Pray
That I May Declare It Boldly
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Put on the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to withstand on that evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand therefore, and fasten the belt of truth against your waist, and put on the breastplate of righteousness. As shoes for your feet put on whatever will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace. With all of these, take the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Pray in the Spirit at all times in
every prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert
and always persevere in supplication for all the saints. Pray also for me, so
that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the
mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may
declare it boldly, as I must speak.
Christians desperately need an alert
perception to detect their spiritual enemy. Always be on the alert.
If would be nice if God had giant
sirens to warn us of an attack by the devil. But He doesn’t operate that way.
Instead, we must read the Bible regularly, meditate on its truths, maintain a
prayerful attitude throughout the day, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Only
then will we be sensitive to an imminent assault by the evil one, and be armed
by grace to meet it.
Our Daily
Bread –