Example of Doing What is Good

‭‭Titus‬ ‭2:6-8

““Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything, set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” ‭‭Titus‬ ‭2:6-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The world system seems to reward high-achievers regardless of how they get their results - at least in the short run.

This has made a lot of people compromise in their values or sacrifice their core values in pursuit of highly rewarded results.

This mentality of “the end justify the means” is short sighted to say the least. The “end” such people are looking at is their immediate results, their now, or with posterity in focus - their own lifetime.

This reminds me of king Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20:

Quick backstory - This king was sick to the point of death and God sent his prophet to him that he needed to get his house in order, that the sickness is unto death. The king would not accept this verdict - he turned to God in prayer that he may not die and God answered him and added more years to his life.

Please take some time to read the whole chapter.

Later on, the king sinned (pride was found in him - 2 Chronicles 32:24-26) and God’s judgment was pronounced on him but that it will not happen during his lifetime but during his children’s reign. (Read vs. 16-18). But here was the king’s response:

““The word of the Lord you have spoken is good,” Hezekiah replied. For he thought, “Will there not be peace and security in my lifetime?”” 2 Kings‬ ‭20:19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A lot of people go about their lives and make decisions today with no consideration of how it may affect their children or the next generation. So far they can achieve their own goals - they care less what the consequences of their actions or inactions today could be on the next generation.

I want to challenge you today to always measure every of your actions and decisions by how it will affect your children and their children.

In everything, set … an example by doing what is good.

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding us that the consequences of our actions and decisions today affect generations to come. Daddy, we pray - help us to be more intentional about being good for posterity sake. In Jesus name Amen! Amen!! Amen!!!

God Loves a Cheerful Giver

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:7

“Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Giving is a very touchy subject. I almost didn’t want to go there when the Holy Spirit pointed me in that direction for this devotional. But once I yielded to His leading, He began to unfold a truth that I believe is the key to the blessing that flows from cheerful giving and got excited.

The Greek word translated "cheerful" is the word “hilaros”, and it means cheerful or joyous, with a sense of readiness. It means to be ready to act at a moment's notice, to be prepared.

So the key that unlocks the blessing that flows from cheerful giving is always being cheerful & prepared to give at a moment’s notice - almost like seeking out opportunities to do so.

I had to ask myself - how cheerful a giver am I?

How about you - are you a cheerful giver?

When we talk about giving, it’s not only in money, one can give one’s other resources alongside money too.

Paul said in 2Cor. 12:15

“And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls;”

‭‭II Corinthians‬ ‭12:15‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When you volunteer your time, how cheerful are you doing so? Do you seek out opportunities to give of yourself?

In my 3rd episode of the prosperity for Posterity podcast, I spoke about mentoring relationship - that is a great way to give others the gift of your time, your experience and your counsel.

Giving follows the law of reciprocity - “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This is also known as the law of sowing and reaping:

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭6:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Apart from giving money, here are a list of 10 Things You Can Give cheerful today:

Give a smile and give it to every single person that you meet

Give Out Good Thoughts: Give out good thoughts about others,

Give A Kind Word to others

Give Appreciation:

Give Encouragement:

Give honor where honor is due.

Give Happiness:

Give of your time to a greater cause than yourself,.

Give Hope:

Give Prayer:

God loves a cheerful giver!

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for demonstrating to us how to give cheerfully - you gave your only begotten son to die in our place for our sins. Help us, oh God, to be cheerful givers in Jesus’ mighty name, Amen! Amen!! Amen!!!

The Armor of God Series: Praying in the Spirit

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:18

“Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

In the course of my study of this topic I found there are two different schools of thought on the number of the pieces of the armor of God in Eph. 6

One stated there are 6 and second added Praying in the Spirit making it 7. I will say I agree with both

The first 6 are actually items that could be depicted in the pieces of the armor of a Roman soldier for instance. And Praying in the spirit is not an item. But a critical action for a believer in living victoriously.

