Bearing Light in a Dark World – Psalm 41:1-6

May 10, 2023May 17, 2023 / Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

On my best days, I am happy to let others go ahead. When things are going well, being generous and kind can be easy. But on days when I get cut off in traffic, my head pounds with a migraine, my gas tank is drained, I am caring for someone I love who is suffering, I open a letter of complaint from my HOA, and I am running late, considering anyone else’s needs feels like a stretch.

The words of Psalm 41 challenge me.

Jesus Calls me to Consider

1Blessed is the one who considers the poor! In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;
(Psalm 41:1 ESV)

Even on a bad day, I am still called to consider the poor. I am called to contemplate my role in restoration. So many times, Jesus considered and served people left out and marginalized. He set the example of kindness and generosity even when His enemies surrounded him.

God does not NEED me to serve the poor. However, He calls me to consider those who cross my path in need. He asks me to see their needs. In seeing others’ needs and serving them, I am incrementally being transformed into the likeness of Christ. I become a bearer of Christ’s light in a dark world.

2 the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; you do not give him up to the will of his enemies. (Psalm 41:2 ESV)

Jesus did not waste His precious time defending Himself or His reputation in the face of false accusations. God reigns despite what the enemy of our soul plots and schemes. His will prevails. I can trust that my enemies are not writing my biography; God is. He determines all outcomes and my legacy.

Jesus Sustains me to Serve

3 The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health. 
4 As for me, I said, “O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!”
(Psalm 41:3-4 ESV)

God will sustain me, and in due time He will restore my body on Earth or in Heaven. If I am on Earth, God must still have assignments for me to complete. When my earthly body breaks down, and it will, my sins or mistakes don’t determine if I remain ill or receive healing. The enemy of my soul would like me to dwell on my sins and mistakes and become hopeless, but God provides grace for me to bear the light of His hope.

Jesus Protects me against my Enemies’ Deadly Schemes

5 My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die, and his name perish?”
6 And when one comes to see me, he utters empty words, while his heart gathers iniquity; when he goes out, he tells it abroad.
(Psalm 41:5-6 ESV)

The enemy of my soul sends his emissaries to:

Plant seeds of doubt
Ask awkward questions
Speak curses
Collect evil
Spread gossip

But Jesus’ death on the cross protects me from the crushing weight of sin. I am saved from the death sentence but not from suffering. The enemy of my soul knows this. However, he continues to strategize ways to distract me with discouragement.

God has given me the weapon of His word. Declaring the truth of scripture in response to every falsehood the enemy utters defends my heart and mind. Speaking scripture floods my mind and heart with the light of Christ.

When I die, my name will be written in the Book of Life for all eternity. (Philippians 4:3)
My reputation is fiercely guarded and protected by my heavenly Father. (Psalm 135:13-15)
My heart can gather joy whenever I spend time with my heavenly Father. (Philippians 4:4-7)

What schemes is the enemy using against you today? What seeds of doubt does he try to plant? What curses have been spoken over you? What gossip is he trying to spread?

Prayer

Lord, help me to consider the poor, those You want me to serve. Help me to trust You for all outcomes. Thank you for sustaining me through difficulties and challenges. Please shield my heart and mind from the schemes of the evil one. Please help me to trust you more and more. Please help me to be a bearer of light in a dark world. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

**The rest of Psalm 41 focuses on Jesus’ final days of earthly ministry. To read more about that, check out this post: https://antheakotlan.com/2022/04/13/a-view-from-the-table-at-the-last-supper/

How are you bearing the light of Christ today in a dark world?

Got Grit? Psalm 30

January 18, 2023January 14, 2023 / Anthea Kotlan / 1 Comment

Grit is living life like it’s a marathon and not a sprint.
Angela Duckworth

Marathoner or Sprinter

One thing to be sure of is that I know very little about running. I am neither a marathoner nor a sprinter. While many members of my family enjoy running, I do not. Running is something that I have consistently avoided since I was a child. However, because I have shared life with more than one runner, I know about the consistency and determination it takes to succeed at running a marathon. Daily running schedules despite lousy weather, special shoes, and even diets designed to maximize stamina. Ultimately, preparing to run a marathon requires a runner not to quit.

