After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself:  Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.  Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”

They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.  But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.  Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”

They answered Him, “No.”

6 And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. John 21:1-6

Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken. Jesus said to them, “Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. John 21:11-13

There was a time in Peter’s life that he was very sure of what God was doing. Jesus had touched his fishing trade once before, and he had seen Jesus’ miraculous word bringing an increase. That was the time when Peter knew Jesus was calling him to be a fisherman of men (See Luke 5:1-11). However, this time it was different. Since His crucifixion, Jesus had appeared to them a couple of times, but things were not the same anymore.  They didn’t have the assurance of Jesus’ presence, and neither did they know what was next for them. 

When we are weary, it could feel like we are stuck. We don’t know how to move forward, and we can’t set any new goals. We get antsy and anxious about the unknown. What if people asked us about our plans? It would be embarrassing to tell them that we don’t know what is next. What if they think less of us because things haven’t worked out the way we had imagined? They might ridicule our faith. Will they question our maturity? Will they wonder if we truly heard God? Those are our giants as we step into the unknown. The unknown times can be turbulent to the soul. The enemy whispers in our ears to tempt us out of the will of God. It takes strength and courage to remain and abide in Christ in this season.

Peter naturally went back to doing what he was good at. He went back to fishing; the very thing Peter had put behind him when he decided to follow Jesus. Since there wasn’t anything else for him to do, this could keep his identity intact. Because Peter was insecure about his current state, he preferred to identify with his past rather than feeling the confusion of his shaken new identity. Interestingly, while fishing was his past profession, he was not able to catch any fish. Jesus had to speak the word before they could bring the increase. Jesus appeared to Peter to show him that without Jesus he can do nothing! In addition, Jesus restored Peter’s relationship to Him and reaffirmed the call of God in Peter’s life.

Peter wasn’t wrong in hearing the Lord. Jesus had called him to ministry, and he was going to catch much fish for the Kingdom. Going back to fishing wasn’t the answer to his weariness and perplexity.

When we are weary, we have a tendency to go back to what is familiar to us. The unknown is an insecure place to be. We would rather be busy doing something than to look lost and weary. We will be tempted to go back to what has earned us money, success, love, honor, prestige, or respect in the past. However, Jesus is doing a new thing, and we need to let the Lord bring it to pass and allow Him to help us face our giants. He is the one who can eradicate the fear of man. We don’t have to run from our giants nor do we need to cover ourselves with fig leaves to hide our vulnerability. We just need to let Him deal with our internal world, so we can rest peacefully in His presence and allow Him to have His way! We must stand in faith and believe that God is making a way where there doesn’t seem to be a way. 

Not only Jesus enabled Peter to catch fish,  but He also had breakfast with Peter and the other disciples. Regardless of our successes or failures, our goals or lack of direction, Jesus always desires to have fellowship with us. If we have accepted Him to be the Lord of our lives, then we can trust Him with our next step. In the meantime, we can enjoy our fellowship with Him and allow the simplicity of faith to refresh our relationship with Him. In our encounters with Him, Jesus is not looking for a business meeting or an agenda to be accomplished. He is just looking for a genuine and loving relationship that is founded in rest.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

We all go through seasons of weariness. We don’t always see the outcome we desire. Things don’t go always the way we expected. Sometimes, we’ve done all that we know how to do, and now we have no idea how to proceed from this point on. Jesus knew that people would experience weariness, so He gave us all an invitation!

The seasons of weariness are moments that God uses to shape deeper character in us. He is uprooting ungodly expectations, removing the rocks of self-confidence, and softening our ego. Those who have formulaic answers to others’ problems, realize that it’s not as simple. Sometimes, the weariness is not due to sin, neglect, or even mistakes. People are not doing something wrong nor God is not necessarily mad at them.  We can’t measure the approval of God by how well things are going our way. The only measure of the approval of God is His peace and the assurance that He gives us by His Spirit and through His word. If we rely on circumstances, we will have a rollercoaster relationship with God and others.

At times, God uses the situations in life to show us how well we have matured. When we are weary, do we still get temperamental? When we feel burdened and exhausted, do we take it out on our loved ones? When we don’t have answers, do we get insecure and jealous? When we are not getting our way, do we pout or go on a shopping spree to make ourselves feel better? It’s interesting that even when we are weary, most of us desire action more than rest. Weariness should cause us to change course and be willing to do it differently that we have done before. Jesus offers us rest for our souls!

