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Are You Armed for Battle?

 

Reading Ephesians 6:10-20



Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. {11} Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. {12} 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. {13} 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.


{14} Stand firm then, with the Belt of Truth buckled around your waist...

 

 Lord, help me to prepare... to ready myself every single day with Your Belt of Truth, for that's the only way I can recognize the devil's lies and half-truths. With the Belt of Truth buckled securely around my waist, Lord, I not only can spot the tricks of the devil, but I can refuse to believe or accept them,  for You are the only Way, the Truth and my Life.   Amen.
 		 

 

Stand firm then...with the Breastplate of Righteousness in place...

 

 Lord, help me moment by moment to consistently choose to do what is right in Your eyes,  for You have clothed me in righteousness, so I can stand my ground,  unafraid of what the devil might toss at me in this life.  Put in place You Breastplate of Righteousness,  for it's then,  and only then,  that I am ready to live my Christianity and suffer for righteousness' sake.  Protected by the Breastplate of Righteousness,  no matter how shaky my life appears to be,  I will be able to stand firm.   Amen.

 

Stand firm then...{15} with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from Shoes of the Gospel, the gospel of peace.

 

 Lord, cover and protect my feet with the Shoes of the Gospel that I may be firmly planted on the ground,  going Your Way and doing Your Will.   Help me to choose Your Plan instead of always asking you to bless my plans.   For when I say,  "YES," to what You want me to do,  rather than what others and Satan tell me to do,  I am filled with an inner peace,  instead of guilt or tension... I am filled with love and concern,  instead of hate and selfishness.   With the Shoes of the Gospel,  laced and tied,  help me speak Your Love... speak it again... speak it still again... and speak it still once again as you use me to speak, live, and love your word into the hearts and lives of others.  Amen



Stand firm then...{16} In addition to all this, take up the Shield of Faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

 

 Lord, make me mighty in Spirit, walking by faith, not by sight.   Help me never to lower my shield by displaying and nurturing doubts,  fears,  resentment and self-pity,  for I know that I can be fatally wounded when I drop my guard, even for just a split second.  I need Your guidance,  Lord,  Your Divine inspiration to help me strengthen my saving faith through worshiping,  studying Your Word,  praying,  witnessing,  serving,  and giving as You have given to me.   You have given me a saving faith in Jesus Christ;  help me day by day to use it to the fullest.   Amen.



Stand firm then...{17} Take the Helmet of Salvation

 

 Lord, fit You Helmet of Salvation snugly over my head to protect me from negative thinking that only tears me and others down.   Help me to get rid of those nasty "Old Habits" and fears that stop the transformation and the renewal of my mind.   Fill my mind and my life with the "Good Stuff"  of Salvation:   Mending a quarrel...Searching out a forgotten friend...keeping a promise...sharing myself...encouraging a loved one... thinking first of someone else...practicing what I preach...living a disciple's life ...forgiving as Christ forgives...loving because You first loved me.   Amen.

 


Stand firm then... and take the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

 

 Lord, help me stand firm and face the devil and trials of this life by picking up the Sword of the Spirit,  the Word of God.   When I'm exhausted and the pressures of life... marriage... family... church...relationships... jobs... school... sickness really start getting me down, Lord, help me start swinging that Sword of the Spirit, so I can slice through the whole mess to uncover Your might and divine will for my life,  for my family's life  and for the life of Your Church.   Amen.



{18} And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. {19} Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, {20} for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

 

 Lord, remind me daily to "pray on" the Christian's Spiritual Armor, for it's only then, that I will be able to stand firm in the Lord under any situation and circumstance.   And help me to pray in the Spirit on all occasions,  on those happy,  joyous ones and also during the sad,  sorrowful ones.  May I ever stand side-by-side with Saint Paul and say and pray with Him,  "Whenever I open my mouth,  I pray that words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel, for I too am its ambassador."  Lord,  fit me with Your Spiritual Armor so I am equipped to do exactly that and only that,  in Your precious name I pray.  Amen.




 
   

Praying On God's Armor

 

(Special prayers by God’s people)
 


Dear God, Heavenly Father, please WRAP YOUR BELT OF TRUTH AROUND US,

  • So that all we do today is governed by the truth of your Holy Word.



ARM US WITH THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, so that the vital Christian organs of our heart and lungs are protected

  • So that everything we say today echoes with the righteousness won for us through Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection.

 

PLACE THE SHOES OF THE GOSPEL ON OUR FEET and help us walk, march, and run to the rhythm of Your Gospel beat,

  • Sharing your love and our faith in You with our family, friends, and neighbors.



HELP US USE THE SHIELD OF FAITH

  • Against all that the devil, the world, and our own sinful self will try to do to destroy our life-saving faith and our lives of daily Christian living.



Fill our heads with the positive things of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, long-suffering, gentleness, faithfulness,  self-control,  compassion, and forgiveness,

  • So that the negative aspects of fear, doubt, anger, resentment, jealously, self-pity, or pride take no root in our lives.

 

Then, PLACE THE HELMET OF SALVATION ON OUR HEADS,

  • So that everything we think reflects the Christlike qualities of salvation.

 

GIVE US THE POWER TO SWING YOUR SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, YOUR HOLY WORD, with such tenacity, strength and accuracy

  • That we can slice through all the temptations and troubles, joys and sorrows, failures and successes, and practical little details of daily living to see Your Will and Your Way for our lives, our families, and Your church. 

 

 

This we ask for Jesus' sake, in whose name we also pray:

 

Our Father, who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.
Amen. 
 
Matthew 6:10-14