Author: Tammy Phillips

By Tammy Phillips
April 27, 2020

Stand…with your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  -Ephesians 6:14 & 15

Some days, do you wake up with the desire to just walk around barefooted all day?  I do.  However, most activities require a suitable shoe.  When our mission is to dance, we wear dancing shoes.  Tap dancers wear tap shoes; ballerinas don pointed shoes. Country girls wear cowboy boots to do a little line dance. Nurses wear comfortable shoes to endure their shifts of walking and standing.  Basketball players wear basketball shoes to support their ankles during a game.  Baseball players wear cleats to gain better traction while playing.  Hiking boots, running shoes, walking shoes; there is a shoe for everything.  Shoes provide us the foundation to accomplish our work, our tasks, and our goals, even if that is to only to look cute.  We choose shoes to empower us to accomplish.

Every killer power suit needs a pair of killer shoes.  I call them my stompin’ boots.  Paul mentions the third piece of our armor of God as “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” (FYI… Shod means tied on tightly.)  Remember, Paul is comparing our spiritual armor to that of a Roman soldier.  The soldier’s shoes had two parts: The greave which acted as a shield for the lower leg and the actual shoe that protected the foot.  The shoe consisted of leather straps that helped secure the shoe tightly to the foot and leg.  The bottom of the shoe was heavy leather for comfort and cushion to help overcome obstacles.  The bottom of the shoe was also equipped with spikes to be used as weapons and for stability.  The spikes helped the soldiers STAND in place, immovable.  These shoes actually looked like boots and these boots were made to stomp the enemy.  Our boots are made for walking, walking by faith and stomping our enemy.

We must tie on the peace of God tightly like a good shoe.  Peace translated from the Greek is Eirene which means exempt from the rage and havoc of war, rest, quietness, good order security, assured of salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot.  The enemy’s mission is to kill, steal and destroy.  His mission is to move us from our faith in God.  Our mission is to stand in God’s peace, knowing that we are whole, healed and complete.  Peace knows that God is always with you.  Peace knows that we walk by faith.  We must put on our stompin’ shoes tightly and stomp out the devil’s plans.  We are encouraged by the words of Jesus, when he says:  “Behold, I give unto you power to tread (trample, crush, stomp) on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19)   We are encouraged to walk by faith.  Our shoes of peace empower us with confidence to crush out worry, chaos and the obstacles of our day.  Our killer power shoes of peace protect us from the devil knocking our legs out from under us.  They enable us to stand. 

I enCOURAGE you to put on your stompin’ boots.  God has given us the power and authority to STAND confidently in them and to overcome.   Jesus said “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)  FOOT NOTE:   Overcome is the Greek word, nikao, meaning to carry off the victory.  It is a derivative of a word you know well, NIKE, meaning victory.  When we put on our stompin’ boots, we have actually put on VICTORY BOOTS!!! Stomp on!

By Tammy Phillips
April 26, 2020

Stand therefore…having on the breastplate of righteousness;  -Ephesians 6:14

The second piece of the armor of God that Paul tells us to put on is the breast plate of righteousness.  The breastplate guarded the heart against the attack of the enemy.  It was the accessory that you did not leave home without.  Not to mention, it made the soldier look awful snazzy. It was made of shiny pieces of metal.  When the reflection of the sun struck the plate just right, it could blind the enemy.

Just like the breastplate was a weapon of war, the breastplate of the righteousness of God is our weapon.  Knowing our righteousness in Christ protects our hearts and mind from the continual bombardment from our enemy, the devil, the accuser of the brothers and sisters.

In our Lifegroup zoom meeting this past week, a friend said it was hard to shake off sin. He implied it was hard to forgive himself.  I thought a lot about what he said and wrote him this letter just yesterday.  This morning as I was walked down the stairs to write, I realized that I should have just said to him: “Put on your breastplate of righteousness.” However, this is what I wrote:

Dear Brother:

I think you know everything that I am about to say.  I just wanted to send a reminder.  I needed it too!!!!

