Daily Devotionals
Daily Devotional: Psalms 149:5-9
Ps 149:5-9
Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds. May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the Lord.
Eph 6:10-13
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.
As Christians, we are at war with the world and its leader, the devil. This battle is unique from many different angles. It is not a physical fight since we are pacifists who refuse to fight physically. It is not a verbal fight because we say only things that give grace for the moment. It is not a political war as we realize that God is in control of all the nations, and he determines who will rule. Our battle is a spiritual battle, it is not against flesh and blood but is against Satan and his armies.
We use the truth of God, the bullet proof vest of righteousness, shoes that are ready for sharing the gospel of peace. Our anti-missile defense is our faith in Jesus as our King, as we wear the headgear of salvation. Our only offensive weapon is the word of God, so we better know how to use it properly.
Satan’s best weapon is deceit. It comes in more varied forms than we can possibly imagine. It comes from the front, the back, from the left and from the right. It may come down on us or it may sneak up from behind. When we begin to doubt that God knows best or that his word may not be right or a little sin will not hurt us, we are being assaulted. When we put our trust in things of this world instead of God, we are headed toward defeat. God is in control, not us, so we submit to him.
O Lord God, what a blessing to know that I am being led by your Son as my King and as my commander-in-chief. What an honor to be in your army. Give me wisdom to know what to do, and when to do it. I also need your wisdom to know when to speak and when to just keep my mouth shut. When I do speak, help me speak with grace and love. Be with your people, wherever they are, who are facing physical persecution for their faith. Protect them and increase their faith. Be with our nation, our leaders and guide our elections. In Jesus’ name.
Robert