Weariness takes us through a process of transformation. Are we willing to remain quiet before God and let Him have His way with us? We’re not sure what God is doing, but we know who God is and that’s good enough for us. We don’t need to explain, defend, or debate it with anyone. When we lay down our understanding of things, we become lighter in our burdens. We learn to come under the yoke of Christ and go with Him wherever He takes us. If it takes too long, we are still with Him. We are content and safe in His presence.

Life is much more enjoyable when we don’t have to carry the burden of expectation and understanding. When we relinquish our control to understand or explain God, we live a child-like faith. When we are not worried about being forgotten due to not performing, we are being delivered to a new level. When we decide that we have nothing to prove, we enter a new dimension of freedom for we have learned from the humility and gentleness of Jesus!

Today if you are weary, mediate on the above scripture. Whenever you feel frustrated, confused, or insecure, remind yourself of the above scripture and remain under His yoke. The good news is that when you are yoked with Him, you’re remaining very close to Him. One day you’ll look back at this time, and you’ll miss the intimacy and closeness of this season. 

Let him who is taught the word share in all good things with him who teaches. Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:6-10

Paul exhorted and encouraged the believers to continue to do good. He told them to think about the law of sowing and reaping in their lives. He reminded them that God is not mocked, and people will reap what they sow.

Believers can work hard, love extravagantly, and give generously, but they may not see the fruit of their labor for a long time. Some people have sacrificed years in raising their children, but their adult children have strayed away and have no appreciation for the price their parents paid. Others have loved and given generously to family and friends but have found that they could not count on them when they needed something. There are those who have given endless hours in ministry only to find that they were easily replaceable and that their work didn’t appear to be valued much. There are others who have prayed for the salvation of their loves ones for years for years, but they haven’t see much progress.

It is easy to get discouraged and weary when one does not see the fruit of their labor. People can wonder if it was worth it. They may question if they should keep doing the same thing if there are no visible results in their labor. The passage in Galatians gives us a few things to consider in times of being  weary.

1.Did we sow in our flesh with the carnal expectation of receiving from others what we wanted? Paul reminds us that carnality begets carnality, and we need to ensure that we are not sowing in carnality. The truth is that our motives can be a mixture of carnality and spirituality. When we become weary, our carnality comes to the surface. In times of weariness, our expectations get louder, and we begin to discern clearly our motives.

Mary offered up her costly fragrant oil by pouring it on Jesus’ feet (See John 11). She or her family must have worked hard and saved for a long time to have that special perfume, but she did it without the expectation of Jesus giving her anything back. The giving away of the perfume and pouring it out became her act of worship. In times of weariness, we need to offer up our labor to the Lord and ask Him to purify our motives. When our motives and works are pure from carnality, we are sowing in the Spirit, and we will reap in the Spirit. God will reward us. His reward may not come directly from where we expected, but God knows how to reward His children. In addition, we cannot forget that God has eternal rewards for His children. The Lord does not forget our labor of love!

2.Paul encouraged the believers to keep doing good. It’s never a good idea to stop loving God or loving others. It doesn’t mean that we should allow others to take advantage of us. It also doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t set healthy boundaries in our relationships, but it does mean that we need to keep going and persevering in love. In this way, we are becoming like Christ and allowing His nature and character to take greater control of our lives. The scripture is clear that God is the rewarder of those who do good.

3. The law of sowing and reaping shows us that it is impossible to continually sow and not reap anything. The key is that in the Kingdom economy, the sowing and reaping is in God’s hands not in our hands nor on our timetable.The reward in the Kingdom is not like the stock market where experts predict/expect a certain increase in a given timeframe. God gives the increase when He sees fit. Our confidence is that He is merciful, gracious, and just. His reward can come in unexpected ways. We are not called to look to others for the reward but only to Him. He is our way maker, deliverer, provider, and heart surgeon. He is also the one who convicts people of the error of their ways and brings back the prodigals. Thank you Lord!

Why do you say, O Jacob,
And speak, O Israel:
“My way is hidden from the Lord,
And my just claim is passed over by my God”?
Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the Lord,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary,
And the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:27-31

From time to time, God’s people come to the point of weariness. There are times in life that one may feel like an opportunity or a dream has been passed over. People may wonder if God has forgotten them and if they will ever have a breakthrough in an area of life. Some who grow weary, may give up and lose the dream. Others may grow sad and bitter about the loss of opportunities. 

