Armour of God - The Sword of The Spirit

Eph 6:17

Many of us do not know bible verses to quote at the drop of a hat; we are still learning from the Bible. Many mature believers still say they are always learning things from the Bible.  In fact, depending on your mood when you're reading a passage - it will 'speak' to you differently.

Our young people are being defeated in spiritual warfare because they don't know the Bible. They don't know its promises, its power and it illuminating effect on every decision needed in life.

The Bible is the most widely distributed book (2.5 billion copies sold) and its the least read book!

To be victorious against demonic spirits we must change this.  In the shallow entertainment age where technology is reigning, we expect our pastors to joke and perform on Sundays.  We then forget the message taught to us by the end of Sunday and get into our various devices and forget to spend time with ourselves; to get to know God.

Also because of our entertainment distraction we as Christians, tend to integrate ideas from other worldviews and religions and create their own faith system.  This is when we really get lost, confused and perhaps thrown into the spiritual wilderness.

In today's culture its even more scary as our kids and youth are discouraged from Christianity and encouraged to embrace every other culture.

We have become part-time Christians. When we do read passages we may misunderstand them or take them out of context because we do not take the time to read and reflect.

By spending time with the Bible (the sword) we can cut down the demons that are distracting us from God's word and be more open to witnessing to others and creating disciples.

We remember our battle is NOT against flesh and blood, it’s spiritual. What can we DO with…

…THE WORD OF GOD?

To answer the question, let’s GO to The Word and see what is says:

Unchanging + Foundational >> “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

Alive + Effective >> “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

Wisdom + Knowledge >> “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3:16

Roadmap + Instructive >> “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

God's Word—the Holy Bible—illuminates. It reveals to us the good and the bad, the wise and the unwise. It is the ultimate tool in learning how to live the best possible life, free from the restraints of stumbling in darkness.

With the Word alone, Jesus overcame the temptation of Satan when He was tempted 40 days in the desert. He showed us, by example, how to use this offensive weapon and strike against the enemy. Two things have NOT changed since that time:

1. Satan’s schemes. He’s still up to no good and out to destroy all of us.

AND

2. The Bible — THE WORD OF GOD. Full of promise and truth. ALIVE through the Holy Spirit.

To activate the sword of the Spirit we must commit The Word to memory and to our hearts. We do this by digging in! We read the Word. We DO the Word.

John 17:17
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

God's Word is truth, plain and simple. We can have perfect confidence in the fact that His words are accurate, true and unerring. When followed, they guide us without fail in the paths that we need to walk.

We can be destroyed by lack of the knowledge of God (Hosea 4:6), but we will be blessed if we hear and keep the Word of God (Luke 11:28). And the knowledge is not just for us. We are to be ready to answer others who ask us (1 Peter 3:15).

Why a sword?

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The all-powerful sword of the living God is able to cut through every defense our enemy can raise—down to the very division of bone and marrow. When wielded by a servant of God, nothing can withstand its ability to cut straight to the core of a matter and uncover the truth. As soldiers in God's army, it is our responsibility and duty to use His Word to discern the truth and then follow it. When God's Word shows us something wrong in ourselves, we can use this spiritual weapon to "surgically" remove the offending thoughts and actions (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).

Unlike all other pieces of the armor of God, which are solely defensive, the sword is uniquely suited for both defensive and offensive roles. A solid defense is invaluable, but the sword is the only way we can complete the work we have been given to do.

Notice that Jesus Christ used the Bible to counter Satan's attacks (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). We must also learn to live "by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4).

How can we as Christians, fight back?

Acts 14:22
...strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." 

James 1:2-4
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

The Romans relied in part on assailing their enemy from a distance with javelins and darts, but God does not give us that option as Christian soldiers. If we were able to fight our battles from a distance, we would never experience an actual trial.

At first glance, that might not seem like such a bad thing. But when we stop to consider that without trials, there is no growth, and without growth, we will not be able to enter God's Kingdom, we see that trials, however uncomfortable, are essential in our journeys as Christians. After all, the promises of Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26 and 3:5, 12 and 21 are given "to him who overcomes" and not "to him who remains as he is."

