[Editor’s Note: Yes, the writing team is still on hiatus! But, in the meantime, we’re praying you’ll be blessed and perhaps challenged by another week of devotionals from January 2024.]

When we hear the word authority, we tend to picture presidents, military generals, CEOs, professors, pastors, theologians, experts, and the like. Since most of us are not any of those, we can think that this whole idea of having spiritual power in everyday places does not apply to us. Who do we think we are?

But: As our pastors regularly remind us, we are image-bearers. Genesis 1 tells us that God created humans in “his image and likeness.”

“Image-bearer” is not just a description or an identity; it is also a job description, a vocation. The human vocation, what it means to be a human being, is to “be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and steward it into fruitfulness.” In other words, humans are called to bring God’s wise and good rule and authority into all of God’s Creation. We are to work, under God and with God, to be part of God causing his Kingdom to come and his will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Yes, absolutely, sin defaces and distorts that image. But it does not erase that image or the calling that accompanies it. That image and calling are redeemed in Christ by the Spirit. That’s what took Paul to Ephesus.

Notice Paul’s “theme” as he steps into his image-bearer job description in Ephesus: he argued “persuasively about the kingdom of God.” When Paul entered Ephesus, several “kingdoms” were already in place and in operation: the kingdom of the Roman Empire; the kingdom of the goddess Diana, along with other gods; the kingdoms of local history and culture, economic kingdoms, social kingdoms, personal kingdoms of the powerful and well-placed.

Paul’s proclamation of God’s kingdom confronted all those other kingdoms with the beauty and truth and power of the Gospel. When Jesus is proclaimed as the world’s true King, those other “kings” don’t like it! This is what we mean when we speak of “spiritual warfare.”  This is why Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus that “we aren’t struggling against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and powers” (see last week’s passage, Ephesians 6:10-18).

Who do you think you are? Well, God sees you as a redeemed-by-Christ bearer of his image … as a member of his family and citizen of his Kingdom … as a representative and authorized agent of that Kingdom … as a carrier of his authority and power into your everyday places.

In Christ, you are actually quite awesome!  

Lord, give us the humility and the courage to learn how to be who you say we are: bearers of your image, representatives of your Kingdom, authorized agents for your purposes.

[Editor’s Note: Yes, the writing team is still on hiatus! But, in the meantime, we’re praying you’ll be blessed and perhaps challenged by another week of devotionals from January 2024.]

I hate snakes. They’re my number one phobia, and I prefer to have absolutely nothing to do with them. Kids bring home a book about snakes from the library? “Have your sibling read that one with you.” Snake exhibit at the zoo? “I’ll wait outside, kids.” Seeing a snake in the wild? That’s me running in the opposite direction!

Listen, I know snakes are around, but we have an unspoken agreement: they go about their business, and I go about mine. I don’t disturb them, they don’t disturb me, and we all live in relative peace…

…until we don’t.

A few years ago, it became necessary to take out and replace the original landscaping around my house. Up until that point, I hadn’t seen many snakes in the yard, but after their habitat was disturbed? I saw snakes everywhere for weeks, and my fight or flight response was on high alert every one of those weeks, and even after I spotted the last one! 

I had the authority as a homeowner to do whatever needed to protect the structural integrity of my house. This wasn’t merely a beautification project; the holly trees had become overgrown, and their roots threatened the foundation of the house. 

Sounds a little bit like the Spiritual Authority in Everyday Places we’ve been learning about, yeah?

I hadn’t counted on stirring up the resident snake population, but honestly, I should have expected it when I started inserting myself into their “kingdom.” 

In Acts chapter 19, Paul really stirred up the “snakes” when he started boldly teaching about Jesus. By “snakes,” I mean those who had bent their wills against the truth (v.9) and those who tried to use the authority of Jesus without being under his authority (v.13).

Those kinds of snakes are always around. Even if there’s an unspoken agreement – we don’t disturb them, they don’t disturb us – we should expect that those kinds of snakes will come slithering out of their holes when we insert ourselves into their kingdoms.

In other words, when we have the authority to do something in Jesus’s name and follow through boldly and unapologetically, we can expect to experience some resistance from the spiritual realm. In Paul’s case, the snakes got what was coming to them. The evil spirit they were trying to expel in Jesus' name gave them a lesson they surely never forgot (v.15), and people turned to Jesus in a deeper, more life-changing way. (vs.17-20).

For the record: it’s always worth it to stir up the snakes for the good of the Kingdom!