Gideon said to Him, “O my lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.” Judges 6:13

Gideon was one of God’s people who had come to the point of weariness and despondency because of lack of change in his situation. He thought that God had forsaken the Israelites and that there was no hope left for them.

In times of weariness, people can create a wrong perception of the Lord and His intentions. They equate unpleasant circumstances with God not caring about them or forsaking them. One of the byproducts of weariness is that it causes man to stop coming up with ideas on how to fix a situation. Weariness is an opportunity to crucify the flesh. It is like fasting for the soul. Finally, the mind, will, and emotions run out of energy and zeal. Weariness is the place for spirit man to become hungry and thirsty for God. We don’t go to the Lord with our long list of what we want Him to do for us. Instead, we just cry out to God and ask Him for help because we are in desperate need of Him.

The above passage in the book of Isaiah tells us that weariness can happen to anyone. Even the youth can grow weary and lose their energy and zeal. However, the good news is that God will renew the strength of those who wait for Him. He allows them to rise up out of their situations and begin to run and walk again. 

When Gideon was in hiding,  the angel showed up and called him, “man of valor”. Not only Gideon did not see himself as a man of strength, but he also saw himself very small and invaluable. However, God had not forgotten about Gideon or the Israelites. The clouds in their lives finally parted, the sun rose again, and new hope was birth because God came to change their situation.

The Lord knows His children will grow weary from time to time, but if we wait for the Lord and remain in Him, He will eventually come with restoration, rejuvenation, and new strength. He will allow His people to soar again. Instead of focusing on weariness, focus on the God who is willing and able to change your situation. Keep looking to Him, and He will begin to change your outlook on your situation. His mercies are new every morning. He has something special in store for you as you patiently wait on Him and rest in Him.

I’m so glad that the Bible deals with man’s various conditions and does not try to gloss over them in the name of being spiritual. One of those areas that the Bible addresses is being weary.

Definition of weary according to Webster’s dictionary: beat, drained, exhausted, drained, and wiped out.

Definition of weary according to Strong’s concordance (H 3811): be tired of something, be impatient, be disgusted, be offended.

Life has situations and circumstances that cause weariness. The above definitions show that weariness can be in our spirit, soul, and body. Some situations don’t change as fast as we like them. There are times that we are impatient with ourselves because we don’t see the progress we hoped to see in our habits and patterns of life. Sometimes we are weary of dealing with certain people in our lives, and we don’t see much change in the nature of the relationships. At other times, we are waiting for God, and we get weary of asking and believing that things will change.

O God, when You went out before Your people,
When You marched through the wilderness, Selah
The earth shook;
The heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God;
Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.You, O God, sent a plentiful rain,
Whereby You confirmed Your inheritance,
When it was weary.
10 Your congregation dwelt in it;
You, O God, provided from Your goodness for the poor. Psalm 68:7-10

The above scripture tells us that God sent his plentiful rain to a parched and weary land in the wilderness. When the people of God were in the wilderness and there was no water to be seen or to be found, God sent His plentiful rain because He was caring for His people. 

Sometimes we are in situations that look dry, and there seem to be no evidence of hope and change. As far as our natural eyes can see, it’s all sand and dryness. We used to see mirages of water, but those have disappeared too. We come to the end of our ideas and ingenuity, and we have no other ideas or plans left to see the situation change. We have prayed every prayer that we knew how to pray, and we have done all that we know how to do. Now we have grown weary! Weariness has a way of sucking faith and hope out of life and leaves a believer even drier than before.

Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth;
Oh, sing praises to the Lord, Selah
To Him who rides on the heaven of heavens, which were of old!
Indeed, He sends out His voice, a mighty voice. Ascribe strength to God;
His excellence is over Israel,
And His strength is in the clouds.
O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places.
The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God! Psalm 68:32-35

In the same above Psalm, David ends by telling us how powerful God is. He is so strong that He moves the clouds with His mighty voice. He is so great that no earthly sanctuary can contain all of God’s greatness. He is the one who comes through for us!

I saw the hand of the Lord in the clouds this past week. We were at my daughter’s graduation, and at first, the forecast was partly cloudy, but later it changed to rain in the afternoon. While we were sitting in the bleachers, we could see the dark clouds pouring rain in other locations, and they were moving in our direction. We even saw a couple of lightening episodes.