“There is therefore now no condemnation (no guilty verdict, no punishment) to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1)

CONDEMN means:	SAVE means:
to disapprove	approved
to doom	blessed
to blame	absolved
utterly rejected	accepted
judged to be wrong	judged to be right
judged guilty	Innocent
guilty by a contrary practice	forgiven
to sentence to punishment	acquitted to freedom
To judge or pronounce to be unfit for use or service	pronounced fit for service in the kingdom of God

 Jesus was condemned.  He took our place.  It was the great exchange.  The son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests, and to the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death. (Matthew 20:18.)

BUT… God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved (whole, healed and complete… NOW). He that believes on him is not condemned. (John 3:17-18)  He took the condemnation. We take the salvation.  He took the sin. We take the freedom. We take his righteousness.

Paul tells us Be ye reconciled (returned to favor) to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

He was condemned the we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Friend, how often do you remind your daughter of the wrong things she has done? Are you in her ear tearing her down?  You build her up to be the very best person she can be.  She is your daughter!  You do not want her feeling bad all the time over a mistake.   She cannot be her best self, thinking you do not approve. She cannot be her best feeling separated from you.  You know, she can accomplish great things and you want to empower her to do great things.  You want her to know that she is right in your eyes.

How much more do you think God loves you?  He wants to build you up to be the best you can be.  When the enemy comes knocking out your door trying to bring up your sin, over and over and over again, shut the door on him.  Say: “I am the righteousness of God in Christ.  My sins are forgiven, and you are defeated.”  We have to learn who we are in Christ.  We have to accept what he has given us a free gift.  We could pay for our sine.  We sure couldn’t afford it. If we could, there would be no need for Jesus.   We have to assume our places in the kingdom.  He has things for us all to do before and after his return.  You are forgiven and never condemned.

Now, the Father does train us to help us take the next steps or move to the next level.  Just like working out, the training can be very painful, but it is to make us better, not to condemn us.  It is to stretch us and grow our faith muscles.

Just sayin’!  Love you both!  Complete in Him!

Tammy

Today, I would add  P.S. to you, him and I:

P.S.  I enCOURAGE you to guard your heart above all else. (Proverbs 4:24) STAND tall in your breastplate of the righteousness.  It cost Jesus a lot, his life.  Do not leaving hanging in your closet!  Blind the enemy with it.  Reflect the glory of our God.  Be bold. Be courageous.  Shut him down.

by Tammy Phillips
April 25, 2020

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; -Ephesians 6:14

Paul, who wrote Ephesians 6, spent a lot of time in jail looking at the whole armor of the Roman soldier.  The Holy Spirit revealed to him how each piece of Roman armor has an equivalent in the armor of God.  The Roman soldier had a loin belt that girded all the pieces of armor in place.  No loin belt, the armor literally falls to the ground into pieces.  Fast forward; today, the loin belt is a man’s belt, an athlete’s compression short or a woman’s Spanx.  They all hold everything in place.  The loin belt of truth in the armor of God refers to the Truth, the written word of God.  It is what hold us together.  It is our guide to life, love and God.

By divine appointment this post appeared in my memory feed on Facebook, yesterday!  It is from April 24, 2016.  This is my reflection on “the girdle,” the loin belt of truth.

Today, as I was reading my Bible, my love letters from God, I was reminded of a heart felt letter that I received from my youngest son, Parker two years ago at Christmas.  It was one of my favorite gifts.   I purposely tucked it away that Christmas morning to prevent it from getting lost in the celebration of the day.  He gave one to Kris, too.   I came home with his letter, but not mine.  I could not believe it.  I lost something that was invaluable and irreplaceable to me.  I was crushed.  I looked for the letter everywhere. I believed that I would find it this year, somewhere in the Christmas stuff.  I haven’t found the letter yet, but I hope someday I will. 

I tell you this story because I became convicted this morning.  I LOVE my Bible.  I do.  I misplaced it once.  I looked everywhere for it.  I called doctor’s offices, car repair shops, friends, hotels and churches.  I never gave up faith that I would find it.  One day, I discovered that my Bible had lived in the back seat of Brayden’s car for months.  My eldest had been home for Easter, and I had been in his car after church.  He had it the whole time.  

