The Flight from God

                           

​“I fled Him, down the nights and down the days; I fled Him, down the arches of the years;

I fled Him, down the labyrinthine ways

Of my own mind; and in the midst of tears

I hid from Him, and under running laughter.”

— Francis Thompson, The Hound of Heaven

Francis Thompson’s masterful poem, "The Hound of Heaven," is the ultimate literary expression of humanity's flight from God. The speaker runs ceaselessly from the divine presence—fleeing through time, through their own complex thoughts, and into fleeting worldly pleasures like ambition, love, and childhood innocence.

​He attempts to find happiness and safety everywhere except in the arms of the Pursuer. But no matter where he turns, he hears the relentless, echoing footsteps and the calm, insistent voice of the Divine Lover, a voice that calls out the heartbreaking truth: "All things betray thee, who betrayest Me."

​This desperate flight and the subsequent emptiness are the necessary prerequisites for understanding the depth of God's love, the love that is not content to let us be miserable in our self-made freedom.

​The Waiting Pursuit

​This is where the ancient wisdom of Isaiah 30:18 provides the beautiful answer to the poem's tension - "And therefore will Jehovah wait, that he may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for Jehovah is a God of justice; blessed are all they that wait for him".

​The people of Judah, like the poem’s speaker, were running away—fleeing God's counsel and seeking help from Egypt instead of resting in His strength. They were choosing the labyrinthine ways of their own minds over the quietness and confidence God offered (Isaiah 30:15).

​But then comes the astonishing reversal: “Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.”

​The "Hound of Heaven" is not a furious hunter, but a Patient Parent. The chasing is not done in anger, but in longing. The text says the Lord waits to be gracious.

• ​He waits for our self-reliance to crumble.

• ​He waits for the finite pleasures we pursue to turn to dust in our hands.

• ​He waits for us to exhaust our flight down the "nights and down the days."

​The moment we stop running, we don't find a condemning Judge; we find a compassionate Father who has been longing for us to turn around.

​The Peace in Surrender

​The verse concludes, “blessed are all who wait for him!”

​To "wait" for the Lord here means more than simply being patient; it means to stop running and to confidently rely on Him and Him alone. It is the moment the exhausted runner in the poem finally collapses, only to realize the pursuing footsteps halt right beside him, and the voice speaks a promise of final peace.

​The persistent love of the Hound of Heaven is not designed to terrify us, but to drive us to the only place where true rest exists: His presence.

Soon we will celebrate Christmas. What is it all about? We should realize it's all part of God pursuing us, to the extent of sending His Son, to endure pain, torture and human death, in the pursuit of our rescue. In the excitement of celebrations let us not forget that.

​Today, let's stop running. Consider what parts of our life we are currently using as a hiding place from God’s complete authority or intimate presence (e.g., control, busy-ness, self-sufficiency, ambition).

The Blue Collared Prophet

                                             

On this second Sunday of Advent, we light the second purple candle on the wreath—the Bethlehem Candle. While the first week focused on hope, this week turns our hearts toward Peace.

But today, we want to take a different view of "Peace". A view which was stated by Micah the prophet. Micah was known as the "blue-collar prophet" because, unlike Isaiah, who was an advisor in the royal courts, Micah came from a small, rural town called Moresheth. Yet he stated one of the most profound messages - found in Micah Chapter 5 verse 5 -

The verse explicitly states:

​"And he shall be their peace." (ESV)

While verse 2 is the famous prophecy about Jesus being born in Bethlehem, it is verse 5 that reveals the nature of His leadership. Here is why this specific line is so powerful for the second Sunday of Advent:

​1. Peace is a Person, Not a Policy

​Micah doesn't say that the Messiah will negotiate peace or bring peace like a politician. He says the Messiah will be our peace. In the original Hebrew, this implies that His very presence constitutes the state of peace (Shalom). When He arrives, peace arrives because they are one and the same.

​2. Peace in the Midst of the "Assyrian"

​The context of Micah 5:5 is wartime. Micah says, "And he shall be their peace when the Assyrian comes into our land..." At the time, Assyria was the terrifying superpower threatening to destroy Judah.

