Pray about the U.S. presidential elections

Forgive me, friends, for posting two blog posts in one day. However, I think you will learn this about me. If I do, it is for a very good reason and I try not to make a habit of doing so. Please give me grace for this today. However, with what happened last night, I thought it was important for me to address the 2016 U.S. Presidential Elections and what happened last night.

Senator Ted Cruz dropped out of the race.

Donald Trump is now the heir apparent, so to speak.

My husband and I received several emails and texts about this and people wondered how we could be so calm about this. Here is how:

We are voting for a platform, not a person. The Republican platform is the only one that lines up with biblical principles. They do not believe in abortion or socialism or fascism. They call terror terror.

We vote for our president and commander-in-chief, not our pastor-in-chief.

Voting is not about emotions, it is about principles.

We know who is really in charge. God is and no one else. We either trust God or we don't. And, here is a hint. If we say we trust God, and follow with a but, however, or if, or any kind of discourse, then we really don't trust  Him.

None of this is a surprise to God.

Voting for the woman who lied about Benghazi, who refuses to fight terror, and who did not properly handle classified information with her email, and who believes in abortion is not the one we should vote for biblically. If she cannot properly handle our national security, she cannot (and should not) be trusted.

Pray that Trump wins and that he lives and presides over the country with biblical values. Pray this every second of every day. Prayers can and will and do make a difference. We can pray for him so much that he can be the best president ever, regardless of how he appears, if we all take praying seriously, and we should. Then, he could be the best man of God and biblical values in the office. Our prayers can make him that way.

So, stop worrying and fretting and complaining. Pray instead that he becomes a God-fearing, Bible-centered man, who leads with those values and that he makes the U.S. Truly one nation under God again.

This is our obligation. Pray. And, vote for him, not for Hillary, and not a blank ballot. The latter actually give Hillary the vote. Not going to the polls is something we will have to answer to one day. Part of rendering to Caesar is voting. Part of our biblical obligation is voting. So, pray and vote. These are the only two things that can save our nation.

Praying the Bible and 1 Samuel 12:23

I sit here at our dining room table watching the doves eat underneath the bird feeders as our six month old kitten, Seda, recovers from being spayed and watches them as well. It's a partly cloudy day, but the sun still breaks through. The snowcapped mountains stand in the distance and I note how our grass is a little greener. We are still waiting for it to come alive after being dormant all winter. The snow from the weekend has melted for the most part and I smell the wheat bread I just baked on the counter. It is the bread I promised to bake my husband and almost forgot. (Whoops.) The turtle tank beside me sounds like after calming water fountain and I count my blessings on this day.

I pause and pray,  "Thank God."

The truth is I am starting to feel some stress. I shouldn't. But, I do. I am attending Write His Answer and the Colorado Christian Writers Conference in Estes Park, Colorado and it starts next week. The To-Do List keeps growing as I try to push off the disappointment I feel. For months, I have been planning on attending. For months, I tried, Lord, to figure out what to write. I hoped to have a book to present this year. However, I will not. This brings up mixed emotions and thoughts. Hence, I feel a little raw about it, Abba.

The idea of a book finally came to me on April 19, 2016, which sure didn't leave time to write a book. Needless to say, I started to wonder if I am wasting my time and our money. Have I failed again to be a good steward of our time and money, Lord? How many books have I tried to write, and how many genres, and nothing has stuck? Ugh. Yes. More disappointment wells up from within.

Late last week, though, You gave me the vision of what You see for me for my blogging, my writing, and the writing conference. Needless to say, I am quite thrilled. I am going to the conference to learn and to network. No stress here. Seriously. I can just sit back and listen to You and where You lead me, Father God, and what a joy it is to think.

So, why am I feeling a little stressed today, Lord? Is it my To-Do List? Or, am I putting too much pressure on myself to begin a new writing platform?

I just had to stop prayer journaling and just watch for a few minutes as the female dove walked about twenty-five feet from our birdfeeders in the middle of our yard to our birdbath which is on our patio. I saw her fly to the birdbath and watched her drink. She kept her eyes gazing inside our house and I couldn't see through the table to see if Seda had stopped bathing or if she saw the dove as well. I sat there frozen so I could just watch and pray for the pair that visits our yard each day, multiple times per day.

