Be Prepared

Opening Thoughts

Have you ever found yourself in a situation and thought, “I wish I had prepared for this!”

I certainly have! This past Sunday, I shared about running a 10K without ever having trained beyond a 5K. Somewhere along the way (within the first 1K), I discovered that while running the race was a terrible time to realize I hadn’t prepared for it!

The same principle applies to following Jesus.

Throughout our “What Are You Wearing?” series, we’ve learned about the armor God has given us. But Paul doesn’t simply tell us to know about the armor. He tells us to put it on, take it up, stand firm, and pray.

These are actions we are called to take as we follow Jesus every day.

Don’t wait for the battle to prepare for the battle

This Week’s Scriptures

Ephesians 6:17b–18 (NIV)

Read these verses again, paying particular attention to Paul’s instructions.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119:11 (NIV)

BELIEVE

God has already given me what I need to stand firm.

His Word is living, active, and powerful. My responsibility is to put His truth inside me so that I am ready to use it when the battle comes.

And prayer isn’t my panic button. Prayer is the beginning and ongoing connection to God. I don’t have to wait until life becomes difficult to seek Him. I can live in dependence upon Him today.

Spiritual preparation also isn’t something I do alone. God has given us one another to encourage, pray for, and help each other grow.

I don’t prepare because I can stand in my own strength. I prepare because I know I need His.

DO - Practice Looking Like Jesus

On Sunday, I asked you to consider this question:

What is ONE thing I need to begin doing now that will prepare me to stand firm later?

Perhaps you identified one of these steps:

• Begin reading God’s Word daily.
• Memorize a Scripture.
• Establish a regular prayer rhythm.
• Begin intentionally discipling your child.
• Invite a mature believer or couple into your life or marriage.
• Join a small group and stop trying to follow Jesus alone.

Now comes the important part: begin.

You don’t have to accomplish everything this week. Start with the one thing God has placed on your heart. If it’s Scripture, open your Bible today. If it’s prayer, set aside time to talk with God. If it’s a relationship, make the phone call or send the invitation.

Take one action today that will help you live in the armor God has given you.

PRAY

“Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me what I need to stand firm. Help me to put Your truth inside my heart and develop a daily life of dependence upon You. Show me where I need to prepare rather than wait for the pressure to arrive. Give me the discipline to take the next step, and surround me with people who will encourage me to keep following Jesus. Help me to also encourage others. I don’t want to stand in my own strength. I want to stand in Yours. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.”

Remember

Five weeks ago, we began this series with three commands:

BE STRONG. PUT ON. STAND FIRM.

As we finish What Are You Wearing?, remember that the battle is real. The enemy is real. But so is Jesus!

And we don’t stand in our strength. We stand in His.

DON’T WAIT FOR THE BATTLE TO PREPARE FOR THE BATTLE.

THIS WEEK’S MEMORY VERSE:

“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.”
Psalms 18:30 NIV

Read it. Say it. Memorize it. Let God’s Word become part of the way you think and live today.

Following Jesus together, with our armor on,

Pastor Mark