Standing Firm with the Sword of the Spirit

Jan 16 – Jan 23

The Full Armor of God

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  01/19/21

Many people feel as though we are living in very ungodly times, and they are right. Our world is changing at a breakneck pace. At times, the moral decline of our society seems overwhelming. The appalling lack of true love, respect, and worship for the Lord is disheartening.

While these times certainly can seem desperate, they also are some of the most exciting times to be alive. The opportunity to know Christ and to make Him known is greater than any other time in history. Truly, the Lord has provided a broad door for us to travel through to proclaim His love to the world—the advance of technology has made it vastly easier to reach the nations for Christ.

And so, with this opened door comes a responsibility—one that demands us to take seriously our call to follow Christ. For, righteous living is one of the most compelling means of witnessing to the world the transforming power of the Gospel.

Paul recognized the importance of godly living and sent Titus to the island of Crete for one reason: to establish a plumb line of godly Truth and morality. The believers in Crete, like so many New Testament Christians, came from a pagan background. Therefore, the temptation to compromise their walk of faith with Christ was highly seductive, not unlike the culture in which we live today.

While the power of temptation was broken on the cross, we must remain keen to the enemy’s tactics and the ways the world would lead us astray. Begin each day by putting on the full armor of God (see Ephesians 6:11-17); then you will know how to stand victoriously against the enemy for your good and for the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Father, thank You that I have victory over the enemy and, through Jesus Christ, the power to live with hope for the future! I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12).