Lord, keep the doves safe, strong, healthy, and help them know their Creator. Give them good lives, Father.

Talk about a beautiful sight, Lord. Thank You.

My stomach growled and I just decided to go get a testing of the bread. My husband loves the heel, while I do not, so I cut that off first and as I do, I realize the loaf will be terrible. I grin. It fell apart as I cut. So, no. It isn't terrible at all. It's just as I thought. The piece I cut for myself fell apart even worse and I have what was a slice of bread, but is now about eight chunks of bread the total size of a slice. I shrug my shoulders and debate on butter or not and decide it doesn't need it after a sampling.

This is My body, comes to mind (Luke 22:19).

It is wrong to say His body was broken for us. His body was not broken at all during the crucifixion. Not one bone was broken. His body was pierced, though.

But, the bread represents His body.

Of course, I cannot chew another bite in the same way as I ponder and pray this.
Lord, thank You for this bread and for Your body, which shows how You are real and really walked on this earth.

There is a slight breeze outside and I make a mental note to bake another loaf of bread next week for my husband so he can eat it while I am gone.

I realize part of the stress I feel about the conference is the wanting to have quite a bit written between now and then. Silly, really, since I and not going to present anything at the conference since I just started writing the blog posts, which I will turn into a book in the future.

I take a sip of the iced decaf green tea which sits in front of me. It makes me pause, think, and pray.

I just hung upside down in my chair to see Seda sitting there in the sun bathing herself again. I call out to her. She trills her call out to me, makes eye contact with me, and waits to see what I'm going to do. I and am again reminded of how, Lord, I should look at You... with anticipation.

Then, I hear a strange sound in the turtle tank and see how Harry is rearranging his tank again. He thinks he is an interior designer. I sigh and go fix the tank as I ask him what he is doing. I sit back down and glance at my To-Do List for tomorrow and I realize how I need to remember praying the Bible 24/7/365 is meant to happen in the midst of life, as we do this thing called life, God.

But, what is different in my case is how You have called me to pray the Bible 24/7/365 for the rest of my life as a full-time profession.

And, I cannot help but think of how I do what I call, pray the news, where I pray over every article that captures my eye from several news sources. This is what has me stressed more than anything, I think.

Usama Bin Laden was killed five years ago to today, and on May 02, 2011.

As I typed that last sentence one of the National Guard's C-130 planes just flew overhead and I can see them heading to their home, at the airport in town.

Yes. I realize how I am not stressed about the conference at all, or the list of things I need to do to get ready or pack between now and then. Rather, what has me stressed is terrorism. ISIS to be exact. No. Not stressed. Edgy. On edge. I am emotional about it. ISIS is still going strong and keeps torturing and killing more people. In fact, there were more attacks in the first quarter in Iraq and Syria than there have been since 2014. Hence, I am on edge because I am prayerful about this.

Lord Jesus Christ, please stop terrorism. Eliminate it altogether. Help people to stop falling for the lies about this side of Islam. Help every single Christian out there to pray for the stopping and total destruction of all terrorism and of ISIS.

Now that I have slowed down to analyze things, it is time to Pray the Bible.

There are four doves outside. I have never seen four out there before. I have seen one two, and three, but never four. Lady Seda is so wound up with twitching and flinging her tail that she is slamming it against the glass. I am surprised she hasn't scared them off. Lord, protect all of them, keep them healthy and content. Give them good and long lives, Lord.

Now, I want to pray through a verse.

PRAYING THE BIBLE AND 1 SAMUEL 12:23

Lord, I learned here how it is a sin against You to pray for others.

Not praying for others is a sin.

Help me, Father God, to remember and to live this verse.

How many times do I get so caught up with my latest challenge that I spend far more time praying to You about me than I pray about others?

Lore, help me learn how to pray for others. Give me the want and desire to do so. Moreover, tell me what to pray for others. Put it in my mind and on my heart.

