Proverbs 4:23 says; “keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” The heart of a man or woman is what is most important to God. It is not our acts or our deeds that impress Him, but the condition of our heart that pleases Him. The Bible teaches us that while man is concerned with the outward appearance of things, God is concerned with the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). This is due to the fact that the heart is the source of a person’s good or evil deeds. Luke 6:45 says; “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil.” The Scriptures also reveal that through a man’s hardened heart he can store up God’s judgment for himself (Romans 2:5).

In order to keep our heart right before God, we must first repent. By asking God to forgive us for our sins, and by receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior; we position ourselves to receive the Holy Spirit’s purifying work in our heart and the renewing of our mind through the Word of God. Then we can as is written in Colossians 3:1 “set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”

Today we encourage you to set your heart on the things above. Choose to live a Godly life, by walking in His ways and keeping His commandments. You can start by praying this prayer aloud to Him;

Dear Lord Jesus,

I ask that You would forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. I welcome the Holy Spirit to purify my heart, and I ask that as I meditate on Your Word that my mind would be renewed. I choose to set my heart on the things above, and I keep my eyes fixed on You Lord.

In Jesus Name I Pray,

Amen

As for God, His way is perfect; 
The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him (Psalm 18:30).

In an uncertain world it is important to remember that the Lord’s Word is proven and it is a foundation of truth that we can stand on no matter what may come our way. When we trust in the Lord, He will protect us from all of the assaults of the devil and the evils of this world.

Psalm 18:2 says; The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;
 My God, my strength, in whom I will trust;
 My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

When we take a detailed look at this portion of Scripture it reveals many important truths about the Lord Jesus Christ. As our rock the Lord is our strong foundation. In the Scriptures rock represents revelation and insight from God. We become strong in our faith when we open our hearts to the truth of His Word and the revelations of His Holy Spirit.

As our fortress, the Lord is our fortification and He makes us strong. The Lord is also our deliverer. He sets us free from sin, bondages, and evil. Only when we trust in the Lord as our God, does He become our strength.

The Lord is our shield. He protects us from attack. In the book of Ephesians it says; “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). The Lord will protect us from the fiery attacks of the devil and wicked people.

The Lord is the horn of our salvation. The horn represents strength. He is the strength of our salvation. He saves us from the attacks of the devil. He saves us from the attacks of evil people. He saves us from our sin. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…” (Ephesians 2:8).

Lastly, the Lord is our stronghold. A stronghold is a tower. It is a high and lofty place, well away from danger. When we are in Christ Jesus we will be in a protected place in our lives, and safe from harm. “When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him” (Isaiah 59:19).

Today, we encourage you to look to the Lord to be your strength. He is present and willing to be everything you need and more. Take the Lord’s hand this day, He is reaching out to you. You can start by praying this prayer aloud to Him;

Dear Lord Jesus,

I ask that You would forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. I welcome the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and direct me; and I ask You Lord to be my shield and strength this day. I trust in You, and I place my life in Your hands.

In Jesus Name I Pray,

Amen

One of the most important factors in having a fruitful Christian walk is to walk by the Holy Spirit. Due to sin and the fallen state of man, human nature is set against God’s Spirit; which leads mankind to live their lives in ways that are not pleasing to God. By trusting God and placing our lives into His hands, we can receive a spiritual work that crucifies our flesh (our nature), and allows us to walk in fellowship with Him as He originally intended.

Galatians 5:16-24 says;

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

By accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, and receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we can then receive the supernatural work of sanctification in our lives and purification of our hearts. Through this Divine work of the Lord we can receive and enjoy the fruits of the Holy Spirit that will spring forth in our lives. Only through a relationship with the Holy Spirit can we have a life that truly includes; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

We would like to encourage you to receive the Lord Jesus into your heart this day, receive God’s Spirit into your life, and give access to the Holy Spirit to do a work of sanctification and purification that will give you access to a true spiritual walk in your life. Remember the Lord loves you and He has a plan and purpose for your life that includes having a pure spiritual walk with Him. You can start by praying this prayer aloud to Him;

Dear Lord Jesus,

I ask that You would forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. I welcome You into my heart to be the Lord of my life. I ask that You would fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and begin a work of sanctification and purification in my life. I ask that You would help me to walk away from the deeds of the flesh, and that You would teach me to lead a life walking by the Spirit.