Popular church culture teaches believers all about joy and abundance. Life as a believer can be portrayed as an endless array of positive affirmations and exercises in counting blessings. An expectation is set for a blessed and abundant life of ease for all who claim Christ.

But what happens when it doesn’t go that way? Please note that I used the word when not if.

Grit Required

Sooner or later, everyone who follows Jesus will experience disappointment. Eventually, many slam into the concrete wall of devastating loss and betrayal. What about the faithful wife whom her spouse betrays? The congregation who learns about their pastor’s secret life with waves of damaging revelation? The adult child who grows up with abuse inside his or her Christian family? What about the stage 4 cancer diagnosis that is not healed this side of Heaven?

In the Psalms, believers navigate times of disappointment, depression, and fear. Grit is required and starts with praise.

Choosing grit requires that I start with praising God.

In Psalm 30, King David begins with a huge praise report about how the Lord saved his life.

1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.
3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
(Psalm 30:1-5 ESV)

Setbacks and Sadness

David begins with praise but rapidly moves to the reality of setbacks and sadness. David failed God many times, and his failures hurt his family members.

Choosing grit gives me room to acknowledge sadness and setbacks.

From time to time, my heart will be broken by the brokenness of this world. I will also see my flaws and how I fail those I love. Yet, each time I experience sadness, anger, or bitterness, I can cling to the idea that this shall pass. God promises us new mercies each day. Weeping may stick around for a season, but joy will come again and again.

6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.”
7 By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed.
(Psalm 30:6-7 ESV)

Dismayed

In January, I often find myself making new year’s resolutions to commit to new patterns of behavior or to give up something that needs to go. Like David, I might claim, “I shall never be moved.” Unfortunately, in times of abundance, it is all too easy to over-promise what I believe I can do in my strength.

Also, like David, I become discouraged and dismayed within a very short time. I lose sight of the Lord when I become distracted by my agenda without His input. It can seem that the Lord hid from me, but it is much more likely that I stopped looking for Him or listening for His voice to guide me.

Choosing grit requires me to refocus on the Lord.

8 To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy:
9 “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you?  Will it tell of your faithfulness?
10 Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!”
(Psalm 30:8-10 ESV)

Sometimes when life feels unbearable, I can move to “worst-case scenario thinking.” David may have found himself there. When I become this discouraged, I might even try bargaining with the Lord.

Please rescue me so I can praise You.

Please do this so that I can do that for You.

While I can cry out to God to help me, trying to persuade Him to act by suggesting He needs me is laughable.

Surrender

The Lord Almighty does not need me to do anything for Him. He does not respond to me trying to negotiate a deal. Instead, he calls me to surrender my agenda and commit to His. This will be ongoing work for me on this side of eternity. I must ask the Lord to help me to develop true grit to persist in seeking Him daily and, possibly, hourly. I need to surrender to His will.

11 You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!
(Psalm 30:11-12 ESV)

True grit is true surrender.

A deep and abiding joy comes out of complete surrender. God will provide joy for those who persist in surrendering daily, hourly, or even from one minute to the next. The Christian life requires grit and determination to keep on and finish well.

Prayer for Times of Sadness

Thank You, Lord, for turning my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. May I sing Your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever! In Jesus’ name. Amen

(Psalm 30:11-12 ESV)

Is It Still Easter? Psalm 110

April 20, 2022July 6, 2022 / Anthea Kotlan / Leave a comment

(Women throwing glitter confetti in the air.)

The uphill journey to Easter Sunday from the low country of Lent takes effort and persistence. The steep pathway circles around the mountain week after week. Just as my calves feel shaky and I don’t think I can keep going, the view of Easter Sunday fills the frame. The top of this mountain, vast and spacious, provides room to sit and bask in Easter joy.

In early March, I began my journey through the forty days of Lent and contemplated Jesus’ sufferings. Lent helped me refocus my attention on God by inviting me to give up something. Spending time in Jesus’ suffering as He walked to the cross makes the joy of Easter Sunday sweeter. The Holy Week services from Palm Sunday to the Saturday Easter Vigil prepare me much more deeply to celebrate the Resurrection on Sunday.

Easter, in the Anglican tradition, is certainly not a single-day event. Long after we have found all those brightly colored plastic eggs, there is a great deal left to discover in the fifty days of Easter. Could it be another invitation to shift focus? How could I usher in feasting and celebration to take center stage?