This is a verse to commit to memory and do my best to not forget it and to help me to apply it in my life.

This verse shows how important it is to pray for others.

To You be the glory forever and ever.

Introduction #2: Praying the Bible for the world

Have you noticed how it seems our world is coming undone spiritually personally and collectively, nationally and globally?

We do not even need to turn on the news. All we need to do is walk around with our ears, hearts, and minds open, and we will hear a multitude of reasons why this is true.

We have gone around trying to ignore or it deny it, sticking our heads in the sand, not wanting to ruffle any feathers. How has this worked out for us? Has it helped? Is the world a better place through our inaction.

There are a couple of individuals and groups who have tried to address and are, the current state of affairs in all of our lives: spiritually, personally and collectively, nationally and globally. Dutch Sheets and An Appeal to Heaven, Franklin Graham and Decision America Tour, and Intercessors for America and GetOutThePrayer.com are a few examples. (I have links for all of these on the main page of my blog if you are interested. Check out the right column and go about one-half to two-thirds down and you'll see my Link List.)

Each of those groups is doing a wonderful thing. All of us need to all sign up for each of them, along with several other prayer groups we can find online. They are important in our current state of affairs. They are bringing a national prayer revival here in the United States of America.

I would like to add another dimension to the prayer revival, nevertheless. We need to have a Praying the Bible 24/7/365 Revival, which adds more depth and more power to the other prayer revivals. After all, if we do not back our prayers with the Word of God, the Holy Bible, then they will not be nearly as effective. Let us be honest here. Each of us, plus our nation and world, sure needs as much effective prayer as we can receive.

Futhermore, I do not know about you, but I want each of my prayers to be as effective as possible. When we pray the Bible as we pray for all of the things God puts in our hearts and minds to pray, then our prayers will be quite powerful and effective.

Rather than keep going on with life as normal, and pretend like everything is alright in our world, I want to face the truth. I want to face the facts. I do not want to live in a world of make-believe. I want to live in reality. And the truth is, our nation and world needs prayer. Never mind how our state, city, neighborhood, church, block, and home needs prayer as well.

The truth is, I haven't prayed for everything like I should (see the last paragraph for different areas of prayer, but it most certainly is not an extensive list). I have failed to live up to my responsibilities biblically. I don't know about you.

Therefore, it is time for me to get serious about praying for our world today, and every dimension of prayer that comes with it. This blog is my attempt to do precisely that.

Welcome to a blog about praying the Bible 24/7/365 for our world.

In this blog, I will share my daily prayers for praying the Bible 24/7/365 for the world and for the areas of prayer listed here:

AREAS OF PRAYER
Pray these in the order God puts on your heart and in your mind
1 Me
2 My home and everyone and everything in it
3 My block
4 My neighborhood
5 My city: homes, government, churches, businesses, schools, etc.
6 My state: homes, government, military, churches, businesses, schools, etc.
7 My nation: homes, government, military, churches, businesses, schools, etc.
8 Our world: homes, government, military, churches, businesses, schools, etc. Each and every nation, particularly the ones God puts on my heart
9 The Church as a whole
10 The U.N.
11 NATO
12 My nation's allies
13 My nation's foes
14 Against terror
15 The news and current events of today

I hope this gives you a good list to use as you pray for each of those areas. I know it sure helps me. These are the areas of prayer I try to focus on a few times per week at least, if not daily. I try to pray for my home, block, city, state, nation, the Church as as whole, against terror, and the world each day, however.

In time, I hope to pray every verse of the Bible for our world today and list them here.

By the way, on my twitter.com account, I tweet about prayer requests from the news stories each day. They are not meant to be items of my opinions, but as prayer points for us to pray about and through. My account is: @RYPStories and can be found at this link:
https://twitter.com/RYPStories

Or, if you prefer, my Google+ account:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/103261940213090097010

Hence, my plan with this blog is to first pray the verse or verses. Then, pray for the areas of prayer each day. Moreover, in time, I will turn these prayers and blog posts into a book one day as well. I will edit them and add material to them and then offer them in a book format, in paperback and in an e-book, which will sure make it handier to use for your prayers rather than off of this blog.

