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Ephesians 6:10-11 ” 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.”
Many times the “finally” statements come at the end of a speech or letter. That may seem like a ridiculous statement — of course “finally” comes at the end — but when someone says that “finally” word, the meaning is pay attention; don’t tune me out; I’m summing up what I think is really important that I want you to remember if you remember nothing else.
The summary statement that God wants us to know is that there is definitely at battle. Our enemy is crafty and ruthless. We need to dress in full armor if we are going to engage in battle with the enemy of our souls.
Do I live life as though I am entering battle against a crafty, ruthless enemy? Do I consciously dress in full battle gear? Do I care as much about dressing for spiritual battle as I do about what clothes I will wear today, how I will fix my hair, or even what shoes will be the most comfortable?
Lord, these questions push me far out of my comfort zone. I know that the spiritual battle is furious and dangerous. I know You will be victorious. But You still tell me to dress in full armor so that I can stand against the enemy. Father, I want to be as serious about my time I spend with You as I am about my time spent in front of my closet, in front of my bathroom mirror. In fact,
may I determine to put on the helmet of salvation when I brush my hair. May I determine to use my tongue for Your purposes and control what I say and when I say it as I brush my teeth. As I dress, may I put on the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness. May I determine that I will be honest and seek to do good to others. As I put on my shoes, may I determine to stay in step with where You are working, and not to stray away from You and go my own way.
Thank you, God, for supplying the armor that I need to stand against the enemy. You are the Savior of my soul. I am so grateful to You.
1 Peter 2:2-3
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
How much do I want to grow up in my salvation? Am I as intent as a baby crying for her next meal? I have tasted that God is good; He has shown Himself faithful. How much do I want to grow? How intent am I on growing?
Lord, I want to want You as much as a baby wants to nurse. I have tasted Your goodness and faithfulness. I have tasted Your comfort and Your grace. I know that You are the only answer. Father, help me to desire You so much that all other distractions are distasteful to me. I’ve tasted Your goodness; it’s better than anything else. You are my only hope.
Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
What do people see when they look at me? That’s the real practical application of this passage. Lord, I want people to see a woman who is loving toward people; not anxious or nervous or worrying but peaceful. I want people to see a woman who is patient rather than hurried or distracted; kind rather than selfish; good rather than mean or spiteful; faithful rather than self-seeking. I want people to see a woman who is gentle, not harsh, cynical or sarcastic; self-controlled rather than self-indulgent, greedy, or impulsive. That’s the woman I want to be, Lord. Oh, Father, I need you so much! I can’t do this in my own strength.
Thank you for giving the Holy Spirit to live in me, so that I can be the woman You want me to be. What a faithful and glorious God You are!
“I will proclaim the name of the Lord; how glorious is our God! He is the Rock; his deeds are perfect. Everything he does is just and fair. He is a faithful God who does no wrong; how just and upright He is!” Deuteronomy 32:3-4 NLT
God is so faithful, and His Word so perfect. He hears my heart’s cry and He answers me in His Word. I’ve been struggling these last few days with so many “what ifs” and “whys.” These few statements quiet all questions. God, You are glorious. I can’t even comprehend how holy and perfect You are. You are my Rock; never shaking, always the same. You love me now; you will love me as much tomorrow and next week and forever. You are perfect; You never do anything wrong or from selfish motives or just to be mean. Your justice and fairness are absolute.
God, You are faithful. Oh, how I love that security! You never do anything that is wrong. Never and always are words that can not apply to human nature, but they completely apply to You. Dear Father, I don’t need to have “whys” and “what ifs.” I can trust You completely, even when I don’t understand. You have Your reasons, and they are always right. All you ask is that I trust You, follow You, cling to You, obey You.
It’s the least I can do. . .
Colossians 3:12
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
I was shopping — in the baby section of the store — and noticed that I could clothe my future grandchild in many different ways. Do I want a girl of adventure? Dora the Explorer to the rescue. How about the traditional creatures of the Hundred Acre Wood? A soccer star? Football fanatic? There are clothes for every talent and interest.
But, as God’s chosen people — chosen by Him to be holy and blameless before Him (Ephesians 1) — we are to clothe ourselves with character, not characters. I want to teach my grandchildren to be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle and patient. But how can I expect to teach them if I have not learned those same character qualities. Lord, help me to display the character that You desire. I want to be who You want me to be.
