Category Archives: Jesus

WOW Ministry Weekly Devotion — The Word Our Indispensable Weapon

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“Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”  Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Dear Devoted and Determined Princess Warriors, 

Our WOW verse for this week comes from the section of Scripture that Paul wrote

regarding the armor of God. He shares about the weapons God has given all believers to combat the assaults and attacks of our enemy.

Paul used the familiar Roman armor of his time as an example. Most of the pieces Paul listed of the armor were used to protect the vital organs of a Roman soldier: the helmet, the breastplate, the belt, the shield… However, one of the weapons was meant to take on and defeat the enemy. This piece of armor was the sword. 

The sword of a Roman soldier was more like a dagger — short, double edged, and extremely sharp. The fact that it was double edged made it easier to penetrate, as well as to cut in every way. It was deadly and used during up-close and direct combat. Paul refers to this weapon as“Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Jesus modeled the use of this spiritual weapon as He was tempted in the desert (Matthew 4). Satan, himself, came to Jesus tempting Him to sin. Jesus answered each temptation with these words, “It is written.” He not only knew the Word of God but knew that it was all-powerful and effective against the enemy and his schemes. He used the “Sword of the Spirit” in the up-close and personal combat He was experiencing that day. The Word of God was His indispensable weapon. You and I need to know and understand that truth also! 

“We have an enemy, and that enemy is real!” These are the words I remember hearing the first time I attended WOW.  At that time, I did not know and understand how important it was for me to recognize my enemy and to stand against his schemes. It was also of upmost importance that I recognized the spiritual weapon I needed to pick up and use to combat the enemy — “…the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

At that time, I was living in up-close combat with my enemy, but I did not pick up the Word of God to fight. Believe me, my enemy knew it. He would not let up on his assaults against me.

The Word of God was of no use to me because I did not pick it up and use it. I wasn’t studying the Word, praying the Word, listening to the Word, or living according to the Word. My lack of using the“Sword of the Spirit” was evident in my life. I did not live in peace, love, joy, patience, and the truth I needed to combat the lies of the enemy.

The Word is an indispensable weapon in the midst of spiritual warfare. Do you have it stored up in your heart so that you can pick it up and use it? As you are reflecting on what I have written, do you recognize that you are not using your weapon, “…the Sword of the Spirit?” Are you experiencing death and defeat in your life because you are not picking up the Word and using it? 

God desires for us to live in victory! We do not have to live helplessly assaulted by the lies of our enemy! We can “be strong in the Lord” and “stand firm!” (Ephesians 6:10 and 14) But we must “Take… the sword of the Spirit” and use the weapon God has given to us!

May we devote ourselves to God and the study of His Word. May we listen carefully and take to heart all that He says. May we receive it, believe it, and obey it fully!

This week’s song is “The Word is Alive” by Casting Crowns.

Love,

Janet

Devoted and Determined in the Word

New Beginnings in The Book of Acts — When It’s Convenient

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Today is Acts 24.

Paul stood before Felix the governor. The High Priest brought in a lawyer to level accusations against him. Paul once again used this opportunity to present his faith in Jesus. Felix would call for Paul off and on several times while Paul was kept in custody.

I am struck by Felix’s reaction to Paul and his faith in Jesus: 

“As Paul talked about righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, “That’s enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you.”” Acts 24:25 NIV

Do we react as Governor Felix did? He was afraid when faced with his own shortcomings — SINS. He told Paul he had heard enough for now, and he felt he could listen at his convenience. May that never be the way we respond! 

The Holy Spirit points out our shortcomings — SINS so we can repent of them. In repentance, there is freedom. Acknowledging that we have done wrong and we need forgiveness as well as the Holy Spirit’s power to overcome the SIN is the path to freedom from the SIN that holds us in chains! When the Holy Spirit points to an area of our lives that we have chosen sin over God’s way, may we be eager to repent!