​The radical point Micah is making is that divine peace does not require the absence of an enemy. You can have the "Assyrian" (which can be your illness, your debt, your anxiety etc.,) marching through your heart and mind, and yet, because of the Messiah, you can still possess a peace that the enemy  cannot touch.

​3. The Bridge to the New Testament

​This specific Old Testament verse is the direct "ancestor" to the famous New Testament claim in Ephesians 2:14:

​"For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility."

When you light the candle of peace this Sunday, you are celebrating the fact that Jesus didn't just come to give us a "quiet feeling"—He came to be the fortress that stands between us and the chaos of the world.

Most of us wait for our circumstances to settle down so we can finally have peace. Micah 5:5 tells us the opposite: Peace has a name, and He stands firm even when the land is under siege. You don't have to wait for the war to end to be at peace; you only have to invite the Prince in.

The Door of Uncertainty

"It is the Lord who goes before you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. Do not fear or be dismayed."

When we face difficult situations in life, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and alone. we fear the unknown. However, as believers, we can take comfort in the truth of the quoted verse which reminds us that the Lord goes before us.

But what does it mean for the Lord to go before us? It is in fact a promise of divine preparation, presence, and protection. It’s a call to courage: step forward in faith, because wherever you are going, God is already there. And Because God goes before us, we are told: “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” 

Fear often comes from uncertainty, but this verse assures us that the future is already in God’s hands. 

Yet, there’s a deeper, more radical truth here: it means God is not bound by time the way we are. While we stand trembling at the threshold of “uncertainty,” He already inhabits both our future and our present. The battles we fear tomorrow are victories He has already secured. The doors we hesitate to open are rooms He has already furnished with grace. This verse is not just about guidance—it’s about God’s timeless sovereignty, reminding us that we are never walking into the unknown; we are stepping into a reality where God has already written redemption into the script. So, when we walk through the door of uncertainty, we are not entering risk—we are entering fulfillment, because the Author of time Himself has gone ahead to ensure that our story bends toward His promise.

Therefore, the future we fear is already filled with His presence, His preparation, and His power. He is already there, on the other side of the door, waiting to hand hold us.  The battles we dread, the uncertainties that paralyze us, and the doors we cannot yet see—He has already walked through them, arranging victory and provision. This means every step into the unknown is not a leap into emptiness but a stride into territory where God Himself is waiting. Courage is not found in our strength but in the unshakable truth that the Lord who leads us will never leave us, never forsake us, and never fail us. Therefore, fear has no authority, discouragement has no dominion, and hope becomes the anthem of every new beginning. 

When we walk through that door of “Uncertainty”, we are not stepping into chaos but into a space already ordered by God’s hand. The unknown is not a void—it is a room He has furnished with grace, a path He has cleared with purpose, and a future He has secured with His promises. What feels like risk to us is already redemption in His plan. So when fear whispers that we are unprepared, faith declares that the Lord Himself has gone before us, and courage rises because we are walking into a tomorrow where God is already waiting.  

The Key Lesson for Us Today is to take Courage in uncertainty by building our Faith & Trust in His promises. 

Temptation: Pastor Rajiv's Mid-Week Message

 

The Prophet’s Candle

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

All church going Christians must be familiar with the four pillars of Advent which started yesterday. These pillars of hope, peace, joy and love, reflect some of the virtues of our Christ, because they summarize the core spiritual gifts and promise brought into the world by the birth of Jesus Christ.

Also known as the “prophecy candle,” the candle of hope for Advent assures us we can have hope that God will fulfill the prophecies declared in the Old Testament about Jesus. Hope doesn’t disappoint us (Romans 5:5).

So today, we will talk about "hope". What is hope and how does it relate to Christ.

Hope is inherent to humans. When we sleep, we hope we will wake up the next morning. Every baby born is hope for a family. Everything we do is with a hope that there will be an expected end.

Jesus gives life to that hope. Hopelessness is not part of Gods plan. Even as you read this, you are living a hope - whether you acknowledge it or not.

Hope is not in the distant future. Hope is here and now. For example - When a person is sick and suffering he or she can hope for a Cure or Full Recovery (The big goal) and a Good Quality of Life Today (The small, achievable goal).