Paul only lists one weapon because we only need one weapon: There is no enemy the Word of God, coupled with His Spirit, cannot defeat. And so, armed only with our sword, we step out to fight our enemies head-on. The struggle is real. It is immediate, and it is in front of us. Our future in God's Kingdom is on the line, and we take up the battle so that we may hold fast to the future He has promised us.

What promises can we stand on?

Matthew 24:13
But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
Romans 8:31
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

We fight knowing the end of the story. Two of the many powerful and sure promises in God's Word tell us that if we remain dedicated to God and His Word, we will make it to the end, and we will be saved. There is no doubt in this statement. God's promises are as sure as the one He told Isaiah: "Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it" (Isaiah 46:11).

So take up your sword. The battle is ours.

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Questions:

1. Are you in the Word + willing to commit it to memory and in your heart? How can this manifest in your life and change you personally + professionally?
2. What ways can we sharpen our sword?
3. How can we share this knowledge with our children?

source 1 - http://keepingitpersonal.com/2014/03/sword-of-the-spirit/
Sourse 2 - http://ca.100huntley.com/video.php?id=10xSVhdoCq4

Armour of God - The Helmet of Salvation

Eph 6:17
And take THE HELMET OF SALVATION, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

So far we have learned about :

1. The Belt of Truth
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness
3. The Shoes of Peace
4. The Shield of Faith

Today we learn about piece number five:  The Helmet of Salvation

1 Thessalonians 5:8-11

What purpose did the helmet serve in the Roman army?

The Roman helmet, like helmets today, protected the head from the attacks of the enemy. There is some evidence to suggest that the Romans had special ceremonial helmets used in parades that denoted rank and standing.

What is salvation?

Salvation basically means to be saved or delivered from something (see examples in Exodus 14:13 and Micah 7:6-8). In the New Testament, as we will see, it is generally used to refer to deliverance from the eternal death penalty of sin and deliverance into God's Kingdom.

We have learned through our lessons that Satan wants to stop believers from becomong more like Christ and to hinder believers from sharing their faith. In order to succeed in our battle, we must be prepared.  

The helmet is related to salvation as it indicates that Satan's blows are directed at the believers security and assurance in Christ.

Satan's target is our mind, his weapons are subtle and clever attacks on the way we think.  Physically our head is our most vulnerable part of our body; damage to the way we think can debilitate our lives completely. James 1:8  Before we converted to following and accepting God, our mind was under direct influence of the world and demons. Col 1:21, Romans 8:6-7  Even believers can be influenced by Satan if we let him. Acts 5:3

Satan wants all believers blinded by the enemy 2 Corinth 4:4,  living in darkness Acts 26:17-18, and in bondage to sin Eph 2:1-3  Believers have been delivered from these things through the Person of Salvation, Jesus Christ. Even though believers have been delivered they will still be attacked by the world and its demons.

Satan wants us to mess up or give up.

• Elijah's loneliness made him vulnerable 1 Kings 19:9-14
• Job started to question why he was born  Job 3:1-7
• Jeremiah tired of the people not responding  Jer 20:7-10
• on the road to Emmaus, the disciples allowed confusion to create discouragement  Luke 24:13-35

Discouragement usually comes when life doesn't go the way we expect.  Satan's most discouraging attack against believers is tempting them to believe they have lost, or could loose, their salvation.  God's greatest promise is that our salvation is secure.  John 6:37-39, John 10:28-29, Romans 8:38-39, Philippians 1:6

The Helmet of Salvation is the great hope of final salvation that gives us assurance that our present struggles with Satan will not last forever and we will be victorious in the end. That is God's unbreakable chain of salvation John 6:39-40, John 10:27-30, 1 Peter 1:3-5

What is the penalty of our sins, and how can we be saved from that penalty?

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

Romans 5:8-10
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 

John 3:16-17
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 

1 Timothy 2:3-4
For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

Luke 1:77
To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins...

