Daily Devotional - 1/23

Prayer Focus - Personal Transformation



Day 5
Pray for:
One thing that you want to see improved in your relationship with God - (Love God)
One thing that you want to see improved in the way you relate to others - (with all your heart)
One past hurt that you want to see healed and overcome - (with all your soul)
One skill or topic you want to learn - (with all your mind)
One thing that you want to see improved about your health - (with all your strength)



Dear Lord - Please open my ears to Your ever present voice and grant me the strength to obey.



Psalms 83



"See how Your enemies are astir, how your foes rear their heads. With cunning they conspire against Your people; they plot against those You cherish. ...With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against You -" ( vs. 2-3, & 5)

Life is a spiritual battle. We are in a spiritual battle every day and our enemy is strong and pervasive. He can pretend to be good (II Cor 11:14). He is prowling around (I Peter 5:8-9), looking to get us when we are weak, and he can use even our closest loved ones to get at us and make us fall (Matt 16:23). We forget this and think that we are fighting each other. We get so angry at circumstances and people but forget who really deserves our indignation. In order to survive, we must keep a right spiritual perspective on Satan and we must put on the spiritual armor of God in order to fight him. (Eph 6:10-18).

We must be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. He has the power to raise even the dead and so why are we worried. We must remember we are strong in Christ. He has already won the victory. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Phil 4:13). We need to change our perspective and turn to God. Put on the full armor of God so that we can take a stand against the Devil's schemes. Our struggle is not against flesh and blood. It is a spiritual battle. What is going on at our jobs is a spiritual battle. Our problems with our children are spiritual battles. Our marriage conflicts are spiritual battles. Our emotional lives, our ups and downs, all the things that throw us for a loop. It is all spiritual. There is an enemy amassed against us, especially if we are trying to follow God. We have an enemy. Our enemy is not one another or circumstances. It is much more sinister.

If we can remember this perspective, we will do better. We will not take things so personally. Also, it may be easier to remember to use the tools that God has given us to protect ourselves and fight back. God wants us to stand. When all the dust settles, He wants to find us still there, sword drawn. If we don't prepare, we will get knocked down and perhaps out.

Put on the full armor and get ready to fight. Then pray and get out there.



Prayer for the Day



Dear Lord,


We forget so easily that Satan is out there on the prowl. He longs to have us but You have the strength to over come him. Help us to turn to You and resist him. He will flee. You are stronger than him and You have already won the ultimate victory. Help us to stop fighting one another and start fighting him. Help us to remember to put on the full armor You have provided for us and help us to remember to pray. Keep our perspective on the spiritual battle and let us look beyond the people and circumstances that Satan is trying to use to get us down. We know You are able.


In Jesus' Name,
Amen




QFT



1. Do I see life as a spiritual battle? How can I develop the right perspective and keep it in the forefront of my mind?


2. What people and circumstances do I see Satan using to get to me? How can I fight the correct battle and stop letting him use these avenues to get to me?


3. Am I putting on the armor of God? What pieces of armor do I forget most often? Which ones am I good at putting on? How can I strengthen my battle?


4. Am I praying in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests? What do I pray about the most? What am I forgetting to bring before God? How will I remember to pray more about the spiritual battle?