In Jesus Name I Pray,

Amen

Love is the greatest commandment the Lord gives us. We are to love the Lord with all our hearts, minds, and souls; and we are to love our neighbors as ourselves (Luke 10:27). The Bible says; “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Love is a condition of a person’s heart that will come forth through their actions. If love is in a person’s heart then good will come forth from them. If love is not in their heart then wickedness will come forth from them. For example if you love a person in Christ, in the pure way He directs us to in His word, then you will be happy for their successes and achievements the same way you would want them to be happy for you. One of the biggest problems that arises and damages friendships and other relationships in life is when envy and jealousy goes unchecked in a person’s heart. Those who allow this sin to take root in their heart, especially against loved ones with whom they should be the most supportive of, will burn bridges in life and lose out on love. Feelings of envy and jealousy towards other people come from deep-rooted issues in a person’s heart. These issues should be addressed immediately otherwise the feelings of envy and jealousy can end up becoming “a run-away train” in a person’s heart, and end up ruining the person’s opportunities for success in their own life and relationships. If an individual is always focusing on what others have, rather than what they can personally achieve, they will not be properly or effectively building their own life.

The Lord has a plan and a purpose for each person. Knowing who we are in Christ Jesus is the key to discovering that plan and succeeding at it. When we identify our gifts and talents, understand how much the Lord loves us, and learn His plan and purpose for our lives; then there is no need to feel envious, jealous, or resentful over what other people have achieved in life. Life is not a pie where people must scramble and fight to get the biggest piece. This may be what the world teaches us, but this is not what the Word of God declares to us. The Bible says; “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11). This means that the Lord has a plan for each person; and that plan includes success, safety, and the expectation of a long and enjoyable life. It is up to each person to receive the Lord Jesus into their heart, obey His commandments, and follow the plan of God for their lives. This takes place through surrender and obedience to Christ Jesus on a daily basis. The Bible also shares with us that; “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). This means that if He is working miracles in another person’s life, and bringing forth good for them; He can and will do this for you too, just as long as you give Him access to your heart and life.

To receive something positive in life we must; keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, put forth the effort to attain it, and allow a work of humility and integrity to be done in our hearts. This work will position us to carry the blessings God has for us. Many people want the blessings that the Lord gives without paying the price of obedience and perseverance, which are necessary in order to receive God’s gifts. The Bible teaches that we owe no man but to love them (Romans 13:8). Meaning we must love people. This is our commandment from God. One cannot walk around with an attitude that the world owes them and God owes them. When a person walks out their life with this attitude, they will never take the initiative to serve the Lord, or put forth the work to receive positive accomplishments in life.

We would like to encourage you to examine your heart this day, give access to the Holy Spirit to reveal the attitudes and conditions of your heart that need adjusting, and humble yourself before the Lord in repentance. Ask the Lord to help you to love as He has commanded in His Word. Remember the Lord loves you and He has a plan and purpose for your life. You can start by praying this prayer aloud to Him;

Dear Lord Jesus,

I ask that You would forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. I welcome You into my heart to be the Lord of my life. I ask that You would forgive me for envy and jealousy, and I ask that You would show me Your plan for my life. Help me to love as You command in Your Word, and I thank you for Your love towards me.

In Jesus Name I Pray,

Amen

The Lord loves you and wants you to have a new start in Him, a clean slate. The way a person enters into a new opportunity and a fresh start for their life is through acknowledgement of sin, repentance of sin, and through walking away from sin. The Bible shares; that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and that we can be reunited with God through acceptance of His Son Jesus and through a repented heart.

To truly repent of sin means acknowledging the sin in your life. This can be done through asking the Holy Spirit to search your heart and show you the things that need adjusting. The Bible teaches us that it is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, that searches our hearts and convicts us of sin, and points out the things in our lives and hearts that need to change. It is through being responsive to the Lord’s voice and receiving His guidance that true change can take place in your life. Once you have recognized the wrongdoing in your heart then it is vital to ask the Lord to forgive you. This happens through receiving Jesus into your heart and asking Him to be the Lord of your life, and uttering the words; “Lord Jesus come into my heart, forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with your blood.”