I hope this blog will be advantageous for you to help you to learn to pray the Bible 24/7/365 for this world.

God bless.

Now, let's get started.

The thoughts, learning, and practice of being a prayer warrior

Welcome to another day and another personal journaling entry of the story of my journey of learning how to offer prayer protection.

When I started to journal my journey of learning this type of prayer, I have to confess how I had not prayed nearly as much as I should, and forgot to pray far more than I did pray. I am starting over in my prayer life, pure and simple.

I started this prayer protection journey on March 27, 2016 and it has now been a total of eight days so far. Has it been this long already, Lord?

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Prayer to be Used as a Prayer Warrior:

Lord, I think I have already learned a great deal and have been reminded of far more regarding prayer in general and in the offering of prayer protection and being a prayer warrior and watchman. Thank you for teaching me so patiently. Please teach me a great deal more each and every day. Moreover, God, help me also apply what I learn and to remember what I learn. Teach me what it means to be a prayer warrior. I want you to use me as one. Show me what it means to be and act as a prayer warrior. Use me. Help me to hear your every prayer prompt and to immediately respond. To you be the glory.

I pray these verses:

Luke 11:1 New Century Version (NCV)
11 One time Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his followers said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray as John taught his followers.”

Matthew 7:7-8 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
7 “Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

James 5:16 Expanded Bible (EXB)
16 [L Therefore,] Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. ·When a believing person prays, great things happen [L The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective].

1 John 5:14-15 New Living Translation (NLT)
14 And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. 15 And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.
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Prayer and the Holy Bible 

I never need to be at a loss of words and never need to be unsure of my words in prayer or of my prayers. I could pray through every verse of the Bible multiple times and get a great deal from it and be thoroughly blessed and bless others through it as well. This is why I include the Bible verses I do. I want to pray them over and over and pray them so much I memorize them by accident.

This is one of the most effective ways to pray and is the easiest, frankly. Never mind the most rewarding for myself and all I pray about. After all, here is a promise:

Isaiah 55:11 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
11 so My word that comes from My mouth
will not return to Me empty,
but it will accomplish what I please
and will prosper in what I send it to do.”

Prayer for the land

Prayer for the land

I realize it is my responsibility to intercede for everyone, every place, and everything I can. I also realize it is a sin not to do so.

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1 Samuel 12:23 New Living Translation (NLT)
23 “As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right.
New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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In many cases,  I am afraid that my reminder and prayer of this verse needs to be to start to pray for others, other places, other things, not just to continue. Lord, help me to pray for everyone I can and teach me how to pray for more.

Lord, also help me to pray for the land. For where I live: My block, neighborhood, city, county, state, region, country, Church, and world. Also, help me to pray about every news story I can. Father, help me to prioritize these prayers as well.

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Ezekiel 22:30 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
30 I searched for a man among them who would repair the wall and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land so that I might not destroy it, but I found no one.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

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2 Chronicles 7:13-15 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
13 If I close the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the grasshopper to consume the land, or if I send pestilence on My people, 14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. 15 My eyes will now be open and My ears attentive to prayer from this place.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

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2 Chronicles 7:13-15 Expanded Bible (EXB)
13 “·I may [L If I…] ·stop the sky [shut the heavens] from sending rain. ·I may [L …or if I…] command the locusts to ·destroy [devour] the land. ·I may [L …or if I…] send ·sicknesses [plague; pestilence] to my people. 14 Then if my people, who ·are called by my name [belong to me], will humble themselves, if they will pray and seek ·me [L my face] and stop their evil ways, I will hear them from heaven. I will forgive their sin, and I will ·heal [restore] their land. 15 Now ·I will see them, and I will listen [my eyes will be open and my ears attentive; 6:40] to the prayers prayed in this place.
Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.

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Lord, give me the want to pray. Put it on my mind and heart and help me to respond. And, help me respond immediately.

I will focus on meditating on these verses, along with Ephesians 6:10-20 today.