Soul tending in Psalm 110 gives believers an invitation to the ultimate resurrection party.

Psalm 110 for Easter

1 The Lord says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool."  
Psalm 110: 1 ESV

Jesus completed His holy assignment here on Earth, reconciling believers with the Lord. He then sat down at the Lord’s right hand by invitation. God was satisfied. Jesus sits in the front row, watching how the Lord continues to demonstrate His power over anyone or anything coming against Christianity. While various battles continue, the Lord has won the war once and for all.

In these fifty days of Easter, how will I sit down and take time to consider what Jesus has done for me? I tend to run hard and rarely take breaks until I fall and collapse. I say this not out of pride but out of humility. I don’t believe God is pleased by my endless going and doing. So how can I take time in this season to sit with my savior?

2 The Lord sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Psalm 110:2 ESV

What does it look like to rule in the midst of your enemies? Because the Lord seeks reconciliation, not annihilation, Jesus will rule on His throne even now. He will lead amid wars, oppression, and natural disasters.

3 Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. Psalm 110:3 ESV

We celebrate and give thanks for all Jesus has done during the Easter season. His mercies are new every morning, and great is His faithfulness to us.

This verse also points to a verse from Revelation about holy garments.

Let us rejoice and exult, and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; 8 it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure" (Revelation 19:7-8 ESV)

4 The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, "You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek."  Psalm 110: 4 ESV

Abraham met this priest and was blessed by him after a battle (Genesis 14:18-20). The psalms remind everyone of God’s promises fulfilled in Jesus. So much of the Old Testament all pointed to the coming Messiah.

5 The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. Psalm 110: 5 ESV

No world leader or military power will be strong enough to oppose the Lord. Therefore, the day of His Wrath will be the ultimate judgment day.

6 He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide Earth. Psalm 110:6 ESV

All at once across the entire Earth, and without exception, the Lord will cast His judgment. Some will oppose Him, and they will pay with their lives. Others will fall on their knees and worship Him. No chiefs or worldly authorities will prevail on this final day of judgment.

7 He will drink from the brook; therefore he will lift up his head. Psalm 110:7 ESV

Verse 7 points back to the cross. One way Jesus speaks about preparing to die on the cross is to compare it to drinking from a cup of suffering. At one point, even the disciples become sure they are capable of this sacrifice.

Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?"  
They said to him, "We are able." 
(Matthew 20:22 ESV)

This verse reminds us of the cost of Jesus’ victory. He drank from a brook of suffering, a continuous flow of beatings and abuse. However, he did this willingly. The apostle John describes the final moments of Jesus’ life on Earth.

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 19:30 ESV

Jesus gave His life for us. No one took it away.

Psalm 110 reminds me to celebrate the Easter season for fifty days? What can I do at the ultimate resurrection party?

I thought of three suggestions that all start with the letter F.

Flowers – celebrate this season of new life in Christ by bringing some flowers inside your house. A modest bouquet or potted lily or tulip for less than ten dollars. The blooms could serve you and others who gather in your home with a gorgeous reminder of God’s love.

Feasts – what exceptional food could you serve during the Easter season to remind you of the goodness of the Lord? Or maybe you could try a new food or drink?

Festivals- celebrations – in the last two years, more than one special celebration had to be scaled back or canceled entirely. Are we experiencing a festival deficit? Perhaps we need to gather our people and set aside some space on our calendars to celebrate during this particular season. Depending on where you live, maybe even an outdoor garden party might be in order.

How about you? How could you mark this celebratory season?

Prayer

Lord, we invite you to the party we want to throw during the Easter Season. You are our honored guest. We can’t wait to gather our people and talk about you while we break bread and drink wine. Help us to fill every seat at our table with friends and family. Thank you, Lord, for providing a gorgeous flower centerpiece featuring a bit of the glory of your creation. Please fill our mouths with your songs of remembrance and laughter. Amen

Are you feeling lost, disoriented, or out of time in this season of Advent? Psalm 25

December 8, 2021July 6, 2022 / Anthea Kotlan / 5 Comments

Decades before GPS was available at my fingertips, my children and I roamed the earth in a Honda minivan, getting lost on many occasions. The only thing worse than getting lost with your own young children is getting lost with your friends’ children at the Houston Zoo.