The point of the story?  Had I been as crushed about misplacing my Bible as I was about misplacing Parker’s letter.   Did I value God’s love letters to me as much as Parker’s letter?  Do you value God’s Word or do you take it for granted?   It is ALIVE.  It is LIFE.  Most of all it is LOVE.  It is God revealed.  It is TRUTH.

If you are lonely, it will feel the empty void.  If you need answers, it has every one.  If you need healing, it is a free prescription.  Do not take it for granted.  God spent years divinely appointing and inspiring men to write it.  He wrote is so that we could come to know our Creator, our Loving Father God more and more each time we pick it up.  He wrote it to empower us to stand.

If your boss gave you a manual on how to successfully do your job, would you leave it on your desk and never look at it?   Would you go through a day without accessing it?  How about never opening your emails?  How would that work this day and time?  If your spouse wrote you a love letter, would you leave it on your nightstand unopened?   The Bible is our instruction guide on how to do life.  It is our love letter from Love.

I enCOURAGE you to put on your spiritual Spanx or compression short.  I enCOURAGE to tighten your belt.  I enCOURAGE you to never miss a day wrapped in the truth of God’s word.  It is what holds up and keeps from falling to pieces.

By the Way, last June 2019, I was looking through some cookbooks.  I found one that Brayden gifted me, Christmas 2014.  I found Parker’s letter.  I had tucked it in the the back of that book for safe keeping.  God is faithful because I always believed I would find it.  Ask anyone in my family!  Glory to God!  He was the Way that led me to the letter.

By Tammy Phillips
April 24, 2020

Picture this, you just sat down to dinner with your very best friends, your sparkling gems, or your boys.  You hear a knock at the door.  You are not expecting anyone, but it is the person you would most like to meet in your life.  Who are you picturing?  It could be a favorite football or baseball player, a favorite coach, a favorite actress or actor, a favorite singer, a powerful businessman, or even the President of the United States (No comments.  I would love to have dinner with Trump and pray for him.).   Do you invite this person in?  Will you ask the person to come back because you are entertaining friends?  Or, are you too busy preparing dinner to even hear the door?  Are you too busy just doing you?

Guess who is at your door right now?

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hears my voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup with him, and he with me.   -Revelation 3:20

The word of God over and over encourages us to stand.  Jesus never asked us to do something that he has not already done.  Jesus did not have to stand for us, but he did.  We were nothing.  He chose to stand for us.  He always has and he always will.  He stood tallest on the cross when he gave his life for us.  He now says: “Look! Heller!  Anybody there? I am here. I stand at the door, and knock.”  This scripture picture made me so sad when I read it.  Picture Jesus at your door.  Some have not answered the door even though he has been knocking.  Many have not invited him into their lives like we have.  However, there is more to the verse.  Don’t miss it!  He is still knocking.  Jesus is calling us, now.  Our hero, the most loving, the wealthiest in the universe, the most powerful, the kindest, the most gracious, the most giving, the greatest doctor, the all-knowing, the one who has every answer to every question we ever asked, the one and only Jesus, wants to come in and hang out with us.  He wants to come to supper.  He wants to sit down and talk to us.  Jesus is not interested in just coming over for drinks and appetizers.  He wants to have an intimate dinner with us.  He wants to have a long, lingering conversation.  I guarantee, he would stay up all night with us.  He would still be going strong at sunrise and breakfast time.

I enCourage you to eat supper with the King every day.  Sit down with Jesus and feast on his word.  Spend more time talking with him every day. He is the Bread of Life and Living Water.  Open the door to Jesus and have a good old comfort-food supper with him.  We have been forced to slow down and eat at home more often during this pandemic.  I know we have had more meals outside on our deck in one month as a family than we have had in the prior four years.  Jesus wants to do the same with us.  Take time to sup with the King.