Every human being has thought and acted in ways that are abominable to God. Our sins break God's beautiful living laws designed for our good. Sin is so vile to God that it requires the death penalty. God's justice requires that penalty. But God's loving mercy provided the most incredible substitute. Jesus Christ, our Creator, was willing to die in our place! To be saved, we need a Savior.

What does salvation have to do with a helmet?

• 1 Thessalonians 5:8-11  We can receive tremendous hope and comfort by focusing on the incredible sacrifice Christ gave to save us and the amazing Kingdom that is the goal of our salvation. This hope works like a helmet to protect our minds from the discouragement and despair in this world.
• John 17:15-16  Christians have been called out of this world. Though we remain in it, we are not of it and remain separate from it. Our way of living and even of thinking should differ from the world's. We are to develop the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5), and as we have seen, that means having God's laws written on our hearts and minds so we can remember to always obey God.
• 1 Peter 5:8-9   Our enemy hates that we have chosen this path and will stop at nothing to destroy us because of it. Just as the helmet protects the vital but vulnerable head from otherwise fatal blows, the hope of salvation can protect our thoughts from our enemy's attacks and temptations to disobey God.
• Matthew 13:22  Without the helmet of salvation, we will be unprotected from the "cares of this world" that bombard our thoughts and feelings. Imagine not knowing what the future ultimately holds. The worries and problems produced by living in this world would overwhelm us!

How do I keep the helmet secure?

• Psalm 3:8   Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people. Selah. 

Remember that salvation comes from God, and that God is on our side. If we commit to fully follow and obey Him, it is impossible for us to lose our battle or our salvation.

• Revelation 21:1-4
  Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

  This is the salvation we are fighting for—to enter this glorious Kingdom! Never lose sight of this. This coming Kingdom, with its worldwide peace and prosperity, makes every price in this life worth paying. No matter what comes, no matter how vicious the attacks our enemy lands on us, we know that as long as we remain with God, we are moving slowly but unstoppable toward an eternal victory. What wouldn't we give for that?

Today's scripture refers to the area of greatest combat - the mind.  That's where we face our demonic foes and their suggestions.

God has given us each a brain which can be capable of some strange things. Thousand of thoughts can pass through our brain every day and the brain never tires.

You will face intense demonic attack n your mind. Demons want to invade your thinking and plant thoughts of doubt, fear, anxiety, mistrust, lust, discouragement and so much more in your mind.  What limitations are you letting the demons seed in your mind?

Put on your Helmet of Salvation, now!


next week: The Sword of the Spirit


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Questions:

1. What is meant by "take" the Helmet of Salvation?
2. If you knew God was returning one week from today, list 3 ways your life would change right now in preparation for his return: ______________________________________________________       __________________________________________________________________________      _________________________________________________________________________
3. How can you use the Helmet of Salvation to protect your mind against the enemy?
4. If you have not been reading your bible daily, now's the time to start! The Challenge: 20 minutes a day. Randomly select a book of the bible on your phone or pad, just open the pages of your bible and read a chapter.
5. How well am I expressing Godly love?
6. Do I express kindness to others through willing acts of service?
7. Do I stick with my commitments, even when they become difficult to keep? 
8. Is my approach to settling disagreements to verbally assault the other person, or do I handle things gently and with respect? 
9. Am I able to put what needs to be done before what I want to do?

Source 1 - http://keepingitpersonal.com/2014/03/the-helmet-of-salvation/
source 2 - http://ca.100huntley.com/video.php?id=48uxOjdq7gQ
source 3 - http://www.freebiblestudyguides.org/bible-teachings/armor-of-god-helmet-of-salvation.htm

The Armour of God - The Shield of Faith

“ABOVE ALL, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench ALL the fiery darts of the wicked one.” – Ephesians 6:16

Joshua 1:9

Wouldn't it be great to be able to carry a physical shield (like this phone case) to protect us from the physical, mental and emotional turmoils and arrows we sometimes get thrown at us?

In the book of Daniel in the Bible (Daniel 3:16-18) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to bow down to king Nebuchadnezzar as a God. He threw them into a fiery furnace and God protected them.  But perhaps the most amazing thing about their story is their unwavering dedication to God in the face of an unknown outcome. Their faith was strong enough to accept giving their lives!

