Bridget A. Thomas
Every day is a gift!
Luke 4
Read Luke 4 in your Bible. Or you can also read it here.
When reading about the way the devil tried to tempt Jesus in the desert, I love how Jesus always came back with an answer. And not just any answer, but He used Scripture every time. This reminds me that studying the Bible helps us when we face battles in life.
“The truth is that we live in a fallen world, and as Christians we are going to see adversity. Much of it, I believe, comes from Satan. He is our enemy whose desire is to bring us down, which means we have to be prepared. When a young person joins the army, he goes through training. In the beginning he has to go through boot camp, which gets him into shape quickly. Even when boot camp is over, he doesn’t cease to keep his body fit. He doesn’t stop his target practice. He has to stay sharp and ready in case of battle. The same is true for Christians. We have to be ready every single day. Our enemy doesn’t stop. He doesn’t take a nap, and he doesn’t declare peace. So we too need to be on guard at all times, and the Bible is our weapon. Hebrews 4:12 says, ‘For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.’ This verse shows us how powerful the Bible is. When we are faced with any adversity, we can use Bible verses as our armor. This is precisely what Jesus did when the devil tried to tempt Him, in Luke 4:1-13.”1
In this passage of Scripture, we see how Jesus stood on the truth found in the Word of God. And we can do the same. When we are facing a difficulty, we can use the truth found in the Bible as our defense. But I encourage you to start reading the Bible on a daily basis now. Don’t wait until you are in trouble. When you make reading the Bible a consistent and solid habit in your life, you are allowing the Word of God to flow through your heart and soul. Then you will be strong and ready for battle when you need to be.
The Bible is a precious gift that the Lord has given us. It is our guidebook and our love letter. We have so much to gain from reading it. And when we are consistent, it is amazing how we draw closer to God and find a new sense of peace in our lives.
If you are also participating in the Gratitude Challenge, today is day 75 of 100. You are three quarters of the way there. I hope you have seen how gratitude is helping improve your outlook!
© Bridget A. Thomas. 1 Excerpt from Giving God Your Whole Heart by Bridget A. Thomas.
Bridget A. Thomas 
The importance of reading the word so that we are ready for battle is such an important reminder. I do think that nowadays with the instagram culture, reading snippets of verses on posts or devotions have become the only source of Gods word for some. I love those posts and devos, but we have to remember to not let that be the only source but actually pick up the Bible and spend time studying it.
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You make a great point. And in our culture, people want something quick and shiny that makes them feel good. Many don’t want to do the hard work. But when we spend quiet time with God, it really does change everything.
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You are so “spot on” with this post Bridget! As Christian soldiers we never arrive (at least this side of heaven). We must always be on high alert–like gazelles on the African savannah. The enemy of our souls is constantly on the prowl. As Paul said, we must “resist him, steadfast in the faith.” Thank you for such a timely word this morning. Blessings!
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You are absolutely right, David. The enemy is always studying us and looking for ways to attack. He is so good at what he does. And he is sneaky too. Many times we don’t realize what is going on. Having a strong foundation in the Lord is vital. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. Blessings to you too! 🤗
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i suppose
however spiritual warfare
is more subtle
day to day
choices
free will
do right
or destroy yourself
oh oh
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A fine line it can be
In this race we run
Must be careful
And cling to the One
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sounds too like that yes song.
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You are right, the importance of having an arsenal of Godly knowledge and (hopefully) wisdom can not be overstated. I also like the continuing theme of authority and power throughout the rest of the chapter.
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And this goes along with your comment from yesterday. You mentioned the verse you use when you or someone in your family is facing something difficult. That was a perfect example of how the Word of God helps us fight our battles!
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Nothing like the power of God’s Word to fight our battles! His Word is living and active. I love how Jesus spoke the Word to defeat the enemy. We get to do the same. Thanks Bridget.
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Amen! What a precious gift we have, in the powerful Word of God! 🙏✝️🙌
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