logotagline

Stand Up! Stand Firm! - Part 2  

 

Dr. Ashley Brooks

In Ephesians 6:13-17, Paul talks about the "Armor of God". As I told you in Part 1, I had no idea how important this armor was until recently. We are told over and over in scripture that we are in a battle. We are also told in scripture that God has given us all we need for every good work. Standing firm in battle is one of those things God has equipped us to do. But we will never know how well he has equipped us until we take a closer look at the armor.

 

We already talked about how we need to be standing up and in Ephesians 6:13 we see why we need to stand up... so that we can resist the devil. In James 4:7 we are told that if we resist the devil he will flee from us. But what does this mean? Let's keep going and find out.

 

The first piece of armor is the Belt of Truth. Most of the time we women think of a belt as an accessory, but in military situations the belt is used to stabilize. It holds the weapons and gear the soldier might need for battle. In Roman times the belt also held up the soldiers robe so he wouldn't trip in battle. In our spiritual armor, the Belt of Truth is designed to stabilize our armor and put it into proper order. It is God's Truth that should be wrapped around our waste. When our feelings do not line up with God's Truth, we must choose to believe what God tells us to be true over our feelings.

 

A second aspect of the Belt of Truth is that we must be truthful with ourselves and with God. God's truth must resonate in our souls before it can be validated externally in our lives. One of the ways the enemy gets access to us is through offering us "counterfeit truths" (or lies). From the time we are conceived, the enemy starts to offer us ways to "ease" our pain due to life's circumstances. These counterfeit truths are designed to cause us to question God's love. The Belt of Truth stabilizes by giving us our plumb line of comparison.

 

The second piece of armor, Breastplate of Righteousness, is designed to protect our hearts (the well-spring of life) and our spirits (the relational part of us where our spirit and the Holy Spirit reside) which pumps the Truth of God into our souls (our minds, wills, and emotions). It is only by living in Christ's righteousness that we are made righteous. It is His righteousness (not what we do or don't do) that guards our hearts. Confessing to the Lord our unrighteousness and living in Christ's righteousness allows us to live in complete freedom and open relationship with God. This open relationship allows the Holy Spirit the freedom to release God's love in us towards others. By wearing the Breastplate of Righteousness we are able to be loving so that we can act loving towards others, even in the midst of being attacked and hurt. The Breastplate of Righteousness points out the incongruences between our actions and emotions and the actions and emotions desired of us by God.

 

The third piece of armor, the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace, are designed to keep us standing firm in complete peace when the world around us says we should be running, fixing, controlling, and or stressing out. Because we are wearing the Belt of Truth giving us our stability and the Breastplate of Righteousness which points out the incongruences of our soul when compared to God's, our mind, will, and emotions are then able to align with God's giving us peace in the midst of chaos of battle. In Philippians 4:7 we know that this peace guards our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. The Shoes of the Gospel of Peace align our hearts and our minds with God's Truth (we begin to feel truth as well as know truth).  (Page 2 - click here) 

 

Praying as we stand up and stand firm!

Dr. A 

Adapted from Tony Evans "Victory in Spiritual Warfare".

 

 

Strengthened By Grace
 
Life Well Lived
Week 6 
Frame It Up:
Love Your Skin  
The three most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Basal cell carcinomas accounts for more than 90% of all skin cancers, squamous cell carcinoma is less common but more aggressive than basal cell carcinoma and more likely to grow deep below the skin and spread to distant parts of the body. Melanoma begins in the cells that produce pigment in the skin. It is more dangerous and
 
Kristianne Stewart
deadly than basal cell and squamous cell cancer. Early detection and prevention increases successful treatment and cure rates. Mole tracking is a way to track moles or questionable areas on your skin. There are
smart phone apps that can record your moles or you can download a body/anatomy diagram. You may want to take a picture of your moles and record any changes. Start
with your scalp and work your way down to the bottom of the feet. Don't forget to check behind the ears, under the breasts, buttocks, inner thighs, and between the toes. Note
all moles and specific features. The key to early detection is to monitor moles for any change in size, shape or color. Bring your mole tracking information with you on your
next visit to your dermatologist.

Isaiah 53:5 
But He was wounded for our transgressions, 
He was bruised for our iniquities; 
The chastisement for our peace was on Him
and by His stripes we were healed. 
 