How can we have that faith?

How did the shield work in the Roman army?

The Roman shield was not the standard "medieval-esque" shield most picture in their minds upon hearing the word. It was instead a very large, slightly curved rectangular shield featuring at its center a large metal knob (called a boss).

These shields were an impressive line of defense. Because of its sheer size (some were three and a half feet tall and almost three feet wide), soldiers were afforded a great deal of protection from enemies. Because of its slight curve, it was able to deflect attacks without transferring the full force of the assault to the man holding the shield. Because of its boss, it was able to deflect even the more vicious blows and function in a limited offensive capacity as a means of knocking an opponent backwards.

What is Faith?
Read  Hebrews 11:1 & 6,  Romans 8:24-25       
Faith is believing God is in control! He is working everything out for our good; that whatever happens is for the ultimate best of everyone involved, however little it seems to be that way.
Just as a shield deflects arrows, so does our faith deflect worry, hurt, anger, and all the fiery darts of doubt. Use your shield, crouch behind it and let the shield take the hits as God helps deflects those darts.

The word Faith is not a noun, its a verb. Its not something we have, its something we do. Faith is believing, its something we do by taking one tiny step forward at a time.

Matthew 14:28-31  It is very easy for us to say we have faith, but you have to continue to hold on to that faith. To not doubt that God is in control. The minute you let that Shield of Faith down, Satan will barrage you from his worst arsenal. When we allow doubt to creep in, as Peter did when distracted by the waves, we will start to sink. The rest of our armor will be battered, and so will we. But an actively raised Shield of Faith prevents this fatigue.

Hold strong to your faith and it will protect you. Matthew 4:10-11     When Christ was being tempted by Satan, His faith in the Word and commands of God repelled Satan for a time (Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Christ was tempted in all things, so this was certainly not the only encounter Christ had with the devil).
God tells us that faith cannot just be in our minds, it must produce actions—works of obedience and service (James 2:20).

What is our shield today?  Today we need more that just our personal faith, we also need our church. The people in our church are provided by God, to strengthen our own shields and when we put our collective shields together it makes an impenetrable wall of faith for us all!

The church you belong with is where you want to serve, where you can build a church family. Where you can be nurtured and grow in the Word. And yes, sometimes be confronted and re-guided to the right path.

The Armour of God - Shoes of Peace

Eph 6:15

Some also use the term  "Battle Shoes" to identify the "readiness" so we are ready to fully engage our faith when putting the battle shoes on.

"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge"  Hosea 4:6

Its time to put on the third piece of Armour: Your Spiritual Shoes of Peace

What do shoes do?    They protect our feet, they become comfortable with wear, they give us better footing, with them we can walk or run longer distances than if we had bare feet. The spiritual footwear that comes from the "Gospel of Peace" gives us the firm-footed stability, promptness and readiness we'll need to face our agile adversaries.  The term "Gospel of Peace" refers to the peace we have with God through Jesus.
Romans 5:1-2 NIV, Isaiah 53:5, Colossians 1:20,Ephesians 2:13-22) 

Everyday before you get out of bed, the first thing you need to do is put on your Spiritual Shoes.  This is what God gives you so you can 'stand' grounded in God's knowledge, truth and unchanging character.
Remember God's promise "For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave or forsake you' ".  This means God will not leave you to fight these demons; He is here to help you fight and win!  He also wishes you to use those shoes to move you forward in sharing His Word with others - to become His disciple.

Since we have gained access to God through this peace, we can use his resources to fight the spiritual battles we face.  Therefore, the gospel of peace extends our "battlefield endurance" by connecting us with God's protection, support, guidance and comfort at all times through the Holy Spirit.  

