The Armor of God Week 1: Sizing Up the Enemy

Week One

Day One – Monday October 1st

I am a deep thinker and as such it has taken me time to process day 1! Knowing this about myself I started this study in the last week of August because I knew I would need the time to ponder and organize. Priscilla Shirer’s study on The Armor of God is exactly what I was looking for as I recognized my need to move away from complacent, or what is sometimes known as, consumer Christianity.

I am very much looking forward to gaining some tools to develop a specific prayer strategy to help me out of my present circumstances, which can only be described as feeling stuck and slightly defeated. As I went over Day 1, I was reminded that the battles we face in the physical realm are won in the spiritual realm; the things I am physically battling are not the real enemy. e.g. my marriage, my husband, my children and myself. When prompted by Priscilla to discern what the most difficult person, pressing problem or overwhelming circumstance was in my life, it occurred to that it is in fact…ME. That’s right, a big ol’ capital M.E!

It hit me hard that by overthinking, worrying, lamenting, feeling sorry for myself and a host of other un-helpful negative self-talk, I was allowing myself to fall right into the enemy’s trap. In that, I am defeated. I had become complacent, a consumer. It then occurred to me that the longer I blamed myself, felt sorry for myself, the longer I wasn’t engaged in the battle that could set me free.

PRAYER

On page 13 Priscilla says that God knew that prayer was able to change the trajectory of our lives and that victory in spiritual warfare is inseparable from prayer. She goes on to point out that in Ephesians 1:18-21 Paul prayed for the Ephesians, that the eyes of their hearts would be opened so that they would know what the hope of their calling is.

Actionable Intel

My Actionable Intel for an entire week became just that, open my eyes Lord so that I may know the hope of my calling, and boy did He ever!

Conversation Starter

What is your most difficult person, pressing problem or overwhelming circumstance? Is it a relationship or a personal struggle? Drop a comment below and let us know what you’re thinking and how you are making out.

Don’t forget you can ask personal/private questions to Angie, Patricia or myself by email or leave a prayer request.