A new beginning: Prayer Protection

A NEW DAY: WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

My personal spiritual warfare journaling, learning, and prayer

This is how I began my day. I thought the term/phrase "spiritual warfare" was all-encompassing. Well, the more I study and pray about it, there are many more disciplines or practices that come with spiritual warfare prayer. Consequently, I am going to call my new personal journaling series and focus: PRAYER PROTECTION.
Tentatively, I am adding this to the title of my journaling series temporary title: "Prayer Protection: My journey of learning about intercessory prayer, spiritual warfare prayer, watchman prayer, and powerful prayer." Hence, you see there is a lot more to this than spiritual warfare.

All of these are temporary prayer, but I think I like PRAYER PROTECTION and that most likely will not change. What comes after that title and after the colon is temporary.

So, this marks a new focus. A second new beginning.

I am journaling a great deal more than what I am sharing on my personal journaling blog here at RYP Stories. Therefore, I will eventually turn this into a book. Know that what you read here are the highlights and there is a lot more depth I will share in the book.

Since I realize what I am wanting to learn about is a great deal more than just spiritual warfare, I now have several more resources/books to peruse. Far more importantly, it means there is a great deal more of the Bible I will need to read, study, think on/contemplate/meditate, and journal about.

I just read everything again I wrote to this point in this journal entry and I cannot help but chuckle at the connotation of PRAYER PROTECTION. It almost sounds like spycraft. This is my mission, should I choose to accept it, and the mission is to offer prayer protection over my life, my husband, my family, my friends, my home and house, my marriage, our block, our neighborhood, our city, our county, our church, our state, our region of states, the U.S., the U.S. military, the U.S. government, the president of the U.S. (present and upcoming), the Church as a whole, the world, the news and current events of all of the above and following, and against terrorism.

What a mission.

No pressure. Gulp.

How on earth do I go about this mission?

I have no idea whatsoever. Therefore, I guess it is time to pray on it, read, study, and pray some more.

One thing I know for sure is that no book out there starts with practical things to help you to immediately start applying these types of prayers to my life. They start with introductory explanations. I want a book that starts me off with prayer, not just at the beginning of the chapter, and at the end, but throughout. I want immediate application. And, if not a prayer written out, then a prayer point to stop and pray for immediately. I want to immediately put what I learn into practice.

Hence, I will learn all I can,  pray as I go, and journal. Then, I will write that resource. So, stay tuned. This will start in my next personal journal entry.

What brought me to begin the process of learning about spiritual warfare?

What brought me to begin the process of learning about spiritual warfare?