Hence, I will be covering it under the armor of God.

What is Praying in the spirit?

What praying in the spirit means also has differing interpretations amongst believers - I found writings that support praying in the spirit as praying in tongues. Then another that says it is not praying in tongues but rather praying as the spirit leads or praying according to the will of God.

Now, let’s search the scriptures for ourselves:

I Corinthian 14 details Paul’s instructions on how the GIFT of differs kinds of tongues should be used in a corporate gathering:

“A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭14:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭14:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you. But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭14:18-19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,”

‭‭Jude‬ ‭1:20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

And in ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:26

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Based on these scriptures and others I came to a conclusion personally that both meanings are not mutually exclusive.

Praying in the spirit is praying in tongues which aids our ability to pray according to the will of God.

What are the benefits of praying in the spirit?

Praying in the spirit is a very important part of any believers’ prayer life:

“…For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.” ‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭2:10-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When we pray in the spirit we tap into the mind of God

Which then helps us to pray according to His will

And when we pray according to His will, we will not pray amiss

We build up ourselves when we pray in the spirit

In battle, we will remain undefeated because we are not ignorant of the enemy’s devices when we pray in the spirit.

When we pray in the spirit we stay alert and are not blindsided by the enemy’s attacks.

It is also most efficient when we pray in the spirit in intercession for others - even when we don’t know what they need before we start to pray, as we intercede for them in the spirit - we will be guided what we need to pray and if it doesn’t come to our understanding, we know the master intercessor - the Holy Spirit has already taken care of it.

So, Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion.

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your Holy Spirit, the comforter that intercedes for us and teaches us to pray in accordance with your will. Daddy, I pray you grant us the grace to understand and freely experience the power of praying in the spirit in our day to day life in Jesus name.

The Armor of God Series: The Sword of The Spirit

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:17‬ ‭

“And take … the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The main piece of an ancient soldier that serves both as an offensive and defensive weapon is the sword.

What is the sword of the spirit?

It’s clearly stated in our Bible verse for today that the sword of the spirit is the word of God.

God refers to His Word as a sword in Hebrews 4:12.

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Here we see some characteristics of the word of God

the word of God is living: contrary to some people’s belief that the Bible is outdated and no longer relevant - ‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭10:11‬ says

“... all that were written were examples … (and) for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”

‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭10:11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

And because our God

“… is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭13:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

His word is alive today as it was when it first penned down through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

the word of God is powerful

The word of God has power to

save and deliver from sin: “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭19:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

As we evangelize others into the kingdom of God, we must not be too sophisticated and woke to the point that we now neglect the word of God in any our strategies. The word of God has power to save and deliver from the grip of sin

The word of God has power to sanctify: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” ‭‭John‬ ‭17:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

the word of God penetrates the mind and soul

and exposes and judges thoughts and intentions

Have you found yourself seated in the pew on a Sunday morning or midweek Bible study and as the word was being dished out from the pulpit it was hitting you hard - left right and center? To somebody that may want to harden their heart, they might say - the pastor is preaching at me; Do not get it twisted - the word of God is that powerful to expose your thoughts and intentions to you

How do we use the word of God?

Matthew 4:4-11 is a record of when Jesus was tempted by the devil. One particular phrase that was recurring in His responses to each temptation is “IT IS WRITTEN”

So also, as believers, we must know and understand what is written, so that when the enemy comes, we are able to defend ourselves and attack him as well using the word of God correctly.

As with a sword - especially the double-edged one that the word of God is compared to - a soldier must practice the proper use so as not to incur self-inflicted wounds. So also, we must “Study to shew ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭2:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

How do you study the word of God?

Prioritize personal Bible study

Ask the author - the Holy Spirit to open your understanding to the word of God

Join local Bible study group. You must always follow up with further studies personally to ensure what was shared in the group was indeed the counsel of God and not just doctrine of men.

Teach it to others

Teach your children

Bring it up in discussions throughout your day.

