Scripture to Read: 2 Timothy 3:1-9
God wants us to be aware that there are those who seek to lead people away from God’s Truth and believe the lies of this world. If Jesus, in Luke 13:18-21, was warning against those who would bring problems within the church, then we must heed the warning. Any time God is miraculously working, the spiritual forces of darkness are also working to misguide God’s children. God warns us in Ephesians 6:10-18 how to fight the spiritual battle we enter each day. But there are times that we lose sight of the battle, and we can be swayed by charismatic personalities. God used Paul to warn Timothy and, of course, all of us today, that difficult times should be expected. Just like 2000 years ago, we are still living in those difficult times today. The description that God gives of these difficult people in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 is like watching the local news report. Notice though in 2 Timothy 3:5 as God says that these people hold to a form of religion/godliness, but they deny God’s power, and that we are to “avoid such people as these.” We have to be on guard at all times so we’re not swayed by these people. By passionately and purposefully pursuing our intimate fellowship with our Heavenly Father and being in His Word daily, we can make sure that we are prepared for the daily battlefield we walk into each day. We must not become lazy but persevere so we can overcome.
Challenge & Application
1. What did God teach you today about overcoming the world in which we live?
2. How do you personally prepare yourself for the spiritual battlefield you enter each day?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!