On The Battlefield

By Skip Heitzig         

When you gave your life to Jesus Christ, you became God's friend. At the same time, you inherited His enemy, and you took your place on a battlefield. You may not think of yourself as a warrior, but that's just what you are. And the battle is for the very hearts and minds of human beings.

In Ephesians 6 we read, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (v. 11).

The word "wiles" means schemes, tricks, tactics or plots, and it's used of an animal that stalks its prey and then suddenly pounces. In 1 Peter 5:8, Satan is portrayed as "a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour." Don't underestimate him. He is a clever foe, and he has studied human nature for thousands of years.

To fight him, you need the right armament--spiritual armor for fighting the spiritual battle. Paul uses the illustration of a Roman soldier in Ephesians 6:10-18. Here's what I think these verses mean.

Having your waist girded with truth means we should live truthful, authentic lives, without hypocrisy. The breastplate of righteousness means right behavior, the practical, day-by-day adherence to the precepts of God. The "preparation of the gospel of peace" means to always be confident because you have peace with God, and always be ready to proclaim your faith.

The shield of faith means your daily trust in God, which enables you to stand against anything Satan has to offer. The helmet of salvation means to have knowledge of the Bible, and to be confident because salvation is an ongoing work.

The Word of God is your offensive weapon, as Jesus showed in His temptation in Matthew 4. Studying the whole Word of God gives you an arsenal of truths to use in a spiritual battle. Prayer is also an offensive weapon. In the midst of the battle you are to talk to God, not the devil. Resist the devil; don't carry on long conversations with him.

The day you gave your life to God was the day that you got a whole new start. That day, Satan lost. But he doesn't give up that easily. He would like nothing better than to make you spiritually powerless, to steal your commitment, to make you less fervent, and to make you ineffective for the Lord.

If you are a growing, thriving Christian you will be a target for the enemy. Satan attacks you to hurt the purpose and heart of God, and you need to know what his strategy is. He can be blatant, but he can also be subtle. Either way, expect the fiery darts!

But I have good news: "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world" (1 John 4:4). And as Paul said in Romans 8:31, "If God is for us, who can be against us?"

God is on our side! Remember that as you "suit up" and enter the battle.
Scripture Of The Day: "But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world." - 1 John 4:4 (NLT)

Skip Heitzig is the founder and senior pastor at Calvary of Albuquerque in New Mexico. His teachings are heard across the country and around the world on The Connection. For more information on Skip, visit http://www.connectionradio.org.

Unshakeable

By Dr. Charles F. Stanley
        

With each passing year, the instability in the world seems more and more obvious. Natural and man-made catastrophes claim countless lives; political balance shifts; wealth and status come and go. It all causes us to ask, Is anything unshakeable?

As overwhelming as these things seem, let me give you an even bigger example. In today’s passage, we see that the heavens and earth will be shaken. It will all be destroyed—burned, to be exact. Thankfully, we have the promise that God will create new heavens and earth, but in the meantime our world will undergo great turmoil.

Instability can create feelings of insecurity and fear unless we focus on truths we can stand upon with certainty. The Bible refers to Jesus as a rock and firm foundation (1 Cor. 3:10-11; Eph. 2:20). And we know that God is unchangeable and sovereign; nothing can undermine or move Him. His Word is truth, and it will last forever.

As Christians, we know that our eternal relationship with God is secure. We’ve been adopted as His children, and nothing can rob us of this position. What’s more, believers are assured of an eternal home with Him. Though we may at times feel unsettled by our circumstances, we can rejoice when trials bring us humbly to the cross of Jesus—there, we will find true peace and safety.

What assurance we have as God’s children! We can rest in peace and full confidence, knowing that our hearts are secure in Jesus Christ. King David said, “I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken” (Ps. 16:8).

Scripture Of The Day: "I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken” - Psalm 16:8 (NASB)

Dr. Charles Stanley, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Atlanta and founder of In Touch Ministries, is a New York Times best-selling author who has written more than 35 books. In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley can be heard worldwide via radio and television broadcasts and at http://www.InTouch.org

Shipwrecked

By Sharon Frame
        

A couple set sail on the velvet-blue ocean for a lazy weekend getaway at sea. Instead they got shipwrecked by a sudden and perilous storm. All that surrounded them were miles of lashing waves. Help was nowhere in sight. The turbulent winds blew more fierce. The couple’s frantic hope of getting rescued grew dim with every passing day.

When food and drinking water ran out, fear and panic set in. On day 27, the desperate man just couldn’t take it anymore. He figured even death was better than the torture at sea. So, he jumped overboard and drowned. On day 28, search crews spotted the crippled boat and rescued the feverishly weak and half-starved woman. What a difference a day makes!

Today may be the day you feel shipwrecked at sea. Life’s storms seem ready to swallow you up. And as far as the eyes can see, there is only a sea of sadness; help is nowhere on the horizon.

 Indeed, challenges can overwhelm us at times. And even though we’ve been tossed and tried before, new setbacks still stun us.

We seem all too ready to wonder about our worth or question our ability. The once-steady plan to pursue a better life falls victim to sudden doubt.
“Could we be off course,” we ask, as soon as we hit a bump in the road, or a crashing wave on the high seas.

But now is not the time to consider bailing out. In fact, there is never a good time to give in to the feeling of giving up. No matter how strong the urge to abandon hope, we must cling on for dear life. Struggle with one nostril above water, if we must. But don’t be swallowed up by the feeling of failure or hopelessness.

Sure darkness will close in on your bright and happy plans now and then. But don’t let it choke the life out of your will to press on.

So your compass may be broken, and it seems you’re drifting aimlessly. Remember, another day is dawning. Don’t be found jumping overboard, just as fate prepares to toss you a life line. Hang on. You possess the power to persevere through any wretched shipwreck.

Scripture Of The Day: "Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." - Hebrews 12:3 (ESV)

Sharon Frame is a former CNN anchor, award-winning TV journalist and “Your Follow-Through Coach.” Her passion is to encourage and empower women. Sharon’s latest book, “Wired to Win” teaches how to Plug In, Power Up and Push Through to Personal Greatness. For more information, visit http://www.sharonframespeaks.com.…