So then, To win the battle of the mind against the devil

Joyce Meyer in the BattleField of the Mind, wrote:

“, our weapon is the Word of God used in various ways. We can pray the word, speak the word, sing the word, and study the word.”

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word - living and powerful - that you have given to us to combat the attacks of the enemy. Holy Spirit we pray for fresh illumination of your word as we study to show ourselves approved unto God. In Jesus name Amen! Amen!! Amen!!!

The Armor of God Series: The Helmet of Salvation

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:17‬ ‭

“And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The helmet is a crucial piece of a soldier's armor. It protects the head and, more importantly, the brain from injury.

In battle, a soldier would be at a severe disadvantage without a helmet. In Roman times, the enemy would first attack a soldier’s head. Because the brain controls decision making and reaction time, they could gain an advantage if they were able to injure the soldier’s head and cause them to enter a state of confusion.

The devil operates similarly in a believer’s life. If one is confused or feels unstable in their relationship with God, then such a person is more vulnerable to his attacks. If the enemy can succeed in making you doubt your salvation, he knows you can not exercise your authority as a son, he’s won the battle against your soul.

What is the helmet of salvation:

The helmet of salvation is the assurance of salvation.

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This takes us to the beginning - the conversation between the serpent and Eve in Genesis. This is the oldest trick in the enemy’s book - to make you doubt

doubt your salvation

doubt the word of God

doubt the faithfulness of God.

Genesis 3:1

“Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

That was the blow he needed - right to the head

To make Eve question the love of God

To make her question God’s word

And we saw the effect of that blow that he dealt on Eve:

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Even began to WONDER and examine the subject matter - doubt crept in and man fell

Another way our assurance of salvation starts weakening when we allow ourselves to indulge in the sin - the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”

‭‭I John‬ ‭2:15-17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

To strengthen our assurance of salvation,

we must know the God we believe in the first place, “And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.”

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭11:32‬ ‭KJV‬‬

trust in him - in yesterday’s episode, I touched on the shield of faith - that “without faith it is impossible to please God.

return to God immediately if we sin

One thing that I learned quickly as a young believer is - when a child falls after the dad or mom told her not to jump on the bed - they don’t run away from the parent - the run towards them, cry and hurting but that child still run towards the parent. So also I have learned early in my faith journey - there would be occasions that I might stumble on the way, I do not run AWAY from God I must always run TOWARDS God in repentance.

God’s arms are ever open - do not allow the devil to hold you hold you captive using the sins to blackmail you. Run to God today.

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the salvation of our souls. Thank you for giving your Holy Spirit who bears witness in our heart that we are your children. Daddy, I pray that you help us to know you more and to trust you beyond any doubt. In Jesus’ name. Amen! Amen!! Amen!!!

THE ARMOR OF GOD SERIES: THE SHIELD OF FAITH

‭‭EPHESIANS‬ ‭6:16‬

“In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It is said that the component of a Roman Soldier shield, which was primarily the soldier’s defensive weapon, was made up of impenetrable wood, leather, canvas, and metal. This shield called, scutum, was so huge and could be as large as a door enough to cover the warrior carrying it entirely.

The believer's defensive weapon is the shield of faith. What is faith?

“… faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:1‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

By faith, we believe in God

vs. 6 tells us

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Our belief in God grounds us, as there’s no soldier that goes to battle and wins the battle without believing in his commander. We must be firm in our faith in God that He is with us and He is for us.

No matter how tough the battle may get - we must stand our ground in this truth:

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.””

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

and we also know that by faith we faith we overcome the enemy:

“… everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭5:4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

By our faith in God, we overcome the enemy - the world, the devil & the flesh.

Before battle, the ancient soldiers would dip their shields in water so that the leather component of the shield could soak up water. This is done so that when the fiery arrows of their enemies hit the water-drenched shield, the fire will be put out.

And in like manner, our faith must be drenched in the water of the word of God so we may be able to put out the fiery arrows of doubt the enemy fires at us.