Putting on the Battle Shoes

• Speak It:  Even though our faith in Jesus secures our peace with God, we often don't feel that peace.  It may even seem like God is not with us.  In such times it is helpful to remember that we put the whole Armour of God on by faith.  Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).  We can't see our peace with God, but we believe we have it because God's word says we have it.  When we confess that we are putting on the battle shoes (and the rest of the armor), we are speaking them on in faith.  
• Learn God's word:  The Bible is the reference book for the Gospel of Peace.  By studying the Bible and even memorizing key scripture passages, you will establish a foundation in the Gospel of Peace.  You will be less likely to slip off God's path of truth.  You will be firmly standing in good shoes! The psalmist declared in Psalm 119:165 NKJV, "Great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble."
• Don't be anxious about anything. Take all your needs and concerns to God in prayer: The devil will try to steal our peace, using the cares of the world, the desire for riches, fear and any other tool to get our minds off of God.  If we give in and begin to worry and get anxious about things, we'll lose the protection that comes with God's peace.  Paul wrote:
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in  everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your  requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus"  (Philippians 4:6-7 NIV)

Anxious? Gain peace by gaining confidence; gain confidence by reading God's Word; by reading God's word we draw nearer to Him; giving us more understanding and confidence.

When you put on your Spiritual Shoes and you stand for what you believe in, The Lord will stand right by your side helping you fight every spiritual battle that comes your way.  The key to standing is knowing the truths of the Bible - Open your Bible and read it everyday!

With all of our technology, devices, libraries, there is no excuse to not reading your Bible everyday.  When those fiery darts of demons come your way, stand firm in your Spiritual Shoes of Peace - God is standing with you!

Still unsure on how can you can put on our Armour when so many things seem to be against you?  To quote a famous saying from the '90s, "Just Do It!"  God is the one who can and will outfit us in His Spiritual Armour; we need to embrace it, encourage it and yes - share it.  Now and Today, not in the ever-tempting tomorrow.



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1. Read Ephesians 6:15 - What does this say to you in your life now?
2. Challenge - spend 15 - 30 minutes everyday reading your Bible. Don't know where to start? Just open it!
3. Here is a prayer/declaration for today's lesson:   
   "I shod my feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.  I have peace with God through my faith in Jesus and have access to God.  I have his resources at my disposal for the battles I may face today.  Father, please guide my footsteps and secure me on your path of righteousness today. Thank you, Father!"  
4. Is there anything in your life making you anxious right now?  Before you get out of bed in the morning pray for God to reinforce your Shoes of Peace, to help relieve and be rid of any anxious darts the demons are firing at you. 
5. How are prepared to face each day personally + professionally?  Are you stepping out boldly and purposefully?

Study 1 -  Armour of God - Belt of Truth
Study 2 - Armour of God - Breastplate of Righteousness


source 1 - http://keepingitpersonal.com/2014/03/shoes-of-peace/
source 2 - http://ca.100huntley.com/video.php?id=fAyQ1cYim_I
Source 3 - Book; Christians & Demons: Armed and Anchored for Spiritual Warfare by Dr. Jerry Johnston

Armour of God - Breastplate of Righteousness

Eph 6:14

Last week we learned about The Belt of Truth and how satan is the deceiver. We forget to seek the truth and we are tempted too easily in today's culture. If you missed last weeks study, you can find it here: http://creativeblogforcanadianmoms.blogspot.ca/2014/08/armour-of-god-belt-of-truth.html

Tonight we learn about Gods second piece of armour. The Breastplate of Righteousness.  The dictionary defines Righteous as

righteous  (ˈraɪtʃəs)
— adj
1.	a. characterized by, proceeding from, or in accordance with acceptedstandards of morality, justice, or uprightness; virtuous: a righteousman
	b. ( as collective noun ; preceded by the ): the righteous
2.	morally justifiable or right, esp from one's own point of view:righteous indignation

Why is the Armour of God so important?  We must wage war against "principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" Eph 6:12

In today's culture we feel the need to be careful that righteousness does not come across as conceit or self-importance. God wants us to wear The Breastplate of Righteousness as part of our armour to deflect Satan's fiery darts. Just what is it for and how do we wear it and why do we need it is why we're here tonight.