The next step is to walk away from sin. It is not enough to acknowledge sin and ask for forgiveness and then return to the same action that affected your life in the first place. True repentance means walking away from the wrongdoing and the negative action. The Bible teaches us that those that love God obey Him. When a person truly loves the Lord with their whole heart, they turn from sin and hide themselves from it as the Word of God teaches. As a person walks away from their sins, the Lord will meet them where they are at and accompany them and help them to become free. A person cannot do this alone, but can achieve this in Jesus name through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Once these steps have taken place then an individual is properly positioned before the Lord for a fresh start. The Lord desires that each person would come to know Him; and that every individual would enter into all of His blessings for their lives. This begins with an individual decision from each person; a one on one interaction between them and God. So today we would like to encourage you to find repentance in Christ, to seek Him for a fresh start and to enter into all of His blessings. You can start by praying this prayer aloud to Him;

Dear Lord Jesus,

Forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. Forgive me for grieving You Holy Spirit. I welcome You Lord Jesus to be the Lord of my life and to come into my heart. I ask for a fresh start in You and for You to help me to be a better person. I release my sin and ask for You to help me to walk out of it.

In Jesus Name I Pray,

Amen

We wish you a Merry Christmas, and we hope you had a wonderful holiday with family and friends. In honor of Christmas we would like to share with you the story of Jesus’ birth, “The Christmas Miracle,” the reason we celebrate this special day. In Matthew 1:18-24 it says;

“This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save his people from their sins.’

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:  ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a Son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”

God our Father sent His Son Jesus to be born into the world to die on the cross for the sins of mankind, and then rise again. He did this for us all that we might have life and have it more abundantly. It is because of the Lord’s sacrifice that we can be reunited with God our Creator and know Him as our heavenly Father. It is the Lord’s will that each and every person would come to know Him and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. It is the choice of each individual to call upon His name and receive Him into their hearts.

During this Christmas time and throughout the coming new year remember that Jesus loves you and gave His life for you on the cross. You are precious in His sight and His eye is upon you, watching out for you, guiding you, and desiring that you would come to know Him in a closer way. If you have never prayed the prayer to accept the Lord Jesus into your life, please say these words aloud to Him;

Dear Lord Jesus,

I ask that You would forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. I welcome You into my heart to be the Lord of my life. I accept Your sacrifice and profess You as my Lord and Savior. I ask that You would help me and guide me through every trial and tribulation, and I welcome the Holy Spirit to be with me to lead, guide, and direct me. I thank You for these things.

In Jesus Name I Pray,

Amen

The Bible says man looks at the outward appearance but God sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). The Lord cares how a person acts on the outside, but He is more concerned with the condition of a person’s heart. This is because out of the heart comes forth every action. “But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person…”(Matthew 15:18-20).

The Lord is focused on the condition of our heart, which begins to change when we are born again (accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior); but sanctification is a lifetime refining process where each individual must surrender themselves to the Holy Spirit’s work within them. It is important that each of us seeks the Lord, asking Him to show us the matters in our hearts that need adjusting, and then allow Him to bring forth the change within us.

Proverbs 17:3 says; “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the hearts.” Through the circumstances of life we often find out what is truly in our hearts. When times get tough, and we walk through difficult circumstances, this is when we are “tested by the fire” and our true hearts come to the surface. This is why gold is brought through the furnace, to bring all of the impurities to the surface and become refined gold. For us, these “trials by fire” are opportunities to see what is inside of us, and to make changes. God already knows our hearts, but through trial and tribulation we find out what He already knows is there. Then as we obey the Holy Spirit’s guidance in how He wants us to respond to these circumstances, we are surrendering more of ourselves to the Lord and His work of sanctification within us. This is how we change!

In Psalm 26 David prayed to the Lord “examine me, oh Lord and prove me; try (test) my mind and my heart.” King David was a man after God’s own heart and he knew the importance of asking the Lord to search out his heart and mind for refining. This is true humility. As you seek the Lord, He will show you the conditions of your heart that He desires to change. And as you lend yourself to the process through submitting and surrendering to the Holy Spirit, and walking through the trials (tests) He places before you, you will come out on the other side of the process as pure gold refined by the fire. It is through obeying the Lord’s voice and surrendering to the Holy Spirit during this process that the work will take place. You can start by praying this prayer aloud to Him;

Dear Lord Jesus,

I welcome You into my heart to be the Lord of my life. Forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. Reveal to me the conditions of my heart that You desire to change; and I welcome the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and direct me through the process of sanctification. I know that as I pass the tests that You place before me I will become pure of heart, and will be able to walk in Your ways and receive all of the blessings You have for me in my life.

In Jesus Name I Pray,

Amen

Repentance is vital before the Lord. The Bible says that we have all fallen short of the glory of God and that there is not one perfect person in the world. The Lord Jesus Christ was the only One who walked a perfect life as He walked the Earth. Therefore He was able to give Himself willingly as a living sacrifice for all mankind, that we might live and have life more abundantly. In knowing and accepting Christ each human being can have the opportunity to enter into repentance and a blessed life in Him.