Blog post series: What is Spiritual Warfare?: My personal journaling of my journey learning about this topic
I have spent gobs of time today researching all of the books out there on spiritual warfare and the full armor of God and have found that there is no book out there like what I am looking for. Is this why I am prayer journaling my way of learning about spiritual warfare? Is this, Lord, why you have out it on my heart? Please lead me and guide me, Lord. Only you. None of me. Only your glory. I cannot help but pray as I write. 
I keep getting pressed to pray through the news each day all day long.
The terror attack in Brussels and the presidential elections of the United States, combined with the latest news of the Hillary Clinton email scandal have me at a tipping point where I realize I am desperate for this world to change and fight terror as a united front. I am at the point of desparation to have not only have a worldwide prayer revival, but a reading of the Holy Bible revival.
When I hear of a dog found... raped and hung on a tree in Seattle over the weekend...
When I see the moral depravity of the world, but most importantly of the Church, I cannot help but feel a fire inside
I realize I cannot change anyone. So, I will not try. It's futile.
Most of the time I have a hard time changing myself. However, I am now desparate. This world is going down in flames... and so is my nation. 
I realize I have something most people do not have. I have time. This is why yesterday you, Lord, called me to become a full-time Bible student, which I know goes hand-in-hand with becoming a full-time prayer warrior. To be in the Holy Bible is to pray and to pray is to be in the sacred word of God. You cannot have one without the other. 
And, I am still shocked that the first topic is spiritual warfare. Gulp. No pressure. 
You see... I do not have the background to wage war. Not a recent one or a thorough one. I have missed this important spiritual discipline, as in missed the mark. Therefore, it is time for me to change this.
So, what kind of book am I looking for on spiritual warfare? A simple, practical one which looks thoroughly at everything the Bible says. And I mean everything. I am looking for head knowledge, heart knowledge, and practical application, without all of the Christianese and lingo. Something written with the emphasis that not everyone knows what they know. 
I also have found that I have trouble with books that have topical prayers or chapters in them, when most of the book or prayers do not apply to me. If they only have a quarter of the book applicable to me, I won't waste my time or my money. Therefore, I'm looking for a book that is more applicable to everyone and every issue. I pray I am making sense.
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A new day 03/29/2016
It is 538 a.m. and I sit on my teal colored sofa in our living room with the fireplace on, coffee nearby, and I hear our turtle tanks' water filters, which sound like a fountain. I sit here in the stillness, where I am the only one awake and stirring in the house. I know it is early when not even the turtles stir. 
As I sit here, I cannot help but get a little weepy as I realize in this new journaling series is a call home for me. At least, that is how it feels. It is like I have come home to a place of refuge, this new journaling track of learning through 5 w's and an h of the Bible today. And, with this first focus being on journaling about spiritual warfare. 
Thank you, Lord, for the call home to where I belong. To what I am supposed to be doing. 
Note: By the way, I am including the dates only to show my progression with my journaling. Each journaling entry (or blog post) is meant to be timeless. Each can be read today or in fifty years and still apply. 
Thank you for the vision you have given me. 
Now, it is time to pull out Ephesians 6:10-20 and I will make sure to read as slowly as possible and digest word by word. I have a printed out paper copy and a digital copy. I will read both versions and will share my thoughts here, along with anything, Lord, you share. 
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What is Spiritual Warfare?
Reading word by word of my printed out copy of the full armor of God passage...
Be strong in the resurrection power of the Lord. 
That reminds me of this passage:
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Ephesians 1:18-21 New Living Translation (NLT)
18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.
19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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Verse 10 of Ephesians 6 tells us to be strong in God and in his great power. It isn't just any power. It is in the resurrection power. And this power wasn't just of the resurrection, but the power was found in everything that came with the resurrection: forgiveness of sin; Christ now placed at the right hand of God and given power over every nation, everyone, and everything; fulfillment of prophecy; God reversing what was done in the Garden of Eden; etc. This power is neverending and is all-powerful. This power never weakens or dims. 
I am to be strong in God and in his resurrection power. 
Put on the full armor of God and do not forget a piece or your fight against evil will not be as effective. 
If I were to focus more on the spiritual fight than on the earthly one, and I prayed so God would then act, and I freed him to do so through my prayers, then I bet this world would be less insane, self-centered, lazy, ungodly, and unbiblical. If I were to fight the spiritual battle, and not the earthly, I would then attack the root and source of the problem, not an offshoot. My spiritual battle waged is far more effective than the earthly battles.  
What can I do to bring God the most glory? It would be through freeing people and circumstances to him and his blessings. When we are in bondage, the blessings cannot get through to us. We cannot see them and do not accept them. After all, we are in bondage and are blinded. 
Moreover, if I am already in battle, or at least am ready for battle, then I have that mindset already and it is easier to see the enemy and his work so I can then engage him in battle. If I was not prepared, I would surely lose that battle... and I surely have... for years...
If I am armed with my weapons, and have the battle mindset and am prepared for battle, it is much harder to be tricked by the enemy. Therefore, why would I ever want to not be ready? But, is this not what I have done for years, the not being prepared for battle part?
Just because I forget about something, deny it, or ignore it, it does not make it any less real or any less of a threat. I cannot wish the enemy away. I must fight. 
How many others are not fighting? Someone has to. And, I refuse to submit to the enemy. 
All of this sounds great. Furthermore, it is true. But, now what? How do I engage in this war? How do I prepare myselt for it? What are the battle plans, Lord, you have for me?
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What is Spiritual Warfare? Ephesians 6:10-20 definitely answers this question. The only problem is, that if I am honest, I do not know what it means or understand? Paul wrote Ephesians and he understood what he said within context of the time and place he lived. His readers did as well. Therefore, I find it tricky to fully grasp what it means today. Therefore, I need to thoroughly study the passage and everything I can about spiritual warfare. 
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The background of Ephesians 6
The Book of Ephesians was written by Paul,  an apostle of Jesus. The ruins of Ephesus are barely there today. It had not survived as well as some of the seven churches of Revelation found in modern day Turkey. They say that only fifteen percent of the city has been dug and found by archaeologists. 
Ephesus was a port city along the coast of the Aegean Sea and was the forth largest city in the Roman Empire. It is estimated the city held between 225,000 and 250,000 people at its height. Plus all of the tourists who visited the Temple of Artemis, who was also known as Diana, the fertility goddess. These tourists went to Ephesus in order to worship her. Ephesus also helps the Library of Celsus and a medical school back in the day.
Many Ephesians became rich because of the worshippers of Artemis. Since these people journeyed there, they needed a place to stay, a place to eat, and they usually bought trinkets as well. The fact that the temple was one of the seven wonders of the world only added to this. It made more flock there. 
Since Artemis was the deity of fertility,  it meant that prostitution was common there in Ephesus, and it was not looked down on since it was part of the worship. The prostitutes lived in a brothel along through Marble Road. 