Felix did not want to rely on God for freedom from SIN. He did not want to live as God wanted him to. He did not want to hear of the judgement he faced if he did not come to God in repentance. Felix wanted HIS own way above God’s. He thought he could come to God when it was “convenient.” He had his own power, position, and authority. He did not want to surrender in total obedience, total submission, and total dependence on God. He chose to remain in the darkness of his SIN.

May we have a soft heart towards the Holy Spirit and be quick to repent!

New Beginnings in The Book of Acts — Testify!

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Today is Acts 22.

There is power in the testimony of what Jesus had done for you. Paul was not afraid to tell the people his testimony, even though it was controversial and unacceptable to testify that Jesus, God’s son wanted Paul to go to the Gentiles to proclaim God’s favor towards them. Paul knew God had chosen him years before on the road to Damascus to do just that. Ananias told Paul shortly after his encounter with Jesus himself:

“…The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from his mouth; for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard.” Acts 22:14-15 ESV
We have been called too. The Holy Spirit has been given to us as well empowers us to testify. We are to know this is His will. We are to “be a witness for him to everyone of what we have seen and heard.” Our testimony of God’s goodness in our lives will point others to the truth we have found. Lives will be changed!

Come Holy Spirit make us witnesses! Let us share our testimony!

New Beginnings in The Book of Acts — We Need Him!

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Today is Acts 21.

The Holy Spirit spoke to the believers who were friends with Paul. He told them that Paul would be arrested in Jerusalem. Paul already knew this as well, and he was fully convinced that God had told Him to go to Jerusalem any way. He was prepared to suffer whatever he would suffer. Because he knew he had to testify of Jesus there.

Sometimes the direction of our lives leads us down hard roads. This does not mean that God is not with us when we face difficulty, or that we have missed God’s will. God has a plan in each and every path He places us on. The end of that plan is always for our good and for His glory! We can trust Him in this. Hardship is part of life here in a world that is tainted by sin. The only place we find free of that is heaven where there are no more tears, no more sadness, no more sorrow.

This is why our loving Heavenly Father sent the Holy Spirit to us. He is the Comforter. The question arises as we look more intently at the Holy Spirit within us: Do we need the Holy Spirit? YES! We need His comfort, we need His guidance, we need His teaching, We need His power. The Holy Spirit in us is God’s gift to help us navigate life’s hardest twist and turns.

May we seek to know Him better and to live our lives in His fullness!

New Beginnings in The Book of Acts — Nothing Else

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Today is Acts 20.

Paul speaks the elders at the church of Ephesus that he dearly loves. He tells them that he knows the Holy Spirit is compelling him to go to Jerusalem, and he knows that hardship awaits him. Even so, Paul has set in his heart to obey and to go. His only desire was to obey God and to do exactly what God had called him to do. Paul says this:

“But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24 ESV

Life is not easy, and living for God with a heart that is wholly His is not normal to the world around us. Those around us, who do not know God, do not value Him or His ways. But Paul had an encounter with Jesus Himself, and Paul had experienced the fullness of the Holy Spirit in his life. He was forever changed and wanted to know God alone. He only wanted to please God no matter what.

Have you come to that point in your life? Have you had an experience with Jesus and found that He alone satisfies? Have you entered into fellowship with the Holy Spirit? Can you hear Him speak to you, and do you know He hears you when you pray? This is what you were created for! Nothing else matters! 

My prayer is the same as Paul’s. May I testify of the grace of God in my life! God has been so very good to me! I want you to experience that same goodness! But that goodness is only experienced when you surrender your life to Him. That is when the Holy Spirit fills you to overflowing and you experience the same Jesus Paul encountered on the road to Damascus and the same Holy Spirit the disciples were filled with in the upper room at Pentecost.

May our hearts be His alone! Come Holy Spirit!

New Beginnings in The Book of Acts – Have You Received Since You Believed?

