 into a personal accusation. “No one is righteous—not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one” (NLT). And he’ll keep attacking your heart, trying to open a wound of guilt and shame.

What will you say when you find yourself under fire? We all will sin. We all will fail. We all will fall short. The apostle John wrote, “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth” (1 John 1:8 nlt). So, how will you defend yourself? Will you boast about the Bible verses you’ve memorized or the people you’ve led to the Lord or how often you go to church?

If you rely on what you’ve done, then you’re guilty of self-righteousness, which means you believe that you somehow merit God’s blessing because of the things you’ve done. If this is your attitude, then you have a breastplate made of cardboard. One strike of the enemy’s sword will cut it apart and leave you open and exposed.

Here’s what you need to know about the righteousness in the breastplate of righteousness: It’s not yours. Isaiah 59:15–17 says, “The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was no justice. He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm, and his justice sustained him. He put on righteousness as his body armor and placed the helmet of salvation on his head. He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion” (NLT).

These words point to Jesus. You’re not righteous because of any good you’ve done. You’re righteous because of what Jesus did. Everyone who believes in Him receives His righteousness. So, when God looks at you, He doesn’t see your sin; He sees Jesus’ righteousness.

If you confess, turn away from, and ask God to forgive your sin, He will. And that will be the end of it. He won’t hold it against you or try to manipulate your emotions. And if God doesn’t cause you to feel guilt or shame, why would you let the devil do it?

It’s Jesus’ righteousness that protects you. And His righteousness is impenetrable.

 

Reflection question: What specific strategy might the devil use to attack your heart, spiritually speaking? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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“Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.” (Ephesians 6:14 NLT)

 

In his description of the armor of God in Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul doesn’t start with high-profile objects like the sword or the shield. Instead, he begins his list by instructing believers to put on “the belt of truth” (NLT).

To understand the importance of this piece of armor, you need to know a little about the uniforms of Roman soldiers in Paul’s day. Roman soldiers didn’t wear pants like we do today. They wore togas on the battlefield. To move quickly in battle, they would pull their togas above their knees and tighten their belts to keep the togas in place. That gave them the freedom of movement they needed.

The belt was essential to the rest of the armor. The breastplate was attached to it, as was the sheath for the sword. If your belt fell off, your breastplate would fall off, and your toga would come loose. You could have the sharpest sword in the legion and still be ineffective in battle if you were tripping over your own toga and trying to keep your breastplate and sheath in place. So, the belt was important. That’s why Paul put it at the top of the list.

In the armor of God, His truth anchors our faith. In fact, it frames our whole spiritual battle. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 NLT). Jesus is the truth.

Our enemy the devil, on the other hand, “has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 NLT). The problem is, he’s a very skilled liar. Every battle tactic he uses is built on a lie—almost always a believable one. With every temptation he puts in our path, he says, “Jesus really isn’t the only way to get what you’re looking for. Here’s something better.”

If we’re to withstand his attacks, we must surround ourselves with the truth. We need to be grounded in God’s Word. We need to “be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15 NLT). We need to recognize the devil’s lies and call them out for the counterfeits they are.

When we put on the belt of truth, “We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth” (Ephesians 4:14 NLT). The truth of God’s Word anchors every other piece of spiritual armor. The more securely you wrap yourself with it—by memorizing it, understanding it, and applying it to your daily life—the more skilled you’ll be in spiritual battle. And the more dangerous you’ll be to your spiritual enemy.

 

Reflection question: What are some dangerous lies the devil tries to convince people to believe? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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“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.” (Ephesians 6:13 NLT)

 

When the apostle Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians, he was under house arrest, which meant that he was chained to a Roman guard. So, when we come to Paul’s description of the armor of God in chapter 6, it’s worth noting that Paul had a lot of time to observe Roman armor. There they were, twenty-four hours a day: belt, breastplate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword. This description of armor wasn’t given in a haphazard manner off the top of Paul’s head to pass the time. Rather, these words were inspired by God. There is significance behind every word Paul attached to each piece of armor.

Paul identifies six pieces of armor in total. The first three—the belt, the breastplate, and the shoes—were for long-range protection. They were never removed on the battlefield. The second three—the shield, the helmet, and the sword—were kept ready for use when close-range fighting began. Each piece was important, but only as part of the whole armor.

If you were in battle, you could wear your helmet, breastplate, and shield, but without a sword, you would find yourself in the unfortunate position of being able only to defend or hold ground. Or, wearing your shoes and belt and holding your sword in your hand, you could attack enemy strongholds, but you would quickly lose what you gained due to inadequate defense.

Likewise, when we do spiritual battle, we need all of God’s armor. The individual pieces are not for us to pick and choose; they are a package deal. God has given us clear and defined pieces. Understanding what they are and how to use them can make all the difference in our spiritual battles.

In fantasy novels and video games, weapons and battle armor are often bestowed by mythical beings or claimed after defeating an enemy—usually as part of an elaborate quest. In the very real world of spiritual battle, God gives us the armor and weapons we need. Our quest is to maximize the effectiveness of each piece.

