TODAY’S READING: Ephesians 6:17-18
KEY VERSE:
“Take… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” EPH 6:17-18
On lockdown and as a pastor you think it would be such a joyous time to have endless days to read the word of God and pray but this has actually been the most difficult time I have experienced in years with regard to getting into the word of God consistently and deeply. I have battled more with the duvet in this season than ever before. The enemy, therefore, has been at my door, discouraging me and leading me into dark thoughts of isolation and loneliness.
After a few weeks of this, I made the call to draw my sword and go into battle against myself and the enemy! I began to open the word of God again every morning and spoke to the enemy within and without, warring against the flesh.
The word of God is a weapon that was forged over 2000 years by 40 authors in three languages and across three continents. It is not just a book. It’s a collection of 66 books, written by people who were shepherds, kings, scholars, fishermen, prophets, and priests; people just like you and me who were inspired, by the Holy Spirit, to write God’s word and give us the greatest weapon in the world with which to fight a spiritual enemy. Paul refers to it in verse 17 as, “the sword of the Spirit” but a sword is useless if it is kept in its scabbard. It must be taken out and wielded with confidence and accuracy against the enemy. Here are the six steps to getting a grasp on God’s word again:
- Hear it
- Read it
- Study it
- Memorise it
- Meditate on it
- Apply it in your daily life
Take time to note down how you are doing each step in your quiet time each day. Remember, listening to the devo or having a verse for the day is not using the sword of the word effectively.
Finally in our week of devotions on Ephesians chapter six, we see another great weapon in our arsenal against the enemy: prayer. In verse 18, Pauls exhorts us to get into battle on our knees in prayer. A preacher summed it up with five Ps to help us remember:
- Perpetual Prayer
Keep in prayer throughout the day. When you say ‘amen’, it doesn’t hang up the phone to God!
- Petitionary Prayer
Be specific in prayer. Don’t waffle around subjects. Talk to your creator as the one who knows all your innermost thoughts and feelings and just get to the point with God.
- Powerful Prayer
Pray in the spirit. We have the gift of tongues which the enemy cannot understand. Tongues cry out to God from your spirit to God by a heavenly language in a way our words alone never could. It is a powerful gift of the Holy Spirit that destroys the schemes of the enemy.
- Perseverant Prayer
Keep on praying even when you can’t see God working. Don’t give up! Your answer is coming, just not in your time frame!
- Purposeful Prayer
Don’t just pray for yourself, pray for all the saints. It often helps to pray for others in their pain to help us see God in ours.
ACTION STEPS
• Read Ephesians 6:17-18
• Make a study plan for the month on a book or character in the bible and be purposeful on studying each day, asking God to reveal something to you in the Word each time you open it.
• Practice today’s devo now by closing the door and spending time alone with God in prayer and with His word.