Stirring up the snakes comes at a cost. Protecting the foundation of my house against the roots of oversized holly trees was disruptive not only to the resident snake family, but to everyday life and my bank account. But the end result was worth the cost of time, money, and snake sightings! Is there an area of your life where it’s time to start stirring up the “snakes”?

[Editor’s Note: Yes, the writing team is still on hiatus! But, in the meantime, we’re praying you’ll be blessed and perhaps challenged by another week of devotionals from January 2024.]

Not long ago, I received some upsetting news about one of our sons and his job. It was a situation over which I had no control – or so I thought. 

The same afternoon that I had received the news, a dear friend stopped by for an unexpected - but most welcomed - visit. When she saw my countenance was low, she asked me what was wrong. Through tears, I shared the news I had received. I declared, however, “I will trust God to watch over our son.” To this my friend replied, “Well let’s pray right now and ask God to remove your son from that situation all together.” 

In that moment, I realized that my posture of “I will trust God” while not incorrect, was certainly incomplete. It lacked spiritual authority. I took a passive position and not one of boldness. I have wondered why I was ready to accept defeat before the battle had even started. Was it a lack of faith? Was a passive perspective simply more comfortable? 

The same thing could not be said of the Apostle Paul. He was persistent and bold in delivering the Gospel message. He understood the authority given to him for the purpose of bringing God’s power to bear on a situation. He knew he had the Truth, and his confidence was in the Lord. He did not compromise but spoke authoritatively to opposition. 

As believers in Jesus, we too have the divine call to pray boldly, to fearlessly speak God’s Truth over situations. After all, several scriptures tell us to go to the Lord with confidence! (Hebrews 4:16, for instance). We may not see the results immediately (or ever). In fact, this passage tells us that Paul preached for two years at the same location before any change occurred in the hearts of the people. 

Since that prayer with my friend, I have a new boldness as I journal my petitions and talk with God. Of course, I continue to trust Him with the results, but I am awake in new ways to the spiritual authority offered to me in Christ. 

How about you? Do you believe your prayer can effect change through the authority given to you in Jesus? Go boldly to the Throne of Grace today with confidence that the Lord hears your plea and will answer according to His perfect plan. 

[Editor’s Note: Yes, the writing team is still on hiatus! But, in the meantime, we’re praying you’ll be blessed and perhaps challenged by another week of devotionals from January 2024.]

For two weeks, we’ve been examining what it means to have spiritual authority as well as how to exercise it. Since Jesus has shared this authority with us, it’s not too much of a stretch to suggest we’re being disobedient if we’re not using this authority. We should be pushing back on the negative forces we encounter. But could there be times when God leads us away from confronting the darkness to, instead, using our spiritual authority to teach, preach, and minister to the needs of a more receptive audience? 

In Acts 19, we read of God working “extraordinary miracles” through Paul’s two years in Ephesus. “All the Jews and Greeks who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord. Illnesses [were] cured and evil spirits left” afflicted people (vs.10-11). But let’s look at what occurred before such success.

Entering Ephesus for the first time, Paul immediately ministers to a small group of believers (vs.1-7), then turns to what could be a negatively spiritually-charged environment. He “entered the synagogue” (v.8). Preaching to a solely Jewish audience, Paul likely expects spiritual opposition. It doesn’t happen immediately, though, as he “speaks boldly” and “argues persuasively” (v.8) for three months. 

But watch; here it comes: “some became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way” (v.9). 

“Obstinate” and “refuse” indicate a willful determination not to believe. Could that be the influence of evil spirits? It’s certainly opposition. What do you think Paul, armed with spiritual authority, did? Speak against and bind those dark forces? Argue more convincingly? Perform a miracle or two? None of the above. 

So Paul left them (v.9b).

Sometimes, that will have to be our decision, too, when our kindness, our witnessing, our good works in Jesus’ name are met with hostility. Here’s some good news, though. 

Opposition can mean opportunity. 

Don’t be afraid to start over. Paul left the synagogue for the lecture hall (v.9b), and his two years’ worth of daily discussions there resulted in widespread dissemination of the Word, in healing, and in casting out evil spirits (vs.10-11). The “name of Jesus [was] held in such high honor” in Ephesus that even believers “confessed openly their evil deeds” and, at great personal expense, walked away from sinful practices (vs.17-19). 

Because Paul left an openly antagonistic situation, “the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power” (v.20). 

Have you faced willful opposition to something you were doing for the Lord? Don’t be afraid to change course, adopt a different strategy, even vacate the premises if you sense God leading you away from the opposition. A more receptive audience may be just around the corner. 

