A YEAR OF PRAYER
A PRAYER TO STAND FIRM IN THE BATTLE
Put on the Full Armor of God
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 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.
13 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.
14 Stand therefore… —Ephesians 6:10 - 14aStand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place. —Ephesians 6:14
THE BELT OF TRUTH
“The understanding of the whole of God’s character as defined doctrinally and theologically in The Bible.”
BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
THE BIBLICAL DEFINITION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS:
“ALL THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD”
My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteousness. —Psalm 119:172
RIGHTEOUSNESS – THE STANDARD GOD REQUIRES
Righteousness imputed by faith
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous. —Romans 5:19
Righteousness put on through obedience to Christ
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. —Romans 8:14
1. The breastplate of righteousness protects the “heart” as to cultivate the imputed seed of righteousness.
Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. —Proverbs 4:23
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? —Jeremiah 17:9
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,
10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. —Philippians 1:9 - 1118 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. —Matthew 7:18 - 20Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the Lord, till He comes and rains righteousness on you. —Hosea 10:12
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. —Matthew 6:33
Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock? —John 4:12
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.
38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” —John 7:37 - 38And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. —Romans 12:2
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. —Galatians 2:20
1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side.
3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed. 6 He said to me, “Son of man, have you seen this?” Then he brought me and returned me to the bank of the river.
7 When I returned, there, along the bank of the river, were very many trees on one side and the other. 8 Then he said to me: “This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. 9 And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever [c]the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes. 10 It shall be that fishermen will stand by it from En Gedi to En Eglaim; they will be places for spreading their nets. Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many. 11 But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt. 12 Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine.”[d]
Borders of the Land
13 Thus says the Lord God: “These are the borders by which you shall divide the land as an inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. —Ezekiel 47:1-13a law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. —Psalms 1:1 - 3