Romans 10:17 tells us

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Search the scriptures for God’s promises over that situation and fill your mind with those words to build your faith.

That in turn means you keep your environment free of words that do not build your faith.

Another way to build our faith is our testimonies:

“And they overcame and conquered him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, ...” ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭12:11‬ ‭AMP‬‬

When the fiery arrows of the enemy come for your heart, you must put them out with reminders of God’s goodness over your circumstances.

Keep a journal of the evidence of God’s goodness. And when it seems the battle is fierce and looks like the enemy is gaining ground, pick up your journal and go over these evidences of God coming through and this will serve as a reminder that this God, He is the same yesterday and today and forever more - if He has done it before, He certainly will do it again.

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you because we know you are with us always and you will never leave nor forsake us. I prayer, Daddy, that you strengthen our faith that we may live a victorious life in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen! Amen!! Amen!!!

The Armor of God Series: The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:15‬

“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 are the next pieces of God’s armor for the believers. They are called the Shoes of the Gospel of peace.

“How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!””

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭52:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This means, we must be carriers of the gospel - the good news wherever we go.

What is the good news?

“But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. “Glory to God in the highest [heaven], And on earth peace among men with whom He is well-pleased.””

‭‭Luke‬ ‭2:10, 14‬ ‭AMP‬‬

The good news is a message of:

great joy

message of peace

proclaims the glory and goodness of God

As you go about in your shoes of the gospel of peace, what message do you carry with you?

What is your story?

Do people see you coming and are rest assured that you come in peace?

Or when they see you approach or see your call come in, they immediately know,

there comes trouble?

Or what feeling do you leave with people after they’ve encountered you?

do they feel affirmed or put down

Empowered or disempowered

Energized or deflated

Encouraged or discouraged

Do they feel better after hearing from you?

“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with great power; and He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭10:38‬ ‭AMP‬‬

This peace is in 3 folds:

Peace with God: you must be at peace with God. Jesus is our guarantor of peace with God. He reconciled us back to our maker. All we need to do to receive this peace is accept His as our lord and savior.

Inner peace: we must allow the peace with God to be internalized in us.

““Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation].”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Release your worry and anxiety to God and receive His peace

Peace with others

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

As much as lie in your control - be the carrier of peace.

I will conclude this devotional today by prayerfully singing Don Moen’s Instrument of Peace:

Lord make us instruments of Your peace

Where there is hatred let Your love increase

Lord make us instruments of Your peace

Walls of pride and prejudice shall cease

When we are Your instruments of peace

The Armor of God Series: The Breastplate of Righteousness

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:13-14

“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:13-14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

A typical armed soldier in Ancient Rome or an Israeli soldier at the time wore a breastplate made of metallic material, typically, bronze. It covered the vital organs, namely, the heart, and the other organs in the torso, the chest area and normally was fitted with loops or buckles that attached it to a thick belt. If the belt was loosened, the breastplate slipped right off.

It goes to show how The belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness are closely related.

We will come back to that but first;

What is righteousness?

A righteous person is a moral, upright person who follows or does what is right. In essence, they live the right way. Therefore, the definition of righteousness is the state or condition of being declared upright, moral, just, or virtuous. This righteousness is not in your own eyes, but when people look at you they know and declare you to be an upstanding, moral person.

It is God who declares a believer righteous.

Here is the definition I grew up with in Sunday school:

Righteousness is right standing with God.

This righteousness is not yours because

“… all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags; …‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭64:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

This righteous is God-imputed

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

We are righteous because God says we are through the blood of Jesus.

Does all this talk about being morally upright or virtuous have you feeling overwhelmed left you asking is it even possible?

Good news!!!

This righteousness is not earned - it is a gift. It is not a status you become - it is who you are now as a blood-bought child of the most high God.

Living in the truth of God’s word - the belt of truth - helps us to please God in all our ways and saves us from the enemy’s attack targeted at the heart of faith.