[Editor’s Note: Yes, the writing team is still on hiatus! But, in the meantime, we’re praying you’ll be blessed and perhaps challenged by another week of devotionals from January 2024.]

Happy Monday, and welcome to a new week of exploring Spiritual Power in Everyday Places!  A lot is going on in this week’s passage (Acts 19:8-20), so please take a moment now to read through it.

What went so wrong for the seven sons of Sceva? They seemed to have a ministry of “driving out evil spirits,” which seems like a good thing, right? And they seemed “open” to including the name of Jesus in their work, so that represents a step in the right direction, right?

Spiritual authority means having the right and the ability to speak and act in ways that bring the “spiritual atmosphere” around a person or situation into closer alignment with King Jesus and the life of his Kingdom. If we are followers of Jesus, he has delegated to us a measure of his authority, to be used to release blessing and benefit into our everyday places: our own lives, households and family relationships; workplace and classroom; neighborhood and neighbors; our wider community and Chatham County. 

How can we exercise spiritual authority rightly and avoid the fate of Sceva’s sons?

The key phrase in the previous paragraph – and the critical missing element for Sceva’s boys – is this: If we are followers of Jesus …  Like the Roman centurion we met last week (Luke 7:10-20), in order to exercise authority, we must first be under authority. All genuine spiritual authority comes from and belongs to Jesus, and must be exercised according to his will and his ways. “In the Name of Jesus” is not a magic formula or merely a technique we can use for our own ends.  

Note that Paul didn’t do anything in this passage. It was the evil spirit who made the point for him!

So there’s a warning side of this week’s passage. But don’t lose sight of the wonderful side.

Operating under and in the authority of King Jesus, Paul was part of God doing great things in Ephesus. God did “extraordinary” miracles: people healed and set free, questions answered, arguments demolished, doubts addressed, God’s Kingdom proclaimed and demonstrated. People chose to abandon the spiritual attitudes and practices that had ensnared and enslaved them (verses 17-20). The Name of Jesus was not viewed as a lucky charm, but was held in high honor. The word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power (verse 20).

We have been entrusted by Jesus with measures of his authority in and for our everyday places.  If we are willing and available, he will train us to use that authority wisely and well.

Lord, guard us from both our pride and our fear. Keep us from trying to use your gifts for our own advantage -- and help us not to be afraid of stepping into all you call us to. Continue your good work in us, that you might extend your good work through us.

[Editor’s Note: The devotional writing team, still on hiatus, prays you’ll be blessed with these devotionals from Jan. 2024, the second week of the sermon series: Spiritual Power in Everyday Places.]

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank you for blessing us with the gift of life today. Let us not take for granted the opportunities we have to worship you and be in fellowship with those around us. Thank you for giving us the authority to spread your Word and to help advance your kingdom here on earth. I pray that we look to you - the calm in the middle of the battle - whenever we feel as if we are being swallowed by the fighting around us.

In a world full of lies and deceit, help us to buckle the belt of truth around our waists. The enemy’s first attack is to rid us of all things true, by making it hard to discern what is true or untrue. Lord, let us hang our weapons from this belt, as truth is a weapon against the devil. Allow us to protect our hearts by also putting on the breastplate of righteousness, so that when we are tempted by unrighteous things, we are able to guard our hearts against them.

Heavenly Father, aid us in putting on the shoes of readiness given to us by your gospel of peace so we are ready to fight in any type of terrain we encounter during this battle. Help us hold steady the shield of faith - with this shield, we will be able to halt the flaming arrows of the devil. When temptations of the world are thrown at us, our faith in you, oh God, will help protect us. 

Thank you, Lord, for the sacrifice of your Son and for the salvation you have extended towards us. Allow us to place this helmet of salvation on our heads, so we may be granted clarity while fighting the battle over our minds. 

Finally, let us wisely wield the sword of the Spirit, so we may be able to actively fight any opposition that tries to draw us away from you.

We pray this always, in the holy and precious name of Jesus,

Amen.

[Editor’s Note: The devotional writing team, still on hiatus, prays you’ll be blessed with these devotionals from Jan. 2024, the second week of the sermon series: Spiritual Power in Everyday Places.]

Wearing weather-appropriate clothing is against the law for teenagers. 

It’s true! I first learned of this when my then middle-schoolers began boycotting wearing warm coats to school in winter months in favor of hoodies. Now my high-schoolers choose to pair their hoodies with shorts and jeans with so many holes they may as well be shorts.