If you are looking at change or a shift in your life - in the longer perspective you want Control Over the Future. In the shorter term

Acceptance and New Meaning (The "new normal") of the present.

​Hope is not denying the dark night but choosing to light the small candle and affirm the Light that is promised to return. Therefore, 

• ​Hope is not denial; it is trust. We trust that even when our bodies fail, His love does not.

• ​Hope is not ease; it is endurance. That He Grant us the strength to face the next treatment, the next difficult day, and the next moment with courage, knowing He is our refuge.

• ​Hope is not control; it is surrender. Help us surrender our fear and anxiety into His hands, believing that His plan holds profound meaning, even if we cannot see it now.

Second, who needs hope? Why does the Bible give it so much importance?

The biblical call to hope is not about wishful thinking; it's about confident expectation based on God’s proven track record. The prophecies of the Old Testament, like the one from Isaiah, were written during times of national defeat, exile, and despair—true hopelessness.

​God’s message through the prophets was this: Your current suffering is not the final word. It still is not.  

​This Advent, the candle of Hope reminds us that:

• ​God sees our darkness. He doesn't minimize our pain, grief, or struggle, but gives us the strength to bear it till we receive our blessing. Our problem and pain get dwarfed by His power. Isaiah says the people were walking in "deep darkness"—a profound, overwhelming shadow.

• ​The Light is not accidental. The Light (Christ) was promised centuries before He arrived. This means your current despair, if you are feeling it, is temporary because God has a pre-planned, guaranteed solution that is already set in motion.

• ​Hope is anchored in history. We light this first candle because the promise was kept in a manger in Bethlehem. If God kept the promise to Israel after centuries of waiting, He will certainly keep His promises to you today. Think about your own blessings in the past. Unexplained good incidents; unsought blessings. God has your back. 

​Our hope is not dependent on our circumstances changing, but on God’s unchanging nature and His promise to make all things new.

As you look at the first candle, acknowledge the areas of your life that feel heavy, dark, or hopeless. Name the burdens, talk to God about them. Name them. 

This week, practice choosing to hope over despair, through action:

• ​Daily Focus: Every morning, identify one prophecy fulfilled by Jesus (like those found in Isaiah 7, 9, or Micah 5). Write it down and use it as a reminder: "He did this, so He will do that." At the same time recall one good thing that happened to you. 

• ​Light in the Darkness: When you feel overwhelmed by hopelessness, physically light a candle (the Advent candle, if available) and pray the prayer of Isaiah 9:2 over your situation. Let the flame represent the promised, faithful presence of Christ.

The Divine Exchange

Life in a fallen world inevitably brings moments of fear, uncertainty, and distress. We often find ourselves weighed down by the "what-ifs," the looming deadlines, the health concerns, or the relational tensions that steal our joy and peace. 

This constant undercurrent of worry is what the Bible calls anxiety. It's a heavy, oppressive burden that can make us feel isolated and exhausted. Anxiety creeps in when we try to control what we were never meant to carry.

​The Apostle Peter, who certainly knew a thing or two about intense pressure and failure, acknowledges this burden and offers a profound solution:

​"Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."

— 1 Peter 5:7 (ESV)

​This verse gives us a clear instruction and a deep promise. The instruction is to cast—an active, definitive movement, like throwing a heavy net off your shoulder. The promise is the reason why we can do this: He cares for you.

​In fact, Paul too said - 

"Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God". Philippians 4:6 (KJV)

Paul reminds us that instead of being anxious, we’re called to pray. Not once in a while—but in everything.

Why? Because Prayer is the exchange. You give God your worry and He gives you His peace. You give Him your burden and He gives you strength. 

The enemy loves an anxious heart, but peace guards the heart that trusts in Christ. Today, release what’s weighing you down. Turn your stress into supplication. Don’t carry what grace has already covered.

Prayer is not simply reciting a wish list; it is the mechanism by which we make the divine exchange. We hand over the heavy, crushing weight of our anxiety, and in return, God gives us His supernatural, unwavering peace.