To repent means to turn away from sin and let loose of the things that have kept you bound. To first repent, one must come before the Lord and pray to God saying; “Lord, forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. I receive You into my heart to be the Lord of my life.” It is in this that a person makes the first step. Then, it is about laying down the sin that you know is wrong and keeping you from having a more fruitful and close walk with God. You cannot achieve this in your own strength though. It is important to ask the Holy Sprit to be with you and help you to walk a life of purity and integrity. When you do this, the burden of sin is lifted and your relationship with the Lord grows; and you become more sensitive to His voice in your life.

The Bible teaches us that the flesh of man is ever at war with God. When these challenges come it is vital to submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee. This means making choices contrary to your flesh and obeying the Spirit of God. This is how your flesh decreases and the Spirit of God increases in your life. There are many examples of repentance in the Word of God. One example has to do with King David.

The Bible describes King David as a “man after God’s own heart.” He loved and served God. He made mistakes though and fell short on several accounts. However, when this happened he would come before the Lord and repent, humbling himself, and making it right. In one instance David committed adultery with a married woman named Bathsheba. He sent this woman’s husband into battle with the intent of her husband being killed. He did this so he could be with her and take her as his own. This angered God and displeased Him greatly (2 Samuel 11). So He sent Nathan the Prophet to correct David and to speak judgment over him for what he had done. In this, David chose to repent and turn to the Lord, and so the Lord spared David’s life. David had great consequences throughout his life for what he had done, but because of his repentance God released grace towards him (2 Samuel 12).

It is in your repentance that the Lord will extend His grace to you as well. It is not about being a perfect person, but a humble person with a repented heart. Today, we encourage you to come before the Lord in repentance, and to ask Him to help you live a life more pleasing to Him. You can start by praying this prayer aloud to Him;

Dear Lord Jesus,

I welcome You into my heart to be the Lord of my life. Forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. I receive Your sacrifice and I welcome Your Holy Spirit to be with me and to lead, guide, and direct me. I ask that You would help me to live a repented life and to walk in Your ways and Your blessings.

In Jesus Name I Pray,

Amen

The Lord desires for us to seek after His Kingdom, and enter into all of His blessings. The enemy will always try to come to bring us distractions and lure our hearts to seek after the ways of this world and seek only after earthly possessions. The Bible teaches though, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

It is only in Christ Jesus that we can attain true happiness and find peace for our souls. It is also only in Christ Jesus that we will be able to resist the temptations of the devil and find the strength to walk in God’s Kingdom on earth. Many people in Christendom have heard the saying; “resist the devil and he will flee.” This misnomer has caused many to think that they have the power in and of themselves to fight against the devil. The truth is that the Scriptures state; “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Without our submission to God, the devil will never flee from us, but in fact he will continue to attack us and lure us away from God’s plan for our lives. The devil is a deceiver, the father of lies. He always perverts the things of God. The Bible describes the devil as the prince of the power of the air and the ruler of this world. He comes as an angel of light to deceive and turn people from God’s plan and purpose for their lives.

When Jesus Christ walked the earth He preached that the people should repent because the Kingdom of God was at hand. The people of that time thought that the Messiah would come and establish an earthly kingdom and rescue God’s chosen people, the Jews. Though many Jews of the time believed in Him, some did not believe He was the One when He did not establish this earthly kingdom. These early Jews were trying to interpret God’s word through the eyes of the flesh. God’s Kingdom that Jesus preached about was in fact a spiritual one. One that we do not see with our eyes but it is there none-the-less.

The Bible says that God is Spirit, thus His Kingdom would be a spiritual one. This may not make sense to us at first thought; but God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts are not our thoughts, His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). The Kingdom of God Jesus preached about is God’s system and His precepts to be followed on this earth. God’s Kingdom is one that is comprised of faith, hope, and love. We may not see it with our eyes but it is there. He established it before the foundation of the world.

In order to walk in God’s Kingdom on earth we need to first repent and submit our hearts to God by receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. By humbling ourselves in this manner we begin our walk in God’s Kingdom on earth. As we are then filled with and led by the Holy Spirit, our eyes will be opened to God’s word, our minds will be opened to understanding His ways, and our hearts will be opened to receive the deeper things of His Spirit and Kingdom. By doing this we are submitting to God. Then as we resist the devil through prayer, fasting, tithing, and obeying God’s Holy Spirit; the devil will flee from us and we will be able to enter into the fullness of God’s blessings and purpose for our life. “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

We encourage you this day to diligently seek after God’s Kingdom knowing that when you do so He will take care of your every need. You can start by praying this prayer out loud to Him;

Lord Jesus forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. I ask that You would fill me with Your Holy Spirit, and that You would lead, guide, and direct me in all Your ways. Reveal Your Kingdom to me, in me, and through me that I might be a shining example to others. Use my life to make a difference this day and I vow to give You all the glory, honor, and praise.