How do I use my body in ways that are not godly or biblical? Ahh. Yes. The quality and quantity of food I eat. Lord, help me to always put you first and to treat my body as your temple. 

Reading the full armor of God again, slowly, word by word. 

What is Spiritual Warfare?: My personal journaling of my journey learning about this topic on 03.28.2016.

Welcome to a new blog post series.

The title of the new blog post series is:
What is Spiritual Warfare?: My journey of learning this topic

Today's blog title: 
What is Spiritual Warfare?: My personal journaling of my journey learning about this topic on 03.28.2016.

Welcome to a new blog post series where I will share my personal journaling as I journey through the Holy Bible.

It is of a larger series in which I plan to learn about the Bible and it is called:

"Learning the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the Holy Bible today"

This is a series I can work on full-time for the rest of my life, if I so desired. And I desire to do so right now, that is for sure. Or, more specifically, full-time for at least the next ten years approximately. At that time, my husband, B plans on retiring so I will move to writing part-time instead... maybe. We shall see in ten years or so.

At any rate, I will make it my full-time job as a normal, everyday, average gal to, learn all about the who, what, where, when, why, and how of the Holy Bible. This is my goal of this new blog post series... to learn everything I can about the sacred word of God.

My goal for this specific blog post series is on spiritual warfare.

It hit me yesterday how I think our world is under a major spiritual warfare attack. And, so is the United States.  And so is my state, county, city, neighborhood, our home, my husband, our work individually and together, and me.

For all of us to have fallen so short of biblical values proves my point. Yes, each of us has individual responsibility for our fall, but spiritual warfare certainly adds to this.

But, am I correct?

It has been a while since I studied spiritual warfare. I want to approach it empty, where I try to forget everything I think I know and learn everything the Bible teaches about spiritual  warfare.

I will use several texts to help me learn all I can about spiritual warfare. The main one I will use at first is found here:

http://smile.amazon.com/Lord-Warfare-Teach-Stand-Devotional-ebook/dp/B002RLBKFO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1459172214&sr=1-1&keywords=lord+is+it+warfare+teach+me+to+stand+by+kay+arthur

It is the book,

LORD, IS IT WARFARE? TEACH ME TO STAND: A DEVOTIONAL STUDY ON SPIRITUAL VICTORY by Kay Arthur

I think this spiritual victory is the key to the United States of America, the world, my state my county, my city, my neighborhood, my block, my family, my home, and me
living a successful and a blessed life, spiritually and in general. This is also the key for the upcoming presidential elections, I might add, along with fighting the war on terror and against ISIS in particular.

The battle always begins with me. I cannot control anyone else. But, I can sure change me and make the difference from my sphere of influence.

