Armor of God (Eph 6:13) by Pavel Arestov

13 Jun Armor of God (Eph 6:13) by Pavel Arestov

Welcome God now with this LIFE Group Devotion (FB), provided by LIFE Runners (FB). Leaders. Guest Authors.
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“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.” ~ Eph 6:13 (full readings)
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Pavel’s Reflections: It’s no secret that we live in a world that is drowning in sin and the hearts of many are ruled by darkness. Every day almost 4,000 lives are lost to abortion in the United States alone.  In the news, we constantly hear of random shootings and stabbings, bombs being planted in crowds of innocent people, genocides fueled by hatred, and greed that claims the lives of many. In the midst of these atrocities many people turn to Christians and ask, “Where was your God?”  These acts are committed by people who threw down the armor of God and turned their back on Him. They thought they were “free”, but the second they lost their armor and the Holy Spirit left them, they were enslaved by a new master, a master of deception and darkness.  “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Tim 4:1). Without even realizing it, these people devoted themselves to serve evil.  We are called to put on the whole armor of God if we want to withstand the devil’s schemes. By putting on the armor of God and wielding the sword of the Spirit, not only do we acquire necessary protection, but we also gain proper knowledge and tools to spread Christ’s love and message of salvation throughout the whole world. God’s armor is acquired through prayer, study of God’s word and devotion to ministry. You must outcast yourself from the sins of the world and learn to love your neighbor if you wish to be God’s warrior. Also, fellowship with a brother or sister in Christ will help you grow in faith and put on all the pieces of God’s armor much quicker. A brother or sister in Christ is someone who will give you a high five when you withstand tough trials, encourage you to stay on the righteous path and set you straight when you decide to take a step in the wrong direction. Remember, iron sharpens iron (Prv 27:17).
* Pavel Arestov is a Russian-born American stationed at Ellsworth AFB in Rapid City, SD.  He serves as a teen minister.  Pavel is a LIFE Runner who often trains with LIFE Runners co-founder Dr. Pat.
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Faith Challenge: I urge you to devote yourself to the teachings of Christ, so you can grow in faith and be vigilant of the devil’s schemes.
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Counter-Culture News: LifeSiteNews, LifeNews, American Family, Vatican, Project Rachel.
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Our Prayers: Prayer to end abortion. LIFE Runners Creed. Add Prayers. Pray with meals, bedtime, wake up, etc. Consider mid-week Family Rosary (17 min). Let’s pray now.
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Feast Day: St. Anthony of Padua
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Faith Quote: “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” ~ Jn 9:5
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Through Christ our Lord,
Pavel