We do that by studying God’s truth in His Word. The more expertise we develop in recognizing the real thing, the easier it is to spot the devil’s lies. We do it by strengthening our relationship with God through regular prayer and worship. We do it by building relationships with other battle-tested believers. There’s much to be learned from other people’s victories and setbacks. As those relationships grow, we can fight together by offering encouragement and holding one another accountable to godly living.

We have no reason to fear the devil’s attacks. God has given us everything we need to defend ourselves and win our spiritual battles.

 

Reflection question: What would arming yourself for spiritual battle look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie.

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“Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.” (2 Corinthians 2:11 NLT)

 

Last month, we focused on the topic of revival, beginning or re-energizing a personal relationship with Christ. But we need to be aware that revival never goes unopposed. If the devil sees the embers of a spiritual awakening or renewal, he will do everything he can to douse them. So, in the next few weeks, we’re going to look at ways to protect ourselves from his attacks. 

The first thing we need to know about our enemy is that he tends to use the same tactics over and over again. I suppose he operates by the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” He has used the same techniques and plans since the Garden of Eden, and they have worked with great effect to bring down countless people. Therefore, he just keeps bringing them back, generation after generation.

That’s the bad news. The good news is that we know how to plan for them. That’s why the apostle Paul wrote, “Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:11 NLT).

The devil’s strategies are no mystery to people who study Scripture. The apostle Peter wrote, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT). Paul wrote, “Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14 NLT). And Jesus Himself said, “He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 NLT). Because he’s a master of disguise and a skilled liar, we must always be on guard.

One of his go-to moves is to catch you off guard with a temptation that exploits a vulnerable area of your life. He’ll make the temptation as enticing as possible while downplaying its harmful potential. He’ll whisper things like, “Trust me on this. Stop resisting and give in to your desires. Live a little. Quit thinking about the consequences. You can get away with it. Who’s it going to hurt?” So, you take the bait and give in to temptation.

And that’s when the devil shouts, “What a hypocrite! Do you think God would ever hear your prayers after what you’ve done? And don’t even bother showing your face in church again!” Sadly, many people fall for his routine and allow their guilt and shame to separate them from God, His Word, and His people—the things they need most.

Just remember, no matter what you’ve done, no matter what temptation you’ve given in to, no matter what sin you’ve committed, God is always ready to forgive you if you’ll turn away from your sin and return to Him. Don’t let the devil isolate you from God’s Word and God’s people, because that’s exactly what he’s trying to do. Don’t let the devil outsmart you.

 

Reflection question: What tactics does the devil use to tempt you? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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The audio production of the podcast "Daily Devotions from Greg Laurie" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known."

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“‘Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,’ they shouted, ‘and now they are here disturbing our city, too.’” (Acts 17:6 NLT)

 

The Christian life is more than just saying a prayer, walking down an aisle, and receiving “fire insurance,” as it were. The Christian life is meant to be dynamic. It’s meant to be exciting. It’s meant to have a radical effect on the way you live, because Jesus Christ not only wants to be your Savior, but He also wants to be your Lord. He not only wants to be your friend, but He also wants to be your God.

In Acts 17, we see just how dynamic Christianity can be. When Paul and Silas arrived in Thessalonica, their reputations preceded them. The Jewish religious leaders had heard of the impact the two missionaries had had on other cities, and they determined (too late) not to let them have the same impact in Thessalonica. Their call to arms is the perfect description of dynamic Christianity. “‘Paul and Silas have caused trouble all over the world,’ they shouted, ‘and now they are here disturbing our city, too’” (verse 6 NLT).

Christianity isn’t a quiet belief system that we keep compartmentalized and bring out only on Sundays and holidays. Christianity shakes people to the core. It upends social norms. It doesn’t settle for the status quo. Christianity is a very real threat to darkness and evil. It changes the world one life at a time. That’s the Christian experience that God desires for us.

But I’m afraid that many people today are settling for a substandard Christian experience. They’re failing to receive all that God has for them. They’re failing to make the impact that He intends for them. They’re failing to carry out the Great Commission that fueled the spiritual intensity of the earliest Christians.

How did a handful of ordinary people living in the first century turn their world, as they knew it, upside down? They did it without television, without social media, without megachurches, and without all the resources that we think are so important today in reaching the goal of world evangelism.

How is it that they were able to do it? I think you could sum it up in one word: discipleship. They were disciples of Jesus Christ—not fair-weather followers, but true disciples. They weren’t living an anemic, watered-down, ineffective version of the Christian life. They were living the Christian life as it was meant to be lived—as Christ Himself offered it. If we want to impact our culture today, then we, too, must be disciples.

On the road to discipleship, there are many inviting detours that lead to dead ends. There are many rugged, difficult paths. There are many lonely stretches. It’s tempting to take an easier route, one that isn’t so narrow and challenging. It’s easy to lose our way and become wanderers. If that’s happened to you, now is the time to return. The world is waiting to be changed. And you’re just the person God can use to change it.

 

Reflection question: How can you make an impact as a disciple of Christ? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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