​​Notice the distinct steps:

​Acknowledge: Don't suppress the anxiety. Bring "everything"—the big things and the small things—into God's presence.

​Pray with Thanksgiving: Even amidst the worry, we can be thankful for who God is, His past faithfulness, and His ultimate control. This perspective shifts the focus from the problem to the Provider.

​The Result: A Guarded Heart: The response is not just the absence of worry, but the presence of "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding." This peace acts as a divine sentinel, a guard posted over your heart (your feelings) and your mind (your thoughts) in Christ Jesus.

​A Peace that Surpasses Understanding

​This peace is not dependent on your circumstances changing. You don't get peace after the problem is solved; you get peace while you are walking through the problem. This is why it "surpasses all understanding"—it doesn't make logical sense to the anxious, worried world.

​The moment you deliberately articulate your fear to God and choose to trust Him with the outcome; you are engaging in this divine exchange. You are swapping a heavy, self-focused burden for a light, God-centered peace.

In a moment of prayer, picture yourself deliberately handing that specific burden over to God. Ask Him to replace that fear with the incomprehensible peace of Jesus.

Maybe you can pray like this - 

​"Heavenly Father, I confess that I often carry burdens that are too heavy for me. I am anxious, and I need your peace. Today, I actively cast [Name your specific anxiety] onto you, believing that you care for me. Thank you that I don’t have to understand the outcome to have your peace. Let your peace, which guards my heart and mind in Christ Jesus, flood my soul. Amen."

​Is there a specific area of your life you'd like to pray about right now? Don't wait. Exchange it! 

The Gentle Shepherd

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want..."

Look at this picture. 

Do you find anything wrong with it? Probably not. This is how we picture Jesus as our shepherd, right?

Well wrong. This picture is one sided.

The fact is -

In the ancient Near Eastern reality, a shepherd was very different.

​The Hebrew for shepherd is the word Ro'eh, which literally means a "feeder" or "tender."

​However, the detailed meaning is much more nuanced. The role of a shepherd absolutely necessitated the heart and skills of a warrior.

​In the ancient Hebrew context, you could not be a "good shepherd" without also being a fierce fighter. A warrior protector AND a provider and guide.

​Here is the breakdown of why the connotation of "warrior-protector" is embedded in the concept of Ro'eh:

​1. The Hostile Environment

​Our modern image of shepherding often involves rolling green, fenced pastures where sheep are relatively safe.

​In the ancient Levant (Israel), shepherding was done in the wilderness. The terrain was rugged, arid, and dangerous. A shepherd was leading defenseless animals through territories occupied by:

• ​Apex Predators: Lions, Asiatic bears, wolves, and leopards were common threats in biblical times.

• ​Human Threats: Bandits, raiders, and thieves who would try to steal the flock for food or wealth.

​A shepherd who was pacifist or cowardly would lose their flock very quickly.

​2. The Tools of the Trade: The Rod

​The famous phrasing in Psalm 23 mentions the shepherd’s two primary tools: "Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

• ​The Staff (Mish'enet): This was the long, crooked stick used for guidance, leaning on while walking, and gently hooking a sheep to pull it away from a cliff edge. This is the peaceful tool.

• ​The Rod (Shevet): This was distinctly a weapon. It was a short, heavy wooden club, sometimes tipped with metal or flint, worn at the belt. It was used to beat back brush, but primarily, it was used to bash in the skulls of attacking predators or thieves.

​When David says God’s rod "comforts" him, he means it is comforting to know that his Shepherd can protect him from any kind of an enemy. 

​3. The Biblical Prototype: David

​The best evidence for the "warrior" connotation is found in David, the archetypal shepherd-king.

​Before David fought Goliath, King Saul dismissed him as just a boy. David’s defense of his ability to fight a giant warrior was based entirely on his experience as a shepherd:

​"But David said to Saul, 'Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them...'" (1 Samuel 17:34-36, NIV)

​In Hebrew thought, David did not become a warrior after he left the sheepfolds. He became a warrior because he was in the sheepfolds. The wilderness was his boot camp.

​Summary: The Defensive Warrior

​The Hebrew connotation of Ro'eh is not an offensive warrior—a soldier who goes out to conquer new territory.

