In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God[.] Ephesians 6:16-17
There is a slight delay (excuse) in my plan to resume my study of Isaiah, so today I once again listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion - which today encourages us to take hold of the promises of of God in our fight against unbelief and sin. Piper makes a profound statement to help us appreciate how it is unbelief that leads to anxiety which then leads to many other sins. He says: "[u]nbelief in the promises of God is the root of anxiety, which, in turn, is the root of so many other sins." In my own life, I can say with certainty that as I drew closer to God through more disciplined scripture reading, prayer, etc. I felt - and can now look back on progress - how God was renewing my mind (Romans 12:2) and sanctifying me through a transformed heart and life. I am new creation - and I can feel the fruits of the Spirit - my hope is that others can as well.
To help us, Piper provides not just Ephesians 6:16-17, but also the following verses as additional examples of God's promises:
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My Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are an incredible God - One whose promises ALWAYS come true - I can trust, have faith in, and lean on You, the Word, the Holy Spirit, etc. to never leave or forsake me and be with me as I battle anxiety, unbelief, sin, etc. Thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of how You bless me in these ways. My sin is great and it continues. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