Had I been to the Zoo before?

Sure, I had always gone with people who possessed a fabulous sense of direction. What didn’t I know? I had set off on a grand adventure with a friend who also had no sense of direction.

Somehow, we managed to arrive at the Zoo with little or no trouble, but that’s when it all started to go wrong. Let me explain to those of you who can drive to Dallas without consulting Google maps or even perhaps your local grocery store. The struggle for those with zero sense of direction is truly real. We are a small group in the general population, but on that fateful day, two adults lacking an internal compass came together. As we stepped into the parking lot of the Zoo with six children in tow, we had no idea the challenges we would face.

If anyone had been tracking us, they might have noticed the inefficient way we meandered around the Zoo. We must have passed by the East Indian Elephants no less than a dozen times. As we ambled along with our small gang of young ’uns, we became distracted by our own conversation and endless requests for snacks. The animals, the signage, the photo opportunities, and crowds conspired to leave us wandering and wondering. Did we stop and study the map of the Zoo? A map for me is a lovely illustration of objects that may or may not be near or far away.

Hours later things would turn ugly when our six tired children needed to go home, and two mothers had no clue how to find the freeway to go back out to the suburbs of Houston. No amount of gripping the steering wheel brought clarity and a deep sense of dread began to bubble up inside me. A cold sweat beaded up on my forehead. At one point I even took out my ancient, folded map. We both looked at it as we sat on the side of the road trying to determine a way forward. Nothing.

The digital clock on the dashboard counted down the minutes to rush hour. Sheer panic mixed with paralysis glued me to the driver’s seat. Our supply of cold juice boxes and time were dwindling rapidly.

With just over two weeks left until Christmas, it’s far too easy to feel lost, disoriented, and out of time. In this season of Advent, the Anglican prayer book offers a prayer for the third Sunday of Advent (December 12, 2021) that speaks to our need for direction and waypoints in life’s spiritual journey.

O Lord Jesus Christ, you sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise make ready your way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient toward the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world, we may be found a people acceptable in your sight; for with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Anglican Church in North America Book of Common Prayer 2019 (page 599)

Questions

Am I taking time this Advent season to make way for more of Jesus in my life?

Do I live a life reflecting the hope found at the second coming of Jesus?

Psalm 25 offers some wisdom for these questions.

Psalm 25

1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

2 O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me.

3 Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

4 Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths.

5 Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
(Psalm 25:1-5 ESV)

This morning I will choose to lift my soul to the one who created it, by reading my Bible and praying. Even when I don’t have time, I will choose to trust my divine creator to make provision in all ways. I will seek Your next steps for me and not my own. Help me learn about Your path for my life. I want to go where You call me to and wait for your prompting and not get ahead or behind Your daily guidance.

6 Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O Lord!

8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. Psalm 25: 6-10 ESV

Lord, teach me to remember Your mercy. Help me forget my sins and transgressions and see Your steadfast love. Help me to keep a humble posture towards You. Lead, teach and guide me in Your paths of faithfulness.

11 For your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.

12 Who is the man who fears the Lord? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose.

13 His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land.

14 The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.

15 My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
Psalm 25: 11-16 ESV

Lord, in Your presence I long to abide. In mercy, You extend friendship to me and a rescuing hand when I find trouble. Help me keep my eyes always on You. At this most joyful time of the year, loss and sadness can eclipse the glow of Christmas lights. In the darkest times, I will find solace in You as my soul-satisfying companion.

17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses.

18 Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.

19 Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me.

20 Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

21 May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.

22 Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.
Psalm 25:17-22 ESV

Lord, You are my deliverer, one who understands me, the guard of my soul, my protector, and the only one worthy of my waiting.

Advent Prayer from Psalm 25

Lord, as I spend time in Your word today, I am reminded of Your kindness to me, and I give thanks. You know all about my propensity towards getting lost. You hear my cries, and You provide what I lack. Thank you for finding me and showing me the way of salvation when I was lost. Help me to live a life pointing the way for fellow travelers. This Advent season let me use my time wisely to prepare the way for others so they can see the hope I am holding on to in this season. Amen

Back at the minivan just outside the Zoo in a moment of collective brilliance, we both looked up and noticed a built-in compass above the rear-view mirror. We knew we lived North of Houston. Surely, if we traveled North, we would eventually get back to Spring. Maybe?