Armour of God - Belt of Truth

Eph 6:14

Prayer

Jesus prayed for us, "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one"  John 17:15

There are 6 key pieces to The Armour of God:

1. The Helmet of Salvation
2. The Breastplate of Righteousness
3. Sword of The Spirit
4. Belt of Truth
5. Shield of Faith
6. Sandals of Readiness and Peace

Do you know that the Lord wishes to put on our armor for us?  God wishes us to be ready to receive them – but he wishes to outfit us.

   Today I would like to share about the first piece of our spiritual armour. The Belt of Truth.  God knows that with this alone,  truth helps us to deal with every battle that comes our way, and it can actually help avoid battles — or even better, end them before they start.  Most battles are the consequences of lies and confusion, or rumors unchecked, or of fears that aren't truth. (Demons using gossip and bullies are great examples)

One of Satans most successful plans is when we're deceived by lies.  To counter this deceiver, we must find ways to discover truth, to accept the truth and to share that truth.  How can we do this?  

1. -We use the Bible as a mirror, pray regularly asking God to search us.
2. -We ask God what’s going on in our homes, work, mind, our hearts.
3. -We ask God, search me and know me, and help me to know my self.
4. -We ask God to heal the blindness of our eyes, so we are not deceived.

Jesus confronted the religious leaders of his day,
     "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of  your father you want to do.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it."

John 8:44

John discerned, "We know that we are of a God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one".   1 John 5:19

In today's culture it is becoming more and more acceptable for the little sins to slip by. As we do this we are slowly accepting the larger ones too. It's too easy for us to say a little white lie to help someone out or to cover a co-workers butt to their spouse or your boss. But what if it later was found out that the same person was stealing? Would you talk to them about the office supplies they took home or the personal phone calls they were making during office time? Or would you not say anything unless it was more serious?

   What about putting yourself in this little situation?  It's easy to overlook the little things but they can quickly snowball into a serious situation. Unhappy at work? Do you go to your boss and tell the truth? Or did you take a ream of paper, or play solitaire when you should've been working because you felt it was owed you?


The Belt of Truth is for us to recognize just how those fiery darts can distract us and that even small temptations can lead to sin. We must practice acting in truth as well as speaking it.

I have noticed that talking about spiritual warfare can be confusing and intimidating to some but if we don't start accepting Gods Armour and letting him put it on us, we as a culture, will not be in the future. We must be participants and encourage others to wear the Armour too.

Peter says we should not be surprised at the "fiery trials" or the "something strange feelings". God is testing us so that "He may know all" that is in our hearts.  1 Peter 4:12, 1 Corinthians 10:13, 2 chronicles 32:31

Applying truth to any situation sets us free! Jesus used truth when satan tempted Him and set the example for us in using this weapon.  He stood firm in the truth and applied God’s Word to each temptation… thus the battle was won. 

Growing More In The Lord - The Daniel Plan

I have found myself spiritually starving these last few months.
-reading purpose driven life, and when watching an episode of 100 Huntley street, I was introduced to the concept of the Daniel Plan

I find myself having to be careful for fear of Spiritual overload, you know - the too much of a good thing and then perhaps getting sick of it for awhile?  Although that hasn't happened yet.

So tomorrow I start The Daniel Plan. It's not a diet. Well, it is and isn't....
It works best with many people and I hope I hear from you and we can do this together. Either online or in person.

This is a journey of five practices over 40 days:

1. faith
2. food
3. fitness
4. focus
5. friends

Check it out here and then get the book and please join me on this journey!

http://danielplan.com/

PS - at the same time I am enjoying the book/personal study of "What Happens When Women Say Yes to God" by Lysa TerKeurst

Please feel free to leave comments either here or on my Facebook or email me at valhobbywest@shaw.ca. 

Its easier to be Naked- then to Pray in front of my husband....

Yep, you read that right....

I've been thinking about this allot lately. And about my church and my Faith.

Are you new in your faith? Are you devout and practicing for years? Or are you in spiritual wilderness right now- wanting to find God, but not sure where He is?