The main biblical passage I will focus on is:

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Ephesians 6:10-20 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) 
Christian Warfare
10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics[a] of the Devil. 12 For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. 13 This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand. 14 Stand, therefore,
with truth like a belt around your waist,
righteousness like armor on your chest,
15 and your feet sandaled with readiness
for the gospel of peace.[b]
16 In every situation take the shield of faith,
and with it you will be able to extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
17 Take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit,
which is God’s word.
18 Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints. 19 Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. 20 For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough in Him to speak as I should.
Footnotes:
Ephesians 6:11 Or schemes, or tricks.
Ephesians 6:15 Ready to go tell others about the gospel.
-- Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. All rights reserved.

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I find it interesting how we are not to strengthen ourselves. We are to rely on God to strengthen us and on his vast strength.

Not my strength.

His strength.

His vast strength. Not just a little strength.

We are to put on the full armor of God, not just a partial.

Then, after we rely on God for his vast strength, and after we put on all of the armor of God, then we can stand against the schemes and tactics of the devil, our enemy.
I take note of the order of these and how I cannot stand if I do not do those other things first.

And, if I do not or cannot stand, then I will lose the battle. Hence, the other things are necessary.

Now, in Ephesians 6:11, it talks about the tactics of our enemy. The word, "tactics" comes from the Greek word, "methodeia," which means: deceit, schemes, trickery, and craftiness. It refers to plans oftentimes. Deceitful plans and planning.

So... the enemy is tricky and deceitful. We need to not forget this. The devil will trick us, as Ephesians 6:11 informs us: 

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Ephesians 6:11 New Living Translation (NLT)
11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
-- New Living Translation (NLT). Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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Ephesians 6:11 Expanded Bible (EXB)
11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can fight against the devil’s ·evil tricks [schemes].
Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.

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Our enemy will deceive us. He is crafty.

One of the ways he tricks us is through deceiving us, where we do not know or remember that we are at war with him. If he convinces us this is the case, then we will not arm ourselves. We then will be attacked when we are unarmed. 

So, it is important to always remember we are at war. 

We are at war. These verses prove it:

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Ephesians 6:12-13 Expanded Bible (EXB)
12 [For] Our ·fight [conflict; struggle] is not against ·people on earth [L flesh and blood] but against the rulers and authorities and the ·powers [or cosmic powers/rulers] of this ·world’s darkness [L darkness], against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly ·world [realm; places]. 13 ·That is why you need to [L For this reason,] put on God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil [C persecution generally or end-time tribulation] you will be able to ·stand strong [keep your ground; resist the enemy]. And ·when you have finished the whole fight [L after you have done/accomplished everything], you will still be standing.
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.

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I am reading Ephesians 6:10-20 at multiple points all day long. My goal is to read it so much I memorize it and it takes hold in my heart and mind both. Consequently, I have decided on the HCSB version of the Holy Bible. 

What are my thoughts so far? I read LORD, IS IT WARFARE by Kay Arthur years ago and cannot help but wonder when I got so off-track. How could I forget so much? 
I actually have decided to do the EXPANDED BIBLE version instead as far as reading and re-reading to the point of memorization. Here is that version:

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Ephesians 6:10-20 Expanded Bible (EXB)
Wear the Full Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his ·great [strong; mighty] power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can fight against the devil’s ·evil tricks [schemes]. 12 [For] Our ·fight [conflict; struggle] is not against ·people on earth [L flesh and blood] but against the rulers and authorities and the ·powers [or cosmic powers/rulers] of this ·world’s darkness [L darkness], against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly ·world[realm; places]. 13 ·That is why you need to [L For this reason,] put on God’s full armor. Then on the day of evil[C persecution generally or end-time tribulation] you will be able to ·stand strong [keep your ground; resist the enemy]. And ·when you have finished the whole fight [L after you have done/accomplished everything], you will still be standing. 14 So stand ·strong [or ready], with the belt of truth tied around your waist and the ·body armor[breastplate] of ·right living [a righteous life; or God’s own righteousness/justice; L righteousness]. 15 On your feet wear the ·Good News [Gospel] of peace ·to help you stand strong [for firm footing; or to be fully prepared].16