​Rather, it connotes a fierce, defensive warrior.

​The Ro'eh is motivated by deep care and possessiveness over the flock. The shepherd prefers peace and grazing, but if anything threatens what they love, they instantly shift into a violent, protective mode.

​So, while Ro'eh means "tender companion," the ancient context demands that this companion also be ready to fight to the death to protect their charge. And which He did. 

Now, when we change that mental picture of our Shepherd in our minds, does not the reality of the Psalms and other verses of the Bible truly come alive? Do not His promises of protection and provision become a reality? Does not the Bible and His word become our truth?

Radio Silence

In our day today life, many times we face radio silence from people - in emails or questions or any issue we may want resolved. And when we do its usually because -

A. We are not important enough

B. The other person has no answer

C. It may not be their priority.

But what happens when the Signal is Lost with God? How do we go about finding God in the Silence

​"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish?" - Psalm 22:1

​Have you ever felt like you’re shouting into a void? Like you’re tuning your spiritual radio, searching desperately for the familiar frequency of God’s presence, but all you get is static—or worse, total radio silence? That is one of the most difficult seasons of faith. We pray, we read, we wait, but the heavens seem brass, and the sense of divine nearness is gone.

​If you are currently experiencing this profound quiet, you are in good company. The Bible is full of saints who felt abandoned, from Job to the psalmists, and most profoundly, Jesus Christ himself on the cross. It’s important to understand that the feeling of distance does not necessarily mean God is absent.

​What can be the Purpose of the Pause? ​Why does God sometimes go quiet? While we can never know His full, mysterious will, the silence often serves a few key purposes in our spiritual growth:

​1. To Deepen Our Trust (Moving from Sensation to Faith): When God’s presence is emotionally overwhelming and visible, faith is easy. But true, resilient faith is built in the wilderness. The silence forces us to rely not on our feelings, but on the immutable facts of God's character: He is good, He is faithful, and He keeps His promises. We learn to trust the Promise-Giver even when we can’t perceive the Presence.

​2. To Cultivate Maturity (Learning to Search): When a child calls out, a parent often answers immediately. When a young adult is learning independence, the parent might wait, allowing them to solve the problem themselves. Silence encourages us to stop passively receiving and start actively seeking. It forces us into a deeper, more intentional study of Scripture and a more honest examination of our own hearts.

​3. To Prepare Us for the Next Assignment: Sometimes, the silence is simply a necessary time of rest and recalibration before a major spiritual breakthrough or a difficult mission. Think of the intense quiet before a massive storm, or the stillness required before a difficult operation. This pause allows us to be emptied of our noise and filled with His readiness.

​

​When the silence is overwhelming, here are three anchors to hold onto:

• ​Re-read the History: Go back to the moments in your life where you know God showed up. Write them down. These are your Ebenezers—stones of remembrance that testify to His enduring faithfulness. Your past proves His future reliability.

• ​Focus on the Cross: The silence you feel now is nothing compared to the cosmic abandonment Jesus experienced when He cried out, "My God, why have you forsaken me?" He did that so that when we walk through the shadow of silence, we never walk through it truly alone. He has been there.

• ​Worship Anyway: Worship is not a mood enhancer; it’s an act of will. It’s declaring God’s goodness before the answer arrives, before the signal comes back. Worship in the waiting shifts your focus from your lack of feeling to God’s enduring majesty.

​The absence of a signal doesn't mean the station has shut down. God speaks best in the quiet, and He never abandons His post.

​

Surviving The Fire

​2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (God of all comfort) 

​“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 reveals a core pattern of comfort and purpose in the Christian life: that God not only consoles us in our suffering, but equips us to become vessels of comfort for others. Paul writes that the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort “comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” This divine cycle transforms personal pain into communal healing, reminding believers that their trials are never wasted—they are redeemed into ministry, empathy, and hope.

​The Apostle Paul, who wrote these words, was no stranger to hardship. He faced shipwrecks, imprisonment, hunger, and persecution. Yet, he doesn't begin his letter with a complaint; he begins with a profound blessing to God, whom he calls the "God of all comfort."

