Dec 29, 2020 … Standing Firm

Berry Patch Devotions in 2020 - Day 364 

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...   Please take the time to take in song and lyrics from Emily Beth Bond singing … Courage to Stand …  poignantly singing of how we need to take a courageous stand for Christ against our spiritual enemies. 

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Highlight Passage:   Ephesians 6:12 [ESV] ... 

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

…  We are called by God’s word to stand firm against our unseen enemies. 

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Highlight Passage [Context]: …  Ephesians 6:10-20 [ESV] …  USE THIS LINK … 

… Paul teaches Christians that we must wear the full armor of God to stand firm against our enemies in spiritual warfare. 

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Reference Passage: … Proverbs 3:5-6 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK … 

…  We must trust and follow our Lord … no matter what, … not relying on our own power. 

Reference Passage: … 1Chronicles 16:11[ESV] … 

11  Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually!  

…  We must continually see to rely on God’s strength to stand against our enemies. 

Reference Passage: … Hebrews 11:1 [ESV] … 

1  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 

…  Our faith gives us the courage to stand firm against our unseen enemies.   

Reference Passage: … 1Peter 5:8 [ESV] … 

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

…  Our spiritual enemies stalk us continually; so, we must be prepared ALWAYS to stand firm.  

My Devotional Journal: Today's Our Daily Bread author, Amy Peterson, AT THIS LINK tells of some 19th century Indiana miners who encountered strange noises and smells as they mined for coal, … stopping and ceiling up the mine in fear, … not having the courage to mine further to find the rich deposits of natural gas which were producing the scary sounds and smells.  

Everyday we face scary forces we can’t see or explain.  And this has especially been true in 2020, hasn’t it?  Well, as the young girl sings in the linked song, we are called, as disciples of King Jesus, to stand firm and follow Him into battle every day.  That’s what the Apostle Paul was writing about in the highlight passage, … exhorting fellow Christians to stand firm, wearing the “full armor of God,” and using God’s strength to do battle as we face our enemies in spiritual warfare every day.  

So, I pray we do just that as we move into 2021, taking strength from the truth of the Scriptures above and facing up, with faith in God’s strength, to follow our Lord into battle today and all the tomorrows of our life.  

My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for Your armament and strength to do battle against our unseen enemies. 

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray that all reading here will join me, to put on the full armor of God today and take up the sword of the Spirit to stand firm and do battle into 2021.   … Amen

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.