Influencers Weekly Devotional

The Real Struggle

By Bryan Craig

Are you struggling? The struggle could be with something or someone. It could be financial. It could be relational. It could be situational. It could be emotional. It could be any number of things, but the truth is: there will always be times of struggle. In light of a recent, personal struggle, God reminded me of Ephesians 6:12: “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.” Wow! God helped me put my struggle into perspective. This struggle involved a person, someone who seemed to always bring darkness into my world. In my flesh, I wanted to reject this person, yet with this scripture, I began to understand the source of the darkness which was emanating from this person. It reminds me of the time when Jesus was telling his disciples the fate of His crucifixion, and Peter blurted out, “Never, Lord! This shall never happen to You!” Jesus said, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Matthew 16:21-23 Jesus recognized the resistance coming out of Peter was not Peter, but rather, it was from Satan. Likewise, our struggles with men and our struggles within ourselves, have dark sources. Satan is a real being, and he is working in this world. In John 12:31, he is called, “the prince of this world.” So, he has been given temporary rule and dominion in this world. In 1 Peter 5:8, it says he “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” It also appears that his organization and his reach is quite large, as it talks about rulers, authorities and powers in this world, as well as forces in the heavenly realms, all pitted against us. The real struggle is a spiritual one. Thankfully, God tells how to fight the battle. “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish 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. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Ephesians 6:13-18 This battle plan spoke to me the following: #1. Belt of Truth: We must have Jesus, who is the truth, at the center of our life, first and foremost. #2. Breastplate of Righteousness: We must guard our heart, for it is the wellspring of life. We must purify ourselves of anything unholy which we are allowing to reside in our hearts. We must also remember that out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. With Jesus at the center and with clean hearts, we will know how to engage with fellow man. #3. Readiness: We must always be alert, with our spiritual radar up, looking for opportunities to be ambassadors of peace. We must also be on guard against the devil’s schemes. #4. Shield of Faith: We must be in community with fellow believers. As we give ourselves to the needs of others, pray for one another and bear one another’s burdens, we are less vulnerable to the enemy. #5. Helmet of Salvation: We must guard our minds, just like our hearts. We must take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. We must think pleasing thoughts and look for the good in others. We must remember our salvation, never forgetting what Christ has done for us. #6. Sword of the Spirit: We must be self-feeding in God’s Word. If we are seeking the Lord in His Word, He will give us the scriptures we need for every battle. Also, the more we are in the Word, the more we will be able to recall the scriptures when we need them most. Remember, when Jesus was attacked, He always fired back scripture. God’s Word is mighty. God’s Word is God (John 1:1)! #7. Pray: We must pray continually. In prayer, God undergirds all of the rest of our armor and weaponry. He reveals the mind of Christ to our fleshly bodies. He even helps us pray for those with whom we thought we were struggling, and He helps us pray about those inner struggles. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Next time you’re feeling a struggle, remember that there is a spiritual component somewhere in the background. Satan is actively working to divide us from God and to divide us from others. He is also constantly trying to discourage us or tempt us to fall. We cannot change other people, and many times we cannot change our circumstances. However, you can stand firm, in the midst of difficult circumstances, donning God’s armor, ready with His Word, fervent in Prayer. God is with you. Download file