The good news is we made it back home, eventually.

How about you this Advent? Are you making your own way or following what the Lord has for you? The gift of not having any real internal sense of direction has always reminded me to seek daily and even moment by moment directions. I may even have multiple GPS apps on my phone. However, when it comes to my spiritual life, I give thanks today to the Lord who never tires of showing me His way. He is always ready to give me turn by turn directions in real-time.

Can I Break Free from the Grip of Anxiety? Psalm 13

August 25, 2021July 6, 2022 / Anthea Kotlan / 1 Comment

The Oxford dictionary defines anxiety as: “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.”

My childhood was steeped in a tradition of ominous concern for all outcomes. My mother is particularly gifted in creating worst-case scenarios. She was an apocalyptic prepper long before it became trendy.
Honestly, my inheritance of anxiety has been nourished and watered by me for many years. It’s a hard habit to break. My default setting is to worry first and pray later. I must intentionally surrender my fears and anxieties to God.

Does anxiety have a paralyzing grip on me?

Anxiety leaves me feeling small and weak and quite focused on myself.

Psalm 13 is a psalm of lament. The author feels desperate and without hope. I believe psalms of lament provide a liturgy for processing through feelings of deep sadness and fear. As I read the first two verses of Psalm 13, I notice the author feels overwhelmed with a state of lack and longing. Telling God exactly how I feel is never a problem. Crying out to him provides a chance to process my feelings, and that is the only healthy way to process them.

1 How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?2 How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?
Psalm 13:1-2 ESV

In these opening verses, the psalmist expresses frustration with delay. “How long?” is a question focused on what I don’t have. I want a right now solution. The psalmist focuses on what he believes has not been considered or attended to by God. Have I questioned God’s timing on solving a problem I have prayed about? Choosing to believe that I am not getting what I deserve, and God is neglecting me, may cause me to become spiritually vulnerable to the enemy’s deceptions. I can choose to stop feeding the anxiety beast and stop focusing on what I don’t have.
How long? The real answer to that question is when it’s the best time according to God. The ideal timing of God’s provision for anything I ask for is based on things I don’t even know that I don’t know. Releasing my urgent need to know, brings freedom and peace.

The question in verse 2 feels like it was taken directly from my own life. “How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?”

Have I taken counsel or advice only from myself at times? Yes.

I believe that God designed us to thrive in community. Isolation can lead to seeking advice based solely on my own experience. Sometimes I need a fresh perspective from a godly friend or mentor. All too often, isolation can lead to sorrow or even depression. I can feel isolated in a room full of people. One lie that I have believed at times is that I am the only one to have experienced something. Or I am the only one to have made such a terrible mistake. There is very little new under the sun. If I am willing to be vulnerable with a trusted friend or family member, I might find someone else who can help me carry the burden, because he or she has traveled this road as well.
The second part of verse 2 asked about my enemy. Who is my enemy? The person who cut me off in traffic. The family member who betrayed my trust. The church leader who failed me when I needed her help the most. In the pain of the moment, any human may play a role.

Who is our real enemy?

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesian 6:12 ESV
My true enemy is Satan, and he utilizes spiritual forces that trespass into heavenly places. The good news is that God has provided the ultimate victory for us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In Ephesians chapter 6, Paul goes on to challenge us to put on our spiritual armor.
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 firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…Ephesians 6:13-18 ESV

When do I need to put on my armor?

We are called to suit up daily with the armor of God. Pray through each piece of armor and ask God to provide this for you and those you love. Carefully pray each verse and imagine you are putting each piece on.

Fasten on the belt of truth
Put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Put on the shoes for your feet, the readiness given by the gospel of peace.
Take up the shield of faith
Put on the helmet of salvation,
Carry the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

What are the benefits of using the armor of God?

Suiting up with God’s armor will break the grip anxiety has on our minds and hearts. Putting on the armor will also free us up to accomplish some important kingdom-building work.

Praying at all times – continually praying throughout the day and night
Praying in the Holy Spirit – letting God guide our prayer agendas • Keeping alert –avoiding distractions
Persevering— keep going• Receiving a renewed opportunity to pray for other Christians