Devotions

“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. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness” (Ephesians 6:13-14, ESV).

The word ‘truth’ here in the “belt of truth” actually doesn’t mean the Word of God. Most people don’t realize this. The sword of the Spirit, mentioned later on in this series of verses, is called the Word of God. Truth here simply means sincerity. God has armor for us, and one of the first things he wants us to put on is sincerity. In other words, be real because you can’t be protected if you’re an actor.

Satan is the master actor, the master deceiver. He comes as an angel of light (see 2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

So any act of insincerity — act one way at church and another way at home, anything secret, anything hidden, anytime we cover up with a false exterior — that’s just like whistling for the enemy to come and attack.

He’s going to launch an attack against many of us at one point or another anyway, so why invite more of his attention?  How many of us, since we became a Christian, have gone through some battles with the enemy? How many of us have experienced spiritual warfare? It’s hard for some of us to even admit that because we’re afraid that someone will hear that and say, “Whoa, I thought you were victorious in Christ! What do you mean Satan’s attacking you?”

He attacked Jesus for 40 days and 40 nights! This is why the Bible says, “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13). You don’t know what the person beside you is going through, but if we can be honest and sincere with one another and encourage one another with God’s promises, we will be able to stand firm against our enemy.

^{Jim Cymbala began the Brooklyn Tabernacle with less than twenty members in a small, rundown building in a difficult part of the city. A native of Brooklyn, he is a longtime friend of both David and Gary Wilkerson.}

I was led to read and study Revelation 9:1-12, the chapter on the locusts. As I read verse 4 about God’s command to the locusts not to destroy anything green, a thought leaped out at me.

I realized that the key to remaining safe in any time of terror was to “stay green.” David wrote, “I am like a green olive tree in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever” (Psalm 52:8, NKJV). The “green” that David refers to here signifies spiritual health. It means to flourish, grow, be fruitful. David is telling us, “My health comes from trusting God. I flourish because I turn to him. My trust in him produces spiritual life in me.”

Here is a glorious truth about the power of staying green. “Thus says the Lord; Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord. For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited” (Jeremiah 17:5-6).

The Lord is warning us, “Don’t trust in man. If you put your faith in human power rather than in me, you’ll be cursed.”

The passage goes on, though, to describe what our faith will produce if we put our trust in the Lord. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit” (Jeremiah 17:7-8).

As we trust wholly in the Father, we put down roots in his river, and his divine strength—luscious, green, spiritual health—flows in us and through us. While everything around us is decaying, we’ll flourish as green trees, healthy and strong. When the hour of trial comes, we won’t languish or wilt. Instead, our faith will be growing.

Sadly, much of Christ’s body today resembles a modern-day Valley of Dry Bones (see Ezekiel 37:1-14). It is a wilderness filled with the bleached skeletons of fallen Christians. Ministers and other devoted believers have flamed out because of a besetting sin. Now they are filled with shame, hiding out in caves of their own making. Like Jeremiah, they have convinced themselves, “I will not make mention of [the Lord], nor speak anymore in His name” (Jeremiah 20:9, NKJV).

God is still asking the same question he asked Ezekiel: “Can these dry bones live again?” The answer to this question is an absolute “Yes!” How? It happens by the renewing of our faith in God’s Word.

The Word of the Lord is a consuming fire. Indeed, it’s the only true light that we have during our dark nights of despair. It’s our only defense against the enemy’s lies when he whispers, “It’s all over. You’ve lost the fire, and you’re never going to get it back.”

The only thing that will bring us out of our darkness is faith, and faith comes by hearing God’s Word. We simply have to cling to the Word that has been implanted in us. The Lord has promised, “I will not let you go down; therefore, you have no reason to despair. There’s no cause for quitting. Rest in my Word.”

You may think, “But this dark night is worse than anything I’ve ever known. I’ve heard a thousand sermons on God’s Word, but none of it seems of any value to me now.” Don’t fret; God’s fire still burns in you, even if you can’t see it. You’re to pour onto that fire the fuel of faith. You do this by trusting the Lord. When you do, you’ll see all your doubts and lusts consumed.

God’s Spirit is breathing life again into every set of dry bones. He’s reminding them of the Word he implanted in them. Those who once lay dead are being revived, and they’re crying as Jeremiah did, “God’s fire has been shut up in me for too long. I simply can’t hold it any longer. I can feel the Lord’s power raising me up. He’s putting life in me, and I’m going to speak the Word he gave me. I’m going to proclaim his mercy and healing power.”

The Bible tells us that Jacob received an incredible revelation through a face-to-face encounter with God: “Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved” (Genesis 32:30, NKJV). What was the circumstance surrounding this revelation? It was the lowest, scariest point in Jacob’s life. At the time, Jacob was caught between two powerful forces: his angry father-in-law, Laban, and his estranged brother, Esau.

Jacob had labored over twenty years for Laban who’d cheated him time after time. Finally, Jacob had had enough, so he took his family and fled without telling Laban.

Laban gave chase from the east with a small army, ready to kill Jacob. Only when God warned Laban in a dream not to harm Jacob did this man let his son-in-law go. No sooner was Laban out of the picture, however, than Esau came from the west. He too led a small army of some 400 men, seemingly ready to kill his brother for stealing his birthright.

Jacob faced total calamity, convinced that he was about to lose everything. The situation looked hopeless; yet in that dark hour, Jacob had an encounter with God as never before. He wrestled with an angel that scholars believe was the Lord himself.

Now, think about Job. In Job’s darkest hour, God appeared to him in a whirlwind, and the Lord gave this man one of the greatest revelations about himself ever granted to any human being.

God described the mysteries of the natural world from the cosmos down to the depths of the sea. He pointed to the secrets of creation. Job was shown the utter glory and majesty of God, and he emerged from that experience praising God, saying, “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You…. Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You” (Job 42:2-3, 5).

Something marvelous happens when we simply trust our Lord. A peace comes over us, enabling us to say, “It doesn’t matter what comes out of this ordeal. My God has everything under control. I have nothing to fear.”

Throughout scripture, the greatest revelations of God’s goodness came to people in their times of trouble, calamity, isolation and hardship. We find an example of this in the life of John. For three years, this disciple was “in Jesus’ bosom.” It was a time of rest, peace and joy with few troubles or trials. He knew Jesus only as the Son of Man. So when did he receive his revelation of Christ in all his glory?

It happened only after John was dragged from Ephesus in chains. He was exiled to the Isle of Patmos where he was sentenced to hard labor. He had no fellowship, family or friends to comfort him. It must have been a time of utter despair, the lowest point in his life.

That’s when John received the revelation of his Lord that would become the final element of scripture: the Book of Revelation. In the midst of that dark hour, the light of the Holy Ghost came to him, and John saw Jesus as he’d never seen him before. He literally saw Christ as the Son of God.

John did not receive this revelation during Jesus’ days on earth or even while he was working alongside the other apostles. No, it was in his darkest hour that John saw Christ in all his glory. This incredible revelation put John on his face, but Jesus put his hand on John and reassured him, declaring, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death” (Revelation 1:17-18, NKJV).

I believe this revelation comes to every praying, hurting servant in his or her time of need. The Holy Spirit says, “Jesus holds all the keys to life and death, so everyone’s departure rests in his hands.” This revelation is meant to bring peace to our hearts. Like John, we are to envision Jesus standing before us, holding the keys to life and death, assuring us, “Don’t be afraid. I hold all the keys.”

What is our response to be? Like Job, we are to say in faith, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).