Verse Highlight:
Ephesians 6:10-18 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, HAVING GIRDED YOUR LOINS WITH TRUTH, and HAVING PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, and having shod YOUR FEET WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,”
Ephesians 6: 11-18 (The Message) “And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.”
Ephesians 6:11-18 (TPT) “Now my beloved ones, I have saved these most important truths for last: Be supernaturally infused with strength through your life-union with the Lord Jesus. Stand victorious with the force of his explosive power flowing in and through you. Put on God’s complete set of armor provided for us, so that you will be protected as you fight against the evil strategies of the accuser! Your hand-to-hand combat is not with human beings, but with the highest principalities and authorities operating in rebellion under the heavenly realms. For they are a powerful class of demon-gods and evil spirits that hold this dark world in bondage. Because of this, you must wear all the armor that God provides so you’re protected as you confront the slanderer, for you are destined for all things and will rise victorious. Put on truth as a belt to strengthen you to stand in triumph. Put on holiness as the protective armor that covers your heart. Stand on your feet alert, then you’ll always be ready to share the blessings of peace. In every battle, take faith as your wrap-around shield, for it is able to extinguish the blazing arrows coming at you from the Evil One! Embrace the power of salvation’s full deliverance, like a helmet to protect your thoughts from lies. And take the mighty razor-sharp Spirit-sword of the spoken Word of God. Pray passionately in the Spirit, as you constantly intercede with every form of prayer at all times. Pray the blessings of God upon all his believers.”
Dear Moms,
A life of faith requires…well, faith. Though the Lord is real and very present in our lives, living according to faith means putting stock into things that aren’t always visible to the naked eye. Most of us practice our faith easily during times of great importance or struggle in our life—for example, even people who have never prayed before tend to do so naturally during times of great tragedy or trouble! And, if we are in the habit of attending a regular church service (something I highly recommend, by the way!!) we find ourselves “practicing” our faith during those corporate experiences. Both of these are good things! But, they aren’t enough to sustain your faith or your life. Daily life is the place where faith solidifies and deepens. It is where intimacy with the Lord is sustained.
One key to seeing your faith come to life is proactively applying “truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation” each day, in moments both big and small. It can be easy to miss this in the busy nature of daily life with kids. Your kids are right there, placing demands on you. (Along with laundry, cooking, cleaning, paying bills, and so on.) It can be overwhelming! Did you know, though, that sometimes the emotional toll you are feeling is not actually because you are overworked or too tired?
Yes, those things do affect our emotional, mental, physical and spiritual well-being. But, as believers, we actually have the ability to rise above and live according to a greater reality. There is abundant grace, peace that passes understanding, and unquenchable joy available! It is possible to display patience, kindness, and all the other aspects of love in our daily lives in increasing measure. In fact, not only is it possible, but it is the natural course of a life of faith.
So, what if this isn’t happening? Well, it could be that you have simply disconnected your heart from the Lord’s and you need to stop, repent and reconnect. Or—and most likely—it is a combination of things, with a key one being that you have been influenced by outside sources and you haven’t even realized it. The schemes of the devil are sometimes obvious—war, tragedy, disease, and do on. But, the ways that he can infiltrate our lives are often unnoticed. We feel overwhelmed, agitated, hopeless, stuck…etc. We don’t realize that our thoughts aren’t ours and make choices that end up being based all on lies!
The good news is that we don’t have to live like this. Instead, the Lord has equipped us to overcome the enemy and his slander! Our job is to learn to use the weapons we’ve been given! As you put these into practice each day, you will find that your heart changes, your mindset shifts, and the atmosphere of your home grows more peaceful and loving!
The Lord is with you, mama! He loves you. He loves your kids. You might not realize it, but He has given you all you need to overcome the enemy and stand firm! So, whatever you are facing this week, trust that He has already prepared you for victory!
Action Step: Put on the Armor of God (Daily)
Reread the passage from Ephesians above. As you do, practice “putting it on”. For example: “Thank you, Lord, that you have equipped me with truth. Help me to know You and Your ways, and to recognize the deception of the enemy so I don’t fall for his schemes.”
Do this line by line, putting it into a prayer in your own words. (I encourage you to use different versions to get the most full expression of the passage) Do it every morning this week. Then, at the end of the week, take note of the result and celebrate any victories that occurred!
You’ve got this, mom! You were created for victory, so don’t be discouraged! Keep on going and you will experience it in your life and home—your kids will, too.