Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 72 – Ephesians 6:10-13 – Be Strong In The Lord – Growing As Disciples
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. 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. Ephesians 6:10-13 (NIV)
Open My Eyes
I would like you to open my eyes. How do you want me to open your eyes? What do you want me to help you to see? Let me tell you. I have been very slow to recognize spiritual battles. Often times, I have thought that I was just facing routine difficulties and significant trials. Do you see things differently now? Yes, I do. I can look back, with the benefit of hindsight, and often understand when I have gone through far more than a battle with flesh and blood. It is good that you are evaluating and reflecting on the experiences you have gone through in the past. Why is that? You tell me. Recognizing what I have gone through in the past will help me to better understand what I am going though now or will go through in the future. That’s right. Let me ask you a question. Go ahead, I’m listening. Have you ever come into a difficult and trying situation and thought, “I’ve been here and done that before?” Yes, I have had that experience before. Some difficult and trying spiritual battles have repeated themselves. Have you responded differently because you have had a prior experience with a difficult and significant spiritual battle? There is no doubt about that. How so? I have been able to say to myself, “Last time I went through this similar spiritual battle I relied on myself and it didn’t go well.” With that in mind, I have much more quickly and eagerly come to ask you for your help. Instead of trying to fight with my own wisdom and power and strength, I have cried out to you. Instead of taking my own ineffective action, I have turned to you in prayer. You have given me your wisdom and understanding. You have given me your power and strength. You have led me on a course of action. You have guarded and guided my path. Instead of suffering a humiliating defeat; you have led me in victory. So, what will you do differently with any difficulty and trial you face? I will turn to you. I will ask for your help. I will rely on you instead of relying on myself. Are your eyes now open? Do you now have a different understanding? Have I answered your prayer? Yes, you have answered my prayer. That is very good.
Lord, I have been slow to recognize when I have been in far more than a flesh and blood battle. Help me to recognize the devil’s schemes. Help me to put on your armor and be strong with your mighty power so I can stand against evil attacks of every kind. Amen
Key Question… How have you come to rely on the Lord and His power to help you to stand against evil?
Living It Out… Rely on the Lord to help you to stand against attacks of evil of every kind.
Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to stand against the attacks of evil of every kind.
Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group how you are relying on the Lord to help you to stand against evil.
Prayer To Bless Others… May you be strong with the strength the Lord will give you to stand against evil of every kind.
For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:
Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.
Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.
By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved Copying not permitted www.GrowingAsDisciples.com