​This passage reveals a powerful, two-step process in how God addresses our suffering:

​Step 1: God’s Presence in Your Pain (Verse 4a)

God is not distant when we are hurting. He doesn't wait for the affliction to end before stepping in. He is the one “who comforts us in all our affliction.” This comfort is not necessarily the immediate removal of the pain, but the awareness of His presence, the peace that transcends understanding, and the strength to endure. When we are afflicted, we are drawn into a unique intimacy with Him, relying on Him entirely because our own strength has failed. He knows exactly what we are going through, and He meets us there, pouring His mercy into our deepest wounds.

​Step 2: The Purpose of Your Comfort (Verse 4b)

This is the most remarkable part of the passage: God’s comfort is never meant to stop with us. It’s given “so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction.” Your struggle is not wasted. The deep compassion and understanding you gain from enduring your own trial becomes the precise tool you use to help someone else later. The comfort you received from God acts as a sacred relay baton. When you sit with a friend going through a hardship, you don't offer them textbook advice; you offer them the authentic, grace-filled comfort that was first given to you.

​The pain you feel is real, but it is also a preparation. It is forging within you a profound empathy, transforming you from a person who simply endured suffering into a compassionate source of solace for others. 

When you have survived the fire, you become a light for those still walking through the flames.

Unseen Battles

“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.”

— Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

We often hear people wonder - why do good people suffer bad things? 

​We often view our struggles—the anxiety, the sharp temptation, the persistent doubt, the relational friction—as purely internal or interpersonal problems. We fight against a bad mood, a difficult colleague, or a personal failure. But the Apostle Paul pulls back the curtain on reality, revealing that these surface battles are often just symptoms of a deeper, unseen warfare.

​You are a soldier in a spiritual war, whether you feel like one or not. The true enemy is not the person who angered you, nor is it the circumstance that caused you distress. The real enemy is the spiritual forces that seek to distract you, discourage you, and ultimately dismantle your faith. The target is your faith and the way is through your fear and temptation. 

​This truth is both sobering and empowering. Why? 

• ​Sobering: It reminds us that there is a strategic, intelligent foe actively working against our peace and purpose.

• ​Empowering: It shifts our focus from fighting symptoms to fighting the source. When you realize the battle is spiritual, you stop using fleshly weapons (anger, gossip, self-pity) and start using the only effective tools: spiritual weapons.

​Three Strategies for Spiritual Victory

​1. Know Your Enemy’s Strategy (The Lie)

​The primary weapon of the enemy is deception. He tries to make you believe lies about God, lies about yourself, and lies about your situation.

• ​Lies about God: "God isn't good. He has forgotten you. Your sin is too great for His grace."

• ​Lies about you: "You are worthless. You will never change. You are too weak to fight."

​Your Defense: The Truth of God's Word. When you are tempted to believe a lie, speak a corresponding truth. If you feel forgotten, recall: "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:8).

​2. Put on the Full Armor (Ephesians 6:13-17)

​Paul is insistent: we must be fully equipped. The armor is not optional; it is the provision Christ has given you for protection.

3. Fight from a Position of Victory (Intercession)

​Crucially, you are not fighting for victory; you are fighting from the victory already secured by Jesus Christ on the cross. Your power does not come from your strength, but from His.

​Paul concludes the armor passage with a call to prayer for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18). Intercession is how we deploy the spiritual weapons. When you pray, you are inviting the power of God into the unseen battle, and no spiritual force can stand against Him.

​

Think about this: 

• ​What "flesh and blood" struggle in your life right now might actually be a symptom of a deeper spiritual battle?

• ​Which piece of the spiritual armor do you feel you need to intentionally "put on" today?

​Prayer

​Heavenly Father, thank You for opening my eyes to the reality of the spiritual war. Forgive me for trying to fight my battles in my own strength. I put on the full armor of God today. I take up the Shield of Faith to guard against the lies of the enemy, and I wield the Sword of the Spirit, which is Your Word. Strengthen me to stand firm in the victory Christ has already won, and help me to pray ceaselessly for others who are in the fight. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.