I began to pray that God would stop the rain and the lightening and that He would allow the ceremony to keep going without getting canceled. I also called a friend and asked her to pray.  The ceremony went on for another hour, and it was only the last 15-20 minutes that it began sprinkling and then pouring. We were thankful to see our daughter up at the stage  and that they were able to complete the ceremony.

The God, who is so powerful, can keep the clouds at bay and suspend the rain, and He is also the one who sends the rain to the weary land and to the weary souls. In those dry times, continue to press deeper in God. If you have done all that you can, rest in Him and left Him refresh your weary soul.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-” Ephesians 6:14-1

The last part of the armor is taking up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. God’s word is powerful and has many benefits to us. One of those benefits is that it allows us to fight offensively against the strongholds that are erected in our lives and those around us.

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. Hebrews 4:12

In times of pressure or attack, many people cave into their feelings, and, as a result, they retreat in sadness, anger, or rejection. However, the word of God allows us to wield it with power when there is opposition against our identity and our destiny in God. Jesus was tempted by the enemy to question His identity and to jeopardize His destiny. In the moment of temptation, He did not use His opinion to overcome the enemy, nor did He have a discussion with him. Instead, He used the word of God to overcome and to fight the temptations of the enemy. 

The word of God allows us to measure and examine the truth versus lies.  It also exposes the thoughts and intents of the heart. The beauty of the sword of the spirit is that it is two-edged. It does a surgery on us as it also exposes what is coming at us. It will discern our hearts and the lies that we have believed as well as the lies that others believe about us.

After we put on the whole armor of God, we pray, we watch, and we persevere. This could potentially be the hardest part because the attacks of the enemy can be long and unrelenting. At times, we may wonder if we are doing something wrong because there is no relief from the pressure. However, if we know we are doing all that we know how to do, then we need to stand and wait for God’s deliverance. The prayer, watching, and persevering press us into deeper places with God where we can’t do anything else except to wait on God to show Himself strong on our behalf. 

Make it a habit of putting on the armor of God and allowing God to protect your spirit, mind, emotion, will, and body. Include Him in your battles today and see the difference in your life as you face various temptations.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-” Ephesians 6:14-18

Paul goes on to tell us that we need to have the shield of faith. Our faith in God is a protection from the fiery darts of the enemy. The enemy intends to send his fiery darts to steal, kill, and destroy the believer’s confidence in the Lord. They are meant for the believer to retreat from the battle and run. However, God wants us to trust Him and have faith in shielding us. Fiery darts can come in the shape of hurtful actions and words from others. Sometimes the fiery darts come when things don’t go our way, and the enemy tempts us to take the matters in our own hands. That’s when we stand our ground, and we hold up the shield of faith in the midst of those attacks!

But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

The Lord continually develops our relationship with Him to the point that we are growing in being constant and consistent in trusting Him. When a believer stands on God’s unchanging character in the midst of a battle, it is as if they are hiding behind the shield of faith. They are protected, and they are relying on the Lord to thwart the enemy’s attacks. Not only the darts bounce off the shield of faith, but also their fire is quenched! The fire is extinguished because Jesus the living water has poured cold water over the fire of the enemy. Those darts become ineffective and lose their power in facing the shield of faith!

Paul goes on to tell us that we are to put on the helmet of salvation. Our salvation is in finished work of the cross. Our minds are protected, and we are called to not lean on our own understanding. We do not know all the dangers out there, but we know that our relationship with the Lord and our identity in Him keeps us in a safe place. The helmet also protects us from the ways of the world and helps us to stay alert and aware of God’s ways and His will. We set apart ourselves, so we can know the perfect will of God and remain in His path. The helmet guards us from the old tapes that are played when we are under pressure. God reminds us of who we are and that we don’t need to fix the problem in our old nature. 

As you pray this week, intentionally put on each piece of the armor and keep it on as you go out in the world everyday. Allow the Lord to teach and train you how to fight your battles His way!

“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-” Ephesians 6:14-18

Paul tells us that part of our spiritual armor is having our feet covered with peace. One of the visible areas of life that speaks loudly to people in the world, is the peace of the believer. A believer who enjoys the rest of God and is not anxious is powerful!

If we walk bare feet, we would feel every pebble, splinter, hole, hot ground, etc.  The feet would be subject to anything that is on the ground, and they can get dirty and possibly injured.  The peace of God covers our feet in a world that is full of offenses, cuts, and messes. In addition, our feet are used for advancement. We cannot advance the Kingdom of God without His peace! We take territory when we move forward with the peace of God, and He protects us with His peace in challenging situations.

