Good morning, Lord Jesus. King of kings and Lord of lords, come rule and reign in my heart and every moment of my day. ...
“Your people shall be volunteers in the day of Your power; in the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning, You have the dew of Your youth” (Psalm 110:3 NKJV).
My family and I returned from our vacation last night. Back to the “Real World.” I awoke this morning, made some coffee, and turned on the news. I watched an update on the war in Ukraine and saw for that over one hundred thousand Ukrainians from around the world have returned to fight for their homeland -- volunteers in the day of battle.
In some ways, the battle for the soul of Ukraine is a prophetic picture of the battle for the soul of the earth. At times the constant shelling of all we hold dear is unbearable: Covid, inflation, gas prices, attacks on our faith, mass shooting of our children…. while the seemingly indiscriminate bombing of the innocent is unthinkable. At times the odds seem overwhelming and victory, or even a return to some form of peace, a return to some type of “normal” seems hopeless.
But Your Word encourages us: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4 NKJV). And Your Words encourage us: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Lord Jesus, we look to You--for the people of Ukraine and for ourselves as the children of God, called by Your name throughout the earth and chosen to live out our lives and our calling through these times. By the stirring of the Holy Spirit within us, we volunteer freely on the day of battle. And this is the day of battle--the day of battle for our souls and for the soul of the world.
After the witness of the courage of the Ukrainian people, give us Your courage to fight the battles before us--“strong and very courageous” (Joshua 1:7). Put Your weapons in our hands and Your words in our mouths, with Your Spirit stirring in our hearts. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).
Armed with Your spiritual weapons and clothed in Your spiritual armor, may we run to the battle and volunteer willingly to take our place and make our stand in You, just as Your Word commands:
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 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.
Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:10-18). In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
My family, may you be stirred by the Holy Spirit to run into the battle and volunteer freely to take your stand in Christ, as Christ stand’s in you, to be victorious and more than a conqueror today and throughout these days, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you, my friends!
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In July I will step out of pastoring Toney UMC and pour completely into planting and growing simple house churches in our neighborhoods. Please pray over this season in my life and that of my family. Please partner and support myself and One Direction community through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, PO Box 1293 Madison, Al 35758.