Some background on my Faith journey:

I had a VERY Christian/Faith centered childhood.  For as long as I can remember, my mom had us go to church with her and we went to Sunday School and I remember enjoying it very much.  

My paternal Grandmother brought me to Christ when I was 5 years old. 

I enjoyed and went to Pioneer Girls and then youth group in my pre-teens and early teens.

Then I got hit with the reality bus..... my family was not in the strongest financial position as we were growing up.  My parents made sure we had a home, food on the table and other basics and they tried very hard to attend to the needs of 4 children.  My mother, being a great seamstress, offered to take in used clothing, sort it, wash it and mend what could be saved for donations.  In exchange, us kids got to go through the box and pick out a couple of things for ourselves - I thought this was awesome!

I remember being so excited to wear one of these treasured outfits to church.  However, this all changed once I got there.  A couple of girls kept pointing at me and whispering to eachother (I'm used to this as I have never been a 'traditional' run-of-the-mill person- I like to be me).  After the service, one of the mothers came up to me and in front of many others, said, "That was my daughters outfit. Aren't you fortunate to have people like us to pass on our older cloths so you can look so pretty?)
There was also another incident right after but I won't go into it now.
So, at 17 I left the church.  Now, I didn't leave God, just going to church.  I felt I could enjoy worshiping Him outside, in nature, or 'keep in touch' by praying.  From what I had learned in Church and Sunday School, God doesn't take attendance and if you hold His Love in your heart then your good-to-go.

Today, its different - I have found a wonderful church home (I'll fill you in another time on how that came about) and my family and myself are very active within the church, which feels amazing!

There are two things I have been thinking of in the past few months:

1. Why is our Church going through a change
2. Where is God leading my personal life?

point 1:  Why is our church going through a change? 

I know a big part of this is individual arrogance.  Someone gets their feelings hurt or they want to do a certain thing in the church and are asked to do it differently or do something else and they take it personally. It may be that they don't feel entirely welcome, or were asked not to snore so loud the next sermon.
Some people think they can stand over the Pastor, let him know what he's doing wrong and give no idea of how he may be able to fix the issue. Or they criticize the way the leaders run the church  and don't help with any ministries in the Church and are then surprised when the Pastor gets 'burned out' or wonder why the rain of the Spirit has seemed to have dried up in the church.  They truly do not realize that you get out what you put in!  You see, Jesus said, "He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me."

I know ministers fail sometimes. I know they make mistakes. Jesus knew they would too. But, even so, He said, "If you receive them, you receive Me."

If you don't like what the Pastor is preaching, then pray for him!  If it is really on your heart to share with the pastor, then talk, don't accuse and criticize. Refuse to let criticism hold back the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The ministers of the gospel are not your servants, they're God's servants. Whether they're right or whether they're wrong, love them and respect them if for no other reason than to honor the One who sent them.
Likewise, your peers-the congregation church family, are not there to be looked down on, envied, pitied or even to compete with. They are there to offer comfort, love, hope, solace, a shoulder to cry on (sometimes) but most of all, they are there because God put them in your life for a purpose!

In our church we have had a bit of a turnover. You may be surprised by this, but I'm glad!  Its like the wheat being separated from the chaff.... Its a fresh beginning, a chance to pull together in our church family and really work to make the church strong and its members stronger!

Now (quickly) on point 2:  Where is God leading my personal life?

Forward for sure!  It has been a great journey this past 3 years since I've rediscovered my Faith. My family has joined me on this journey. I have a spiritual thirst and I am not shy to ask questions of my spiritual elders, church leaders or to research these questions on my own.
There are times (like now in my business), I need God to show me a blazing bill board on the direction my husband and I should take. But we have faith....

The one thing my husband and I really need to work on is praying together.  I don't know why but its easier to undress in broad daylight in front of my husband then to be able to pray with him; we get all shy in front of eachother when we need to pray together, just the two of us.  We don't have this problem when we pray in small groups or with others -  Its something we have to work on.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog, especially if you got all the way to the end!  Thank You!
I would welcome any comments (good or bad) on what I have said in this post or any other.

Take care and God Bless!