By Tammy Phillips
April 23, 2020

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore… Ephesians 6:13-14

Paul put so much emphasis on standing in the whole armor of God.  How exactly do we stand? This is how we stand:

We stand in prayer, forgiving. (Mark 11:25)
We stand in the middle and rise for healing. (Luke 6:8)
We stand in Him whole. (Acts 4:10)
We stand in the temple speaking all the words of life to the people. (Act 5:20)
We stand in grace. (Romans 5:2)
We stand in faith in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:5)
We stand in the gospel. (1 Corinthians 15:1)
We stand in courage and strength. (1 Corinthians 16:13)
We stand in faith. (2 Corinthians 1:24)
We stand in Christian liberty. (Galatians 5:1)
We stand in God’s full armor against the wiles of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11)
We stand in Christian unity. (Philippians 1:27)
We stand in the Lord. (Philippians 4:1)
We stand in perfection and completion in the will of God. (Colossians 4:12)
We stand fast in the Lord and live. (1 Thessalonians 3:8)
We stand fast in what we have been taught. (2 Thessalonians 2:15)
We stand.

I enCOURAGE you in the stand.  Know that you never stand alone, ever.  We stand together, but more importantly we stand in the Lord.  We, you, me and He make three. You stand. Me stand. He stands.  THIS IS HOW WE STAND.

by Tammy Phillips
April 22, 2020

Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withSTAND (which means stand against) in the evil day, and having done all, to STAND. STAND therefore… Ephesians 6:13,14 

Paul tells us in these verses to take hold of, receive, pick up and carry the whole armor of God so that we have the power to STAND, STAND, STAND in the evil day, the day of great trouble and pain.  This is the second time in Ephesians 6 that Paul  tells us to put on the whole armor, so that we can stand against the devil.  He tells us three times in two verses to stand using our armor, our “killer power suit.”  I do believe he is trying to get his point across.  Are we dressed to face and eliminate our enemy?  Our enemy will use anything to move us.  Our enemy will do anything to kill, steal and destroy us.  BUT GOD…tells us  to STAND.

Since we are told to stand so many times, let’s discover exactly what that means?

STAND (the Greek word histemi):
Abide
Be steadfast in mind
Confirm
Continue
Determined
Endure
Established
Get up
Fixed
Immovable
Make firm
Persist
Persevere
Remain
Resolute
Set in balance
Stand immutable
Stand prepared
Stand ready
Stand unharmed
Uphold

When lack comes, STAND.  When offense comes, STAND.  When pain comes, STAND.  When the plague comes, STAND.  When sickness comes, STAND.  When stress comes, STAND.  When temptation comes, stand.  When trials come, STAND.  When trouble comes, STAND.  When death comes, STAND.  When the enemy comes, STAND.

I enCOURAGE you to STAND, STAND, STAND!
Stand whole.  Stand healed.  Stand complete in Him.
Stand.

by Tammy Phillips

April 21, 2020

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. [Eph 6:12 KJV]

Remember, wrestle means to throw your enemy down.  David threw the giant enemy of Israel by trusting the Lord and casting a stone.  As we follow David’s example, we need to pick up our rocks.  David said, “The LORD [is] my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer and God is the rock of our salvation” in 2 Samuel 22:2,4.  Jesus called Peter a rock in Matthew 16:18. To wrestle well, let’s pick up our Rock, our Savior and pick up the 1 ROCK 5:7 (1 Peter 5:7), this wrestler’s stone of choice:

Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

We have heard this verse so many times.  “Cast your care. Cast your care!”  However, do we pick up this nugget?  Do we practice the verse when the care comes to visit or do we sit and wallow in the care?  Be empowered by the original Greek meanings of the words in this verse.

CASTING (epiripto) to throw upon.  Break down of the Greek compound word epiripto:  Epi means on, upon, before.  Ripto means to throw down; throw off; throw forward; to set down; to fling with a quick toss; to hurl; to violently throw.  It is similar to rhapizoa which means to smite with a rod or staff; to smite in the face with the palm of the hand, to box the ear.  (In my world this means hit the “care” right out of the park with a bat.)  See; Wrestling and casting both mean to throw down.