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27

Jesus knew that we cannot represent Him well if we are not living in His peace! Peace is an important protection in times of pressure. When fear tries to invade the life of a believer, one of the first things that is lost, is peace. That’s is when bad decisions are made and a believer becomes vulnerable to the enemy. The peace of God keeps us steady and clear-minded. Peace is the inheritance of the believer, and Jesus promised His own peace to us.

In addition, as we step into life, we bring the peace of God with us. We become the influencers of our environment by changing the tone. We become the thermostat that determines the temperature. Instead of hatred, we bring the peace of God. Peace causes strife, division, and animosity to dissolve. The peace of God brings comfort and security. We cannot afford to fight any battle without the peace of God! 

Do you have a tendency to lose your peace easily? Do you know how to access God’s peace in times of pressure? Are you aware that the level of your peace impacts those around you? Ask and receive His peace today, and do not let anything or anyone to make you lose your peace!

“Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-” Ephesians 6:14-18

Paul tells us that in order for us to be protected from the attacks of the enemy we need to first gird ourselves with truth. The definition of truth in this case has to do with both the moral truth that God has given us in His word as well as the truth in regards to any matter in life. Both of those points are important for our maturity and protection.

^“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

The scripture tells us that truth sets us free. Truth keeps us in the right relationship with the Lord, with others, and with ourselves. Jesus is the truth! Truth allows us to have a sound mind and avoid confusion. When we live in truth, we allow the word of God to become a mirror to us, so we can see ourselves clearly and to ensure that we have not been derailed from God’s heart and His ways!

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

When we gird ourselves with truth, we discern and reject the lies of the enemy. In addition, we continue to meditate on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. In times of pressure, we have to tighten the belt even more and hold on to the truth as our spiritual lives are dependent on it. 

Furthermore, we are called to be in truth in regards to any subject matter. That means that we are truthful in all situations. We don’t exaggerate, minimize, deceive, or share half-truths. We also don’t come into agreement with those who live deceitfully and expect us to stand by them. When we hold on to truth, it guards us from shame, guilt, or harm, and we remain under the Lord’s protection.

Paul then tells us to put on the breastplate of righteousness. The Lord has given us Christ’s righteousness through the work He did on the cross. We also remain in the right relationship with the Lord by confessing any sin that we have committed. The scripture tells us:

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. Romans 13:14

By putting on the breastplate of righteousness, we are putting on Christ. We have chosen to show up as Jesus showed up. Jesus always came on the scene in fullness of truth and grace. He came with a pure heart and obedient to the will of the Father.  Our breastplate remains secure not because we are perfect but because we rely on the perfect one! 

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional. 

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Apostle Paul stresses three important points before he begins to explain the armor of God. First, he emphasizes the need to put on the “whole” armor of God. Just as we can’t pick and choose the scriptures we like, similarly, we can’t pick the parts of the armor we prefer to put on. That means that some of the parts are going to be easy to put on, while others are going to challenge us in our spiritual development. 

Second, Apostle Paul explains we need to put on the armor of God. After having done all that we can to live in peace, unity, and love with others (according to chapters 4-6 in Ephesians), we have to recognize that there is a spiritual battle that needs to be fought. Paul reminds the believers, that the enemy wages war against the believers, and he uses people to accomplish his goals. However, our battle is not against other humans, but it is against powers and principalities. We need to keep the right mindset, so we can remain alert and fight effectively.

The world is enslaved by its passions and desires, which makes it a pawn in the hand of the enemy. It is easy to get caught up with the ways of the world and the culture we live in. Many times the attacks are subtle, and they come in inconspicuous ways trying to derail the people of God. For example, your coworker begins to undermine your efforts, so they can outshine in the office. It seems insignificant spiritually, so you decide to handle it on your own. The reality is that handling it in our own strength will lead us to fleshly behavior and will drive us to react in a carnal manner. When situations come up that your focus is others’ actions, are you able to remind yourself that your battle is not against other people?

Third, Apostle Paul tells us that after we put on the whole armor of God we are to stand. Standing is a statement of not giving up and not surrendering. It shows perseverance and faithfulness. God develops His children to become soldiers in the army of God. This battle is not fought in the natural with stick, spears, or stones, but it is fought by the supernatural power of God and our established identity in Him. Are you able to stand your ground in the midst of the battle and recognize that you are an overcomer?

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.