That’s why the scriptures recorded about Abraham that : “… he believed in the Lord, and God accounted it to him for righteousness.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭15:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

How do you grow your belief, how do you develop your faith?

“… faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭10:17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

And in yesterday’s devotional we established, the truth is the word of God.

Put on the breastplate of righteousness…

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, we are grateful for the blood of Jesus shed that we might be transformed from people condemned to die because any form of self-righteousness before you is still like a filthy rag. Thank you for declaring us righteous. We pray for the grace and power to will and to do for your good pleasure all the days of our lives. In Jesus’ mighty name Amen! Amen!! Amen!!!

The Armor of God: The Belt of Truth

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:13-14‬

“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. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:13-14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The first piece of God’s armor for every believer is the Belt of Truth.

What is truth?

John 17:17

Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Jesus, in His prayer for the believers, gives a clear and straightforward definition of truth: the word of God

The truth is the word of God, which in verse 17 is called the sword of the spirit.

What is then the Belt of TRUTH?

The belt as part of Roman soldier armor is used to hold the sword. And knowing that the sword of the spirit and the truth both mean the word of God, then we can conclude that the belt of truth is used to hold the truth, the sword of the spirit, the word of God.

Truth is vital because, like a Roman soldier's belt, it allows us to carry the sword of the Spirit and use it effectively.

Proverbs 3:3-4

Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.

Without an understanding of truth, we are left vulnerable to being “carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14)

How do we then glean the truth out of the word of God:

“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Study the word of God

Meditate on it - with the help of the Holy Spirit, digest the word of God and know it for yourself - “And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” ‭‭John‬ ‭8:31-32‬ ‭NLT‬‬.

The vs. before this vs. 31 says: You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. Which takes us to the next step in gleaning the truth from God’s word

Practice the word of God

Once we have internalized the truth and have become a practitioner of God’s word, then we can use it as a litmus test in our engagements with the enemy - the world, the flesh and satan.

1 Thessalonians 5:21

Test all things; hold fast what is good.

As Christians, we are to test all things and then hold on only to that which is good—the truth—discarding all else. We are to be like the Bereans who "searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11).

Remember SMA

study, meditate, act

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, we are grateful for your word of truth that has set us free. Holy Spirit, you are our teacher, as we study your word, I pray that you open our mind to understand your word and grant us the power to be your word practitioner - girding our waist with the truth of God’s word. In Jesus name I pray. Amen! Amen!! Amen!!!

Stand Your Ground

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:13-18‬

“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. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:13-18‬ ‭NLT‬‬

We will be examining these Bible verses in the next few Devotionals looking into our spiritual armor as believers.

Let’s clear a few things and remind ourselves the truth of God’s word:

Jesus already won the battle for us at Calvary, hence, we engage the enemy now knowing the battle was already won. We engage from victory.

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

‭‭I Corinthians‬ ‭15:57‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We are not in battle with any human.

“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.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So, there are 3 major enemies of every believer:

The world system

The flesh

The devil

We will dig deeper into these in the course of the month.

Today, I just wanted to open this series with your own stance in the battle.

You must “stand your ground”.

There was a popular saying that I grew up with that goes: “if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything”

The moment you yielded your life to God and accepted Jesus into your life as your lord and personal savior you drew the battle line in the sand: Paul painted a vivid picture of it in ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:13‬

“who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

You must stand your ground in this battle - no retreat, no surrender.

You must stand your ground knowing the battle is already won

You must stand your ground knowing your commander, the God of Angels Army will not leave you.

“But the Lord is with me as a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail. They will be greatly ashamed, for they will not prosper. Their everlasting confusion will never be forgotten.” ‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭20:11‬

YOU MUST STAND YOUR GROUND

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for the battle is yours and you already have given us the victory in every battle of life. On the truth of your word we stand our ground that we are victorious in all these battles in Jesus' mighty name! Amen! Amen!! Amen!!!