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

The Bible says in Ephesians 6:10-18; “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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. 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. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and 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. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

As this passage teaches us, our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against demonic powers and rulers in the spiritual realm. Therefore it is impossible to fight against the devil in your own strength; you can however take up your spiritual weapons and stand against the attacks the enemy will throw your way. The attacks of the devil are inevitable and they will come; it is how you handle them when they do that makes the difference. The first step in defeating the enemy, and then walking in the safety and security of Jesus Christ is to know Him as your personal Lord and Savior; calling upon His name and asking Him to be the Lord of your life. Secondly, it is through repentance of your sins and on a daily basis coming before the Lord in humility that the attacks of the enemy will be defeated. Very often people turn to Jesus and become a Christian, but they do not take the necessary steps to change their lifestyle and walk away from sin. Sin is disobedience to God. Every time a person disobeys the Lord’s voice in their life, they sin before the Lord and open themselves up to come under attack of the enemy. Sin is a doorway and an access point for the devil to attack your life. The Bible teaches us that we need to rid ourselves of sin and walk in humility and repentance on a regular basis; and it is in this that we keep ourselves beneath the shadow of God’s wing.

The Bible teaches us to stand in God’s truth and to put the belt of truth around your waist. The belt of truth is to know Jesus Christ and understand His Word. God’s Word (Logos) is the Bible that teaches us Who God is, how to live life, and what the commandments and the precepts of the Lord are. It is important in your walk with God to read His Word and to allow the Holy Spirit to guide you and to bring to life the words upon the page. It is the Holy Spirit that will give you understanding of the Scriptures and unfold them before you. When the Holy Spirit speaks revelation to you, it is also God’s Word (Rhema). You must walk in the truth. It is not enough to read the Bible, or to hear God’s voice and do nothing; you must walk in obedience to God’s Word on a daily basis. This means obeying the Lord voice and following His ways. The free gift of grace and salvation is never an excuse to sin.

Then, one must have the breastplate of righteousness in place. What is the breastplate of righteousness? This is walking in a righteous manner before the Lord and keeping purity in your life. Very often the attacks of the enemy come against a person and penetrate, having access to bring great destruction. So why is this? This is so because when a person disobeys the Lord and allows impurities in their life, they open the door to the devil’s attacks and he takes full advantage. The spiritual realm is serious and very real and it is vital to keep aware and to keep your armor in place. The Bible says; “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”(1 Peter 5:8).

Next, we must be “fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” This means keeping the Gospel in your heart and through being planted in God’s Word and Presence, you will be ready for whatever the enemy brings your way. The Scripture then says; “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and 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. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:16-18).

This means having faith and keeping it in your heart. When the Lord speaks a promise to you for your life, the devil will always come behind it to lie to your mind and take you away from your focus and what God has intended for you. When you stand in faith and reject doubt, you will stand strong and be planted firmly in His promises for you. The helmet of salvation is your faith in Jesus Christ and being covered by His blood through receiving Him into your heart and accepting His sacrifice on the cross; and keeping the sword of the Spirit close to you, which is the knowledge of His Word. It is vital to read God’s Word, hear God’s Word, know His Word, speak His Word, and walk in His Word. Lastly, the Scripture teaches us to pray. To keep praying, coming before the Lord and making requests and intercession before His throne for yourself as well as for the ones around you He leads you to pray for.

Today we would like to encourage you to take on the full armor of God; to seek His Presence in your life, and to allow Him to do a deeper work of repentance and consecration in your heart. It is through your obedience and stance of faith that the enemy will be defeated in your life. You can start by praying this prayer aloud to Him;

Dear Lord Jesus,

I ask that You would forgive me of my sins and wash me clean with Your blood. I welcome You into my heart to be the Lord of my life. I ask for Your guidance this day, and ask that You would help me to put on Your full armor. I commit to seek You more in my life and I ask that You would teach me Your ways. I welcome the Holy Spirit to be with me and to help me stand in You.

In Jesus Name I Pray,

Amen