Godβs Word is an important weapon we have, to fight our spiritual battles, stay close to the Lord, and follow Him. Here are five ways you can arm yourself with the Word of God!
{ This post and the photos within it contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking an affiliate link, my ministry gets a small commission, with no extra cost to you. See my full disclosures HERE. }
Have you ever felt like youβre just really struggling in your faith? Like temptations are around every corner, waiting to trip you up? Or doubts and other negative thoughts are filling your mind?
If so, youβre definitely not alone. Being a Christian can be wonderful, like being filled with Godβs peace and so thankful for His grace and forgivenessβ¦ BUT at the same time, true Christianity is a fight.
Itβs a struggle to overcome sin, to stay focused on Jesus, to do what the Bible says, to avoid worldly influences, and so on and so forth. Jesus never said it would be easy!
Over the years, Iβve had so many tug-of-war episodes with myselfβ¦ all the times when I shouldβve helped someone, shouldβve had a better attitude, chided myself for a seeming inability to show kindness to a stranger, fell into sin for the umpteenth time, etc. etc. etc.
And Iβd think, whatβs wrong with me? What kind of lousy Christian am I?
Turns out, a normal one!
If youβve ever struggled and wondered if thereβs something wrong with youβ¦thereβs not. Youβre just a normal Christian, fighting the battle of your sin vs. Godβs righteousness every day.
Dear friends, donβt be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very gladβfor these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world.
1 Peter 4:12-13 (NLT)
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
π Question is, what can we as Christ followers do to gain the upper hand in those spiritual battles?
βοΈ The Bible says simply, to arm yourself with the armor of God!
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lordβs people.
Ephesians 6:13-18 (NIV)
This armor of God list begins with truth, righteousness, the gospel message, faith, salvation, the Holy Spiritβ¦ and concludes with the Word of God and prayer. And the fact that Godβs Word (the Spirit) is described as the sword, tells us itβs a very powerful weapon indeed!
I know, depending on where youβre at in your relationship with God and your knowledge of the Bible, it may seem daunting or even downright unappealing. But I promise, the more you study it, the more youβll see that Godβs Word is truth, and is ALIVE with everything you need to fight your battles well.
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.
Psalm 119:103-106 (NIV)
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. Nothing in all creation is hidden from Godβs sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Hebrews 4:12-13 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
That being said, itβs not always easy to arm yourself with the Word of God! You know how it isβ¦ life gets busy, the devil is nipping at your heels, and it seems like worldly influences crowd out your best intentions.
5 Ways to Arm Yourself With The Word of God
So, whatβs a sincere Christian to do? What are some ways you can arm yourself with Godβs Word, and not just read it (and forget what you read five minutes later)? Letβs regard it like the weapon it is, pick up that sword, and use it!
1) Study It In-Depth
The first way to arm yourself with the Word of God, is simply to study it more in depth. Set up a regular study time, and use whatever creative Bible study methods are helpful for you. Consider how you learn and retain information best (such as by listening, through visual imagery, by doing (writing/creating), by partnering with others in a group setting, etc.).
Iβm telling you, Godβs Word is life! There is just SO MUCH rich truth and wisdom in it to help you in those everyday battles. So listen to a Through the Word audio study, grab some great Bible highlighters and take notes, create art in a journaling Bible, do some verse mapping, join a weekly Bible study group at church, or whatever helps you to absorb the Scriptures better.
2) Meditate On It
In Philippians 4:8, weβre told to think about βwhatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirableβ. And Godβs Word is all of those things! So, take every opportunity you can to dwell on the Scriptures. Read from the Bible app and ponder that Scripture while youβre waiting in lineβ¦ do a Bible verse coloring page and think about what that verse meansβ¦ do your morning Bible study, and then ponder and pray over it while youβre brushing your teethβ¦ and so forth.
3) Surround Yourself With It
Another way to arm yourself with the Word of God, is to put the Scriptures EVERYWHERE! Put on the whole armor of God, not just when youβre actively reading the Bible or praying, but everywhere you canβ¦ in your mind and your surroundings.
Place key Bible verses on sticky notes on your bathroom mirror, in your car, or wherever you might need to see it. Hang your favorite Bible verses to live by in prominent spots, like above your bed, in your kitchen, or next to your desk at work. Wear a silicone Scripture bracelet with your favorite verse. Use a Christian planner that will keep you stay focused on Jesus. Listen to Christian music (which is based on the truths of Scripture).
The bottom line is, there are so many ways to surround yourself with Godβs Word! And even better if you remove the worldly influences in your surroundings, and replace them with Biblical truth.
4) Speak It Out Loud
Speaking Godβs World aloud is such a powerful way to saturate yourself with those truths! Next time you feel backed into a corner of sin, or in a pit of doubt and despair, read some Bible passages out loud. The Psalms are especially good for this, but you can do it with any Scripture. For exampleβ¦
No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
Romans 8:37 (NLT)
I remain confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27:13-14 (NIV)
We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)
5) Apply It To Your Life!
And finally, our last way to arm yourself with the Word of God, is to APPLY IT TO YOUR LIFE! Every day, pray for God to grow you and help you apply the wisdom He gives. Make the effort to put the Scriptures into practice.
Even the simplest things, like trusting Him more (Proverbs 3:5-6), praying continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and spending time with fellow believers to encourage and build each other up (Hebrews 10:24-25, Colossians 3:16) can make a huge difference in your ability to βfight the good fight of faithβ (1 Timothy 6:12).
Which of these ways to arm yourself with the Word of God do you find most helpful?
Hi! Thank you so much for visiting Divine Creative Love. I’m a Jesus-lovin’ girl, lettering artist, designer, and general creative-at-heart. And, I have narcolepsy. I blog about faith in God, overcoming challenges, and creative topics such as Bible journaling. If you’re new here, be sure and subscribe to my list so you won’t miss anything!
Thank You so much, I’ve been going through somethings.
Very encouraging!
You’re welcome. Praying for you ππ»