ALL (pas) means all.  It means each and every.  Every part.  All things, everything, the “whole thang.”  Whatsoever and whosoever.

YOUR CARE (merimna) anxiety, trouble, difficulty.  It comes from the word merizo meaning, what distracts you; divides you; separates you into parts; tears you apart; cuts you to pieces, splits you into.  According to Webster’s Dictionary 1828, anxiety is concern respecting some event, future or uncertain, which disturbs the mind, and keeps it in a state of painful uneasiness.  It springs from fear.  Think about anxiety is fear about something that usually never happens. Care=Anxiety=Fear.

UPON HIM FOR HE CARES (melei) to be of interest; to be of concern; take care] FOR YOU!

How powerful are those words?  Altogether, this is how I see 1 Peter 5:7, Throw down, throw off, throw forward, set down, fling, hurl, violently throw, hit with a bat, slap silly upside the head, all, each and every, all things, everything, the whole thang, whosoever and whatsoever care, anxiety, fear, trouble or difficulty upon him, our Rock, our Salvation, our Jesus, for He cares for you.  He is interested in you. He will take care of you and take your cares for you.

God does not care how BIG or small our care. (God doesn’t have any big problems!)  We were not meant to carry cares.  Throw it to him!  Here is a perfect example.  No kidding!  My Mom sent me this text as I was writing this:

“I’ve looked EVERYWHERE in the house, outside office, and my car multiple times for last 24 hours for my water bottle!  Exasperated, I sat in my chair to read and said, “Okay Lord, don’t know why I haven’t asked You, but please show me where it is.”  No sooner had I sat down, less than a minute, than I had to go to bathroom!!!  When I walked in, I had the “urge” to open the closet.  I did and there sat my bottle!   God is sooo Good, quick to respond, and always listening to our every prayer!  He did that to show me, He cares about everything that concerns me and that I must trust Him with EVERYthing!!!  Thank You, Lord!”

I encourage you to SLANG that THANG that is wearing you out!  David slang the thang and knocked out the giant.   Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he will sustain you: he will never permit the righteous to be moved. [Psalm 55:22]  Wrestle well.  Cast your cares every day, all the time.  Kill your giants.  Be CARE-FULL for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. [idea from Philippians 4:6 KJV]

and Tammy Phillips

April 20, 2020

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].  Ephesians 6:12 KJV

When I wrote the “You are a Wrestler” devotion, the story of David and Goliath came to mind.  David trains us by example how to wrestle against the enemy.

LESSONS FROM DAVID (from 1 Samuel 17):

•  The enemy was small from God’s view

By sight Goliath was a giant, but David was not moved by what he saw or heard.  He knew his battle was not against flesh and blood of Goliath. God was with David and David knew it.   David knew he was empowered by God.  David was not fearful at all.  David saw Goliath from God’s perspective and Israel chose to view their enemy through the eyes of man.  If we choose a Godly perspective, looking down at the problem from seated in heaven, doesn’t it get super small?  The higher our viewpoint the smaller the obstacle. Remember, “He hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus” [Eph 2:6 KJV]

• The enemy yelled loudly

Goliath was the big bully with a bullhorn who bullied Israel 40 days and nights.  He instilled fear into Israel and they were greatly dismayed.  Isn’t that what our enemy does with every problem?  He tries to deceive and frighten us into believing that the problem is too gigantic for God.  Remember, God laughs and says, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14)

• David called out the enemy

“Hey, Goliath!  Who do you think you are?  You think you can defy the armies of God?”  We need to say this to every giant that appears on the scene of our lives.  “Hey, pain in my knee.  Who do you think you are?  Jesus died for this pain. You are nothing to God.  Lack go away; you are nothing to my God.  Hey, fear. You don’t own me.  I have the faith of God.”

• David said don’t worry

David to Saul:  Don’t let your heart be troubled because of this giant!  I’ll go out and fight him.  Isn’t that what God tells us?  Don’t worry.  Don’t fear.  I will go before you.