Light It Up:Balancing Act
    
My online calendar has a feature that once I schedule an appointment, it allows me to note whether I would be "busy" and unavailable to do the infamous "multi-tasking". Do you shudder and think that if we had the inability to mulit-task, we would operate with some sort of personal character deficit? As women, we are expected to multi-task and do so with joy. Are you busy to the point of distraction? There is a critical point where our busyness and tasking bleeds over into our relationships. It is an insidious process exposing itself in our sudden fatigue and relationships void of depth. It is reflected in a mechanical prayer life. Ladies, leave the balancing act to the circus acrobats. Forget the tasking and begin the asking, "God what do you want me to do?"

Matthew 6:33 
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 
 

 

Agape,  

Kristianne 

Have you missed one of our mailings?  Check out our Archives!

 
 
Making the Climb     
Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right,speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip
or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners,and honor the faithful followers of the and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who lend money without charging interest,and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever.  Psalm 15:1-5

A psalm of Mara, a devout Christian woman, which she sang to the Lord concerningherself. To the tune of "I Did It My Way". 
Kristianne Stewart

 

"God, you are good. I love praying to you. I love going to church because I get to accessorize and look at what everyone else is wearing. 
Dear God, help me today. Hmmm...help my family and friends...help me in all I do. 
Help me at the grocery store. Ground beef, God.
I need ground beef and milk. Oh yes, and sugar. 
God, I need to focus on your word. Yes, you are Lord. 
I lift up my friends and Sue. Yes, especially Sue. 
Please guide her on what not to wear, like those shiny spandex pants.
I forgot, I need plastic wrap at the grocery store.
 
Yes, I lift up my family to you. Make them perfect so I can learn not to yell at them. 
I thirst for your word. 
God, I am hungry for you! Lunch...I know I promised I would go to lunch with Lisa but I can just text her that something came up. 
Thank you for making me a daughter of the King, your chosen one, holy, anointed, and consecrated to do amazing things for the kingdom of God.
Gifted and talented in every way by you and ready to serve in all areas except those that are out of my gifting.
I am ready to shine for Jesus except in children's ministry, or as a greeter, or in the parking lot, food bank, coffee...coffee.
Yes, pick up coffee like I had with Katherine.
Yes, Katherine ...Lord I lift her critical spirit up to you. I can't believe what she said to me after we had coffee last week.
After we had just prayed about Joe and Marie and the mess their marriage is... of course I only know this because Alice told Monique and Monique heard about it from Terry who read it on Rebecca's Facebook page.
Facebook. I need to check my account before I go to the grocery store. Guide me in all the things of your will and let me still do it my way.
Lord, I am ON FIRE for you. In Jesus' name I pray!

Well, our dear sister Mara may be partially correct. With that distracted thought pattern and uniquely poetic prayer, a part of her is on fire but not for Jesus. Unquenchable fire from an unruly tongue fueled perhaps from a tiny spark of gossip. That tasty morsel dished out al la carte on a platter of pride.

To reach His divine address and live on His holy hill your heart, soul, mind, and body must be in top spiritual condition. 
Are the arteries leading to your heart blocked by anger critically impeding the flow of God's love? Your soul distended and inflated by pride, displacing all humility? Is your mind overcome by the world distorting your faith? Is your body crippled by dry bones, your dance for Jesus reduced to a shuffle? Where are you today, shaken by the world or ready to make the climb? (Post your comments - we would love to hear from you. ) 
 
Get your tickets TODAY! Click on the pic!

Daily Devotion for Women - Now online
 
A Daily Woman's Devotional We now have a one year Daily Devotion written by Minister's Wives for minister's wives.  We will post a new one every morning at 4:30 a.m.  You can click on the book for more information or you can
 
Check out Our Events Page
  • Get more info and links for Lifeway Events or add your own event.  

 

Bok Center, Tulsa, OK, September 27th - 28th
FBC Tulsa,
September 26th - 27th, Early Registration ends July 26th
 
Resources

  Like us on Facebook
faithchannel
flourish leadingandlovingit shepherds haven of rest
surrenderingthesecret thriving pastor    datenightchallenge
 

 


 


Premier Christian Cruise Lines
Just Moved
Check out our online Store!

 

we'reopen Ministry Wives Resources in one place. God Enough

More to be added in
the coming days.  Each purchase helps to support CJ4H. Click on the open sign and check us out.


Every purchase helps to support Contagious Joy 4 Him