Category Archives: Spiritual Warfare

Demolish Strongholds

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Spiritual Warfare - 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 - Demolish Strongholds - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Spiritual Warfare – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 – Demolish Strongholds – Growing As Disciples

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NIV)

Take Captive

What am I supposed to take captive? I want you to take very one of your thoughts and make it captive to me. I’m not even sure what that means. Can you explain that to me? Yes, I can and yes, I will. You live in the world. I get that. The world is constantly bombarding you with all its thoughts and opinions and values, is it not? That is for certain. Is every thought that the world presents to you helpful and healthy? Is every thought that comes from the world pleasing to me? Are there worldly thoughts, opinions and values that can enslave you? Enslave me, how? Can worrisome thoughts enslave you to fear? Can materialistic thoughts enslave you to greed? Can sexual thoughts enslave you to lust? Can discouraging thoughts enslave you to depression? Can doubtful thoughts enslave you to unbelief? Can comparative thoughts enslave you to envy? I have never thought of my thoughts quite like that before.

It is time for you to change your thinking about your thoughts. How so? You are not required to think about every thought that comes into your mind. You can control what you allow yourself to think. How do you want me to control my thoughts? I want you to take every one of your thoughts and make them captive and obedient to me. That sounds like a difficult and maybe even an impossible task. Taking your thoughts captive and making them obedient to me will not come without battles. But, it will not be impossible.

How do I begin? Where do I start? Where are my words? How can you know my thoughts? I can meet with you in your word. I will find your thoughts and words in your word. Yes, you will. What will happen to you as you meditate and memorize my word? I will begin to know your thoughts and words. I will come to know what is good and pleasing and acceptable to you. Yes, you will. How will your heart change and mind be transformed and your life protected as you allow my word to dwell in you richly? I will begin to think your thoughts and speak your words. Old and worldly thoughts will be pushed out of my heart and mind and life as I allow your world to dwell in me richly. Yes, that is true. I will be set free to live the life that you are calling me to live as your word begins to dwell richly in me. Yes, you will. Will you begin to take every one of your thoughts captive and make them obedient to me? Yes Lord, I will.

Lord, even though I live in this world, I will not wage war as this world does. I will take every thought and make it obedient to you. Give me your divine power to tear down and demolish strongholds and every argument that tries to set itself up against you. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Spiritual Warfare – 2 Corinthians 10-3-5 – Demolish Strongholds – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

A Foothold

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Spiritual Warfare - Ephesians 4:26-27 - A Foothold - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Spiritual Warfare – Ephesians 4:26-27 – A Foothold – Growing As Disciples

“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:26-27 (NIV)

An Opportunity

Do you want to give an opportunity to the devil? Do you want to allow the devil to damage your relationships with others? Do you want to live a life of constant strife? Who would say “yes” to any of those questions? Certainly not me. I would much rather live a life filled with your peace. I never want to give the devil any kind of opportunity in my life. I want to have healthy and happy relationships with others. I want to live as one of your peacemakers in the world. That’s good. Why are you asking me these questions? Is there something that I am not doing that you want me to do? Is there something that I am doing that I could do better? Those are good questions.

Are you forgiving towards others? Are you willing to overlook an offense? Are you easily angered? Do you freely vent your anger to others when they fail to live up to your expectations? Do you carry anger towards others from one day into the next? Do you carry grudges with you wherever you go? I see where you are headed with this. Where is that? You want me to become like you. You want to forgive others just as you have forgiven me. You want me to be willing to lay down my rights so that I will not be angered when someone does not live up to my expectations. You don’t want me to carry anger from day into another. You don’t want me to carry grudges wherever I go. That’s right.

So, where should I can I start? How do I begin? You could begin with prayer. How so? You could ask me to help you to become one of my peacemakers in the world. I will ask that of you right now. That’s good. That’s a start. How else can I pray? Do you have in mind anyone that rubs you the wrong way? Can you think of anyone who frustrates you? Can you remember anyone who has hurt or harmed you? You’re kidding right? No, I am not kidding. Well, I don’t need to rack my brain to think of someone who frustrates me. It won’t take but a second to recall someone who has hurt or harmed me. I know of several people that definitely rub me the wrong way. Put these people on your prayer list. Ask me to help you to bless their lives. Do for them what you want me to do for you. Like what? Show them your kindness. Give them your mercy. Extend to them your help. Love and forgive them just as I have loved and forgiven you. I get it. Will you do it? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good. Then the devil will never be able to use anger to gain a foothold in your life. 

Lord, I have held on to anger and harbored bitterness and wrath. I have wanted to get even. I have wanted to seek revenge. Forgive me of these attitudes. Help me to love others and make peace with them. I will forgive others just as you have forgiven me. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Spiritual Warfare – Ephesians 4-26-27 – A Foothold – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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

Through Him

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Spiritual Warfare - Philippians 4:13 - Through Him - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Spiritual Warfare – Philippians 4:13 – Through Him – Growing As Disciples

I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

Do This?

I can’t do this. You can’t do what? I can’t do what you are asking me to do. Why is that? It is far beyond my ability. I don’t have the gifts, talents or abilities to accomplish what you want me to do for you. Is that right? It seems true to me. Let me ask you a question. Go ahead, I’m listening. Would I ask you to do something that you couldn’t accomplish? Is that a trick question? No, it is not a trick question. Then I will answer it. It seems like you regularly ask me to do things that I cannot accomplish with my own gifts, talents and abilities. Am I wrong about that? You are not wrong about that. What am I wrong about? Let me ask you a couple more questions. Ask away. Have you been accomplishing what I have given you to do? Yes, I have been accomplishing what you have given me to do. Has what I have given you to do been beyond your abilities? Yes, your assignments have been beyond my abilities. Yet, you have accomplished them, is that correct? Yes, that is correct. How is that possible? You can’t do something, yet you have done it. You haven’t had the gifts, talents and abilities to do what I have asked of you, yet you have gone and done what I have asked of you. Can you explain that to me? I have had to come to rely on you. I have had to come to you to ask you for your help. I have had to rely on your power and strength to make me able to do what you have asked of me. Is that a problem? Do you not like relying on me? Is it too bothersome for you to come to me to ask for my help? Do you not enjoy my power and strength to make you able to do what you could not possibly do?

No, I do like relying on you. It is not too bothersome for me to come to ask you for your help. I do enjoy your power and strength working in and through me to help me to accomplish your purposes and fulfill your plans. What is the problem then? Do you have a short memory? How so? When I ask you to do something beyond your abilities now, have you forgotten that I have helped you in the past? Hasn’t your faith grown stronger as I have helped you to accomplish my purposes and fulfill my plans? No, I don’t have a short memory. I do remember that you have been helping me every day with every step I take through life with you. Yes, my faith has grown stronger as I have loved, followed and served you. Then, what is the problem? Sometimes, I would like life to be very comfortable and exceptionally easy. I would like to kick back and relax. I would like you to kick back and relax by trusting in me. I would like you to struggle and strive less and rely on me more. When you are weary and worn out, what can you suspect? I can suspect that I have been relying on myself and not on you. That’s right. Rest in me. Rely on me. Trust me. Have faith in me. I will make you able to do what you cannot do. Will you do that? Yes Lord, I will. One more thing. What’s that? Don’t expect life to be very comfortable and exceptionally easy. 

Lord, I’m done relying on my own efforts to try to accomplish what I can’t do with my own strength. Instead, I will rely on your help. I know that I can do everything you have called me to do with the strength that you will give me. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Spiritual Warfare – Philippians 4-13 – Through Him – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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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