Add a move to the upper Midwest to all of the above, and you might think things have changed… but you would be wrong. It’s not just my teenagers: I routinely see kids being dropped off and picked up at school wearing only pajama pants and hoodies, some only t-shirts, and lots of kids in shorts. In January… in South Dakota!

It doesn’t matter what state we live in - mama just wants to make sure her babies are prepared for the cold world! I make sure they’re supplied with good and warm clothes, and more often than not, those clothes are left in their closets. Which means mom is left shaking her head, because a coat left at home isn’t doing anyone any good.

I wonder if God ever shakes his head at us?

He’s made sure we’re prepared to stand up to everything the Devil throws our way. He’s supplied us with the very best armor and weapons (truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, God’s word, prayer!) to fight to the finish, but those weapons don’t do any good if we leave them at home.

The fight against the Devil isn’t going away, just like winter in the upper Midwest is more than a cold snap that lasts a few days. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. The coats and warm layers are meant to shield those I love against the harsh and dangerous elements. The weapons and armor given us by God are meant to shield us, to help us fight to the finish, to avoid injury, to give us a leg up in this constant fight.

When the teenagers are headed for the door and not dressed for the weather, I’ve been known to say in utter exasperation, “Just trust me and wear the coat!” I wonder if God - seeing us headed for the “door” unprepared - is ever exasperated with us.

 “Just trust me and wear the armor!”

The fight is happening all around us whether we choose to see it or not. God, help us to make the armor you’ve given us a priority this week.

[Editor’s Note: The devotional writing team, still on hiatus, prays you’ll be blessed with these devotionals from Jan. 2024, the second week of the sermon series: Spiritual Power in Everyday Places.]

When Paul exhorts the Ephesian church (and, by extension, all Christians) to “put on the full armor of God,” I remember my graduate school days when I was on the fencing team. Arming myself against my opponent was critical. Mask to protect my face and neck, check. Well-padded uniform to protect (only the front of) my torso, check. Thick leather to protect my hand, check. The right shoes, check. My weapon, check. My “enemy” was real, so 90% of my equipment was defensive because I needed to be prepared to defend my territory. Retreating would put me in danger of running afoul, and turning my back made me exceedingly vulnerable.

No doubt, you’re already making spiritual applications; Paul makes them even clearer. As Christians, we have enemies, and while we may think only of people who mock our faith or persecute believers, Paul emphasizes the unseen nature of our enemy. “We struggle against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil” (v.12). We can’t turn our backs as if the spiritual realm doesn’t exist; attacks will come, whether they’re persistent negative thoughts, recurring nightmares, or escalated tensions at home and work. Paul reminds us that the devil “schemes” against us (v.11). He started with Eve in the Garden, and he hasn’t let up since. 

How do we defend ourselves and, when needed, attack? 

First, we must be aware of the armor at our disposal. Negative, dark thoughts affect all of us; my mind needs protection. With salvation as my helmet (v.17), Christ protects my thought center. He helps me “demolish arguments against God and take captive” those negative thoughts (2 Cor. 10:5). My vital organs can be targeted, too: my heart, the seat of my emotions, and other organs keep my body functioning well, but we know how easily heartache can come or stomach woes can act in concert with our emotions. Paul reminds us that Christ’s truth (my belt, v.14), His righteousness (my breastplate, v.14), and my faith (my shield, v.16) protect my emotions against Satan’s lies, his attacks on my character, and his challenges to my beliefs. Finally, the right footwear means walking in the peace of the gospel (v.15). Those “shoes” ready me to stand or move forward in confidence, not to retreat or turn my back in fear. 

Second, we need all our armor (v.11): a well-padded glove will protect my hand from my enemy’s attack but leave the rest of me vulnerable. We must arm ourselves with all those bold-print words above!

Third, if we need to act, we do so with the one weapon we’re given: “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (v.17). The more we know His word, the more prepared we are to stand on (vs.11,13,14) and defend the ground Jesus has already won. We’ll have battles to fight, to be sure, but Jesus has secured the ultimate victory.

The fencing judge begins every match with the questions, en-guard? and pret? Are you fully armed, ready, standing your ground? Readiness comes from daily time with the Lord, asking Him to help us be prepared, to arm us daily in Him. Then when the fencing judge says, allez (go!), let the battle begin.

[Editor’s Note: The devotional writing team, still on hiatus, prays you’ll be blessed with these devotionals from Jan. 2024, the second week of the sermon series: Spiritual Power in Everyday Places.]