• Saul discouraged David from the battle

Saul to David:  You are not able.  You are only a kid…he is a warrior.  We are wrestlers. We are warriors.  We are over comers in Christ.  We are empowered by God.  We operate under the authority of the name above every name, Jesus.  Don’t be discouraged by anyone or anything.  Enter the ring.

• David recalled his victories in the face of other giants

“A lion came… I went out after him… God delivered.  A bear came… I went out after it… It arose against me… I caught him, smote him, killed him.  The Lord delivered me then, and he will deliver me now, from this giant.”  We should not so easily forget where we are and how we arrived.  We have many victories in life that we so easily forget.  Call them to mind.

• David went to battle with his weapons

David tried to wrestle Goliath with Saul’s armor, but he was not used to it.  It didn’t fit him.  He could not go.  It was not God’s plan for David.  David had to go to battle with what he had.  David picked up five rocks.  He really picked up the ROCK of his salvation.  He took God with him.  I believe he could have knocked Goliath out with a toothpick because it was not his battle to win; it was God’s.  We must take the Rock of Salvation with us into every battle. The Lord and His word will provide us with the knock-out punch we need.

• David went  into battle head on.

David said to the Giant: “You come to me with your arsenal of weapons, BUT I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts…Today, the lord will deliver you into my hands…The lord saves not with sword and spear. The battle is the Lords and He will give you into our hands.” (1 Samuel 17:48-47)  We need to follow David’s example and say to our giants, our mountains:  In the name of Jesus, our salvation, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; we shall not doubt in our heart, but shall believe that those things which we say shall come to pass; we shall have whatsoever we say.

• David ran quickly to the battle line 

Goliath came at David and David ran quickly to the battle line.
He did not entertain fear.
He trusted the Lord.
He took immediate action against the giant.
He did not fear the giant.
He was not amazed by the giant.
He saw God and not the giant.
He didn’t panic.
He didn’t run away.
He didn’t drop to his knees and ask the Lord to save him.
He ran right at the enemy because he knew who was backing him.
David cast what he had at the giant and one rock knocked him out.
It was not the stone that knocked out the giant. It was God with David.
Should we not follow David’s example?

I enCOURAGE you with the courage of David.  Run quickly to the battle.  Do not fear.  The Rock of our Salvation will deliver you every time.

by Tammy Phillips

April 19, 2020

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places]. [Ephesians 6:12 KJV]

Did you know we are wrestler’s? (My kids are going crack up about this one.  I wouldn’t let them watch wrestling on TV growing up.)

Ephesians 6:12 states that we wrestle.  Since we wrestle, we step into the name of Wrestler, often and at various times in our lives.  (New name for us. What’s your wrestler name?)  The Greek word for wrestle is pale.  Pale is defined as a contest between two in which each endeavor to throw the other, and which is decided when the victor is able to hold his opponent down with his hand upon his neck.  Pale is derived from pallo which means to vibrate or shake.  Pallo is another form of ballo which means to cast, to smite one with slaps, to throw or let go of a thing without caring where it falls.  Ever heard of “casting your cares?”  I do believe we step into the wrestling arena, dressed to kill in our power suit, the armor of God, when we cast our cares.

We are not wrestling against (what is in front of us) flesh and blood. We do no wrestle against our boss, our friend, our mother, our father, our brother, our sister, our spouse, our son, our daughter, nor our self.  In “Dressed to Kill,” Rick Renner says: “This is the reason we must deal with the flesh before we attempt to deal with the devil.  By living a crucified, sanctified life on a continual basis, we are able to neutralize any attack the enemy would try to wage against our flesh.”  We die to self and give the enemy nothing to work with.  Renner further states, “You can kick dead people. Spit at dead people; curse at dead people; or try to tempt, deceive or seduce dead people-no matter what you do, they do not respond!”  If we stand, this fully describes us.