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Paul went to Ephesus on his missionary journey. When he arrived there he found disciples there who had believed. They had not heard of the Holy Spirit and had only been baptized with John’s baptism of repentance. Paul explained:

“John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.”” Acts 19:4 ESV

They were baptized and then Paul placed his hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit. Once again the Holy Spirit filled the people as He did on Pentecost:

“And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.” Acts 19:6 ESV

God had not changed. He filled the believers in Ephesus with the same promised power and presence of the Holy Spirit. God has not changed still today! We are a part of the promise:

“For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”” Acts 2:39 ESV

Come Holy Spirit!

New Beginnings in Acts — Do Not Be Afraid!

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Today is Acts 18.

Paul frequently went to the synagogues to reason with the Jews explaining that Jesus was the Messiah. He testified of Jesus to both Jews and Gentiles. Several times he was rejected, even to the point of hostility.

One night Jesus spoke to Paul in a vision.

“And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent,” Acts 18:9 ESV

The world will reject knowing Jesus. There will be opposition from those who have hardened their hearts. But we are to not be afraid to speak of Jesus to those around us. Because the Holy Spirit can soften the most hardened of hearts.

We are to follow Jesus’s directive as well! “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent,”

New Beginnings in Acts — God Wants Us to Know Him

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The Altar to the Unknown God
Found 1820 Palatine Hill

Today is Acts 17.

Paul and his companions continued on their missionary journey spending time in various gathering places declaring the gospel of Jesus. Some received the message others did not and would try to incite the crowds against him. Each time Paul would move on but continue to share Jesus.

Paul ended up in Athens, Greece. He was greatly distressed to see the number of idols that were in the city. He noted that the people there were very religious. They were searching for God, the one true God. They even had an idol erected in honor of the “Unknown God.” That very God they were looking for did not want to be unknown in their lives. He had been speaking to them all along.

“The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,” Acts 17:24-27 ESV

We are not that different than the people of Athens. We erect all kind of things we worship instead of the true and living God. We run after our ways, our thoughts, and our own ideas instead of following His Word. But our God wants us to KNOW Him. This is why He sent Jesus and this is why He longs to fill us to overflowing with the Holy Spirit. He wants us to seek Him and find Him.

Do we?

New Beginnings in Acts — Saved Through Grace

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“Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.”” Acts 15:10-11 NIV

Today is Acts 15

There was a division in he early church. A council met to discuss this division. Some of the Jewish believers wanted the new Gentile believers to be circumcised so that they could observe the Jewish law. Peter spoke to the council with these words, “We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus…”

Salvation does not come through rituals, traditions, works, being an extra good person… Salvation is through grace alone! There is nothing we can do to be saved, except admit that we are sinners, believe in Jesus, and confess He is our Lord!

God is not looking for us to join a religion. He is wanting us to be in a relationship with Him. This was evident when the Gentiles, heard the Word of God and believed, the Holy Spirit was given to them. It was the same for the Gentiles as the Jews.

Hear the Word! Receive the Word! Believe the Word! This is the way to truly love God. Our love will be expressed in our obedience to Him.

Then we will experience God in a deep and intimate relationship, what we were created for.

New Beginnings in The Book of Acts — Midnight Revival

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“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.”
‭‭Acts‬ ‭16‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Today is Acts 16.

Paul and Silas were thrown into prison for doing a good thing, casting a demon out of a slave girl. Not only were they thrown into prison they were beaten with many blows of rods. Then they had their feet put in stocks and were kept in the inner prison so they could not escape.

Their reaction was to pray and to praise God out loud. Loud enough the other prisoners heard them. Then an earthquake happened and all the bonds fell off the prisoners and the doors were all opened. But they did not run away instead they stopped the jailer from killing himself in fear. That jailer then wanted to know Jesus. He took Paul and Silas home, washed their wounds and listened to them. He and his entire household were saved and baptized.

What seemed like defeat and helplessness turned into a great victory as the Holy Spirit enabled Paul and Silas to be witnesses to the one who held them in jail. What could have been time for a pity party and defeat was a midnight revival- prayer meeting and worship time! God took what was evil and made it an opportunity to show His love, power, and salvation!

As we die to ourselves and live in the power of the Holy Spirit, God will be glorified in every situation! His goodness will always prevail!