I was recently encouraged by a friend to commit to the 45-day prayer challenge. She was prompted to do it because she had heard some miraculous stories of amazing things that God did through other people who had already completed the prayer challenge. She wanted to be a part of it, and so did I. 

The first step was to choose one person and pray for them daily for 45 days. I decided to set an alarm on my phone for 2 pm every day to remind me to pray. I also decided to keep a journal to record what I observed. I was expecting God to work in this person’s heart and life, so I wanted to look out for what He might do. 

 I chose to pray for a person who had struggled for a long time. I had tried to help him, but nothing seemed to work. It occurred to me that maybe more was going on than just what I could see. Maybe something was at work in the spiritual realm. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Three days into my prayer challenge, I had already observed a couple of positive changes. I recorded those in my journal. I also felt pretty sure God was working in ways I couldn’t see as well. Whether or not I could physically see any changes, I still committed to praying daily.  

In Ephesians 6:18, we are told to “…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 Lord’s people.”

Ephesians 6 compares us to soldiers under God’s command. He gives us the authority to pray and responds to those prayers with power. We all have the chance to take up the call to pray. We can fight on our knees in the name of our Commander.  Since I started praying for my chosen person, some circumstances have gotten worse. I’m not sure if it’s a result of spiritual warfare or his sin. However, I’m trusting God is at work and will use those things for good in the future. I believe in faith that God will work in mighty ways. I hope I’ll be able to share the fruit of my prayers with you one day in a future devotional.

Is there a people-related, work-related, or community-related item you feel led to pray about? You could write it down and put a reminder somewhere you could see every day. Then pray, “God help______.”  You fill in the blank. Commit to praying every day for 45 days, and see how God works through your prayers to affect the spiritual environment in the places and relationships you’ve been called to.

[Editor’s Note: The devotional writing team, still on hiatus, prays you’ll be blessed with these devotionals from Jan. 2024, the second week of the sermon series: Spiritual Power in Everyday Places.]

Are we in a war?  Not the guns-and-bombs-and-tanks kind of war, but a war that can accurately be characterized as “spiritual”?  

Paul certainly thought so. But he wanted the believers in Ephesus to understand the true nature of the conflict into which they have been immersed by becoming followers of King Jesus. “We are in a battle,” he wrote, “but we are not struggling against flesh and blood …” People are not our enemies. Yes, people may be opposed to the Gospel, people may resist, ridicule and even persecute and imprison Christ’s followers, but the people who do these things are not our enemies. They are prisoners of war in the struggle in which we find ourselves.

Paul identifies our true opponents as “rulers, authorities, powers, and spiritual forces of evil.”  What is he talking about?

All authority ultimately derives from God. Authority is the right and the power to do what is good, true, just and right, to do what furthers life and peace and flourishing. All these qualities are expressions of who God is and what the fruits of his kingdom look like.

To be bearers of God’s image means that human authorities – familial, political, legal, judicial, medical, educational, church and so on – are called to be conduits of the justice, truth, and shalom of which God is the author.  

But some of these authorities – all of them some of the time and some of them all of the time—go rogue. Instead of being servants of and under God, they morph into supposedly “independent operators.” They become “the powers of this dark world, the spiritual forces of wickedness.”

So yes, we Christ followers are in a big battle – and we have, each of us and all of us together, what we need to play our role in this struggle. We’re foot soldiers, not generals, and certainly not the Supreme Commander (a role already and eternally filled by King Jesus!).

Foot soldiers are primarily responsible for the area right in front of and around them: home, family, classroom, workplace, church, and neighborhood. As we put on and wear the King’s armor, we thereby carry a measure of his authority for the areas assigned to us.  

So as we go, day by day, into our everyday places, we are also to stand, to stand for who our King is and what he stands for. We should expect opposition from all kinds of gone-rogue authorities, from our own rogue appetites and drives to the “powers” that are degrading and deforming aspects of the everyday places assigned to us.

As Pastors Alex and Jaime have been, and will continue to be, careful to make clear, we are not looking to find a “demon” behind any and every bad thing that happens. Life is a complex mix of the natural, the human, and the spiritual.  Our modern world is pretty good about understanding and explaining a lot about the natural world and the human world.  But not the spiritual.

More than anything, the gone-rogue powers and authorities want to keep it that way.

“Soldiers of Christ, arise, and put your armor on/Strong in the strength that God supplies, through his Eternal Son! Strong in the Lord of Hosts/and in His mighty power/Who in the name of Jesus trusts is more than conqueror!”  Google the first line to get the rest of this Wesley hymn, and belt it out to the tune of “Crown Him with Many Crowns!”