I wish it was that simple.  We cannot see the enemy with physical eyes.  We must always be on guard, standing, watching with spiritual eyes, praying, and preparing for the match.  The enemy smells fear and will come.  We will wrestle against (come face-to-face):

1. Principalities: (archas) the beginning, the origin, the first in order time, place, rank; the oldest and the highest-ranking leaders.
2. Powers: (exousia) endued with authority, delegated authority, influencers of choice, freedom, do as one pleases, wherever one pleases; idea infused of doing what the world thinks is right out in public
3. The rulers of the darkness of this world: (kosmokateros) world ruler; from (kosmos) world, order, arrangement and (kratos) might, power.  These rulers are a force.  They are an ordered, arrangement of mighty power. They have joined forces and are mighty powerful to complete assigned tasks.  We are obviously more powerful than they are through Christ Jesus.  What would happen if we joined forces against them?  What if we accomplished our assignment, together?  What would happen if just two queens, joint heirs in the kingdom of God, joined together?  What would happen if more sparkling jewels became committed and fell in with us? Come on now? God has given us the power and authority.  Light it up!
4. Spiritual wickedness in high places: (poneros) bad, evil things, vicious, iniquity, pressed and harassed.  From ponos: pain, great trouble, intense desire. From penes:  poor,  From peno: to toil for daily substance. 

I enCOURAGE you WRESTLER; be prepared for the match.  Die to self, daily.  Pray without ceasing.  Train with God.  Know your enemy, but know your God better.  Know that your enemy is one of the four goons listed above who have been commissioned by Satan, their leader, to kill, steal and destroy.  Know God is with you.  Know God goes before you.  Know that greater is He that is in you than these goons in the world.  Always be encouraged; our God is greater!

April 18, 2020

Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to STAND against the wiles of the devil. (Ephesians 6:11)

Jesus says, “I am the WAY (the road you need to take, the way you need to think), the TRUTH and the LIFE: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” [John 14:6 KJV]. The enemy of our souls, the devil, the false accuser wants to be just like Jesus.   He yells in our ears: “I am the way.  Come my way.  Come down my road.  It is a lot more fun.  I am the life…of the party.   You will have no life if you follow God.  It’s ok to tell a fib. You don’t want to hurt her feelings.  Do this…buy this…drink this…eat this…you deserve it.   It’s ok to eat the big piece of Key Lime Pie.  It’s your birthday.  You ate the pie?  You big fatty.  You are a failure.  You are not smart enough.  You are not good enough.  You can’t do that.  You will never amount to anything.”

The exclamations of the enemy to our mind are what I interpret to be “the wiles of the devil.” The Greek word for wiles is methodos which means with road, highway, with the way. It’s the road the devil wants us to choose.  The wiles are his strategies and deceits.

We have a choice.  We can listen to the Voice of Truth or the father of lies.  We have a choice as to which road will we follow?  When we travel by car or plane on vacation, do we enjoy delays? Do we enjoy making a wrong turn and delaying our arrival?  Every time we listen to the lies of the enemy, we are taking a wrong turn.  In reality, we are delaying our arrival to God’s best for our lives.  God provides us with the whole armor to stand against the bully with the bullhorn who loves to get in our head.

The armor of God enables us to stand and face our enemy head on.  STAND is the Greek word histemi meaning to abide, continue, a steadfast mind, make firm, establish, keep your place, stand immutable, persist, and persevere.  When the harasser starts howling, we must choose to speak the truth to that situation.

The wiles of the Devil say:	We stand and say the Truth of God:
You are going to die of “the corona.”	I will not die but I will live and declare the works of the Lord.  (Psalm 118:17) I am healed, whole and complete.  (Col 2:10) Behold, God [is] my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH [is] my strength and [my] song; he also is become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2)
You are a loser.	I am an overcomer. (John 16:33, Rev,12:11) I am more than a conqueror. (Romans 8:37)
You are ugly.	I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalms 139:14)
You cannot do that or that or that.	I can do…all things through Christ. (Philippians 4:13)

I enCOURAGE to put on the whole armor of God and to STAND against the wiles of the devil, every time and every situation.  I guarantee the ways of God will take you to places you have never imagined.  God is the only option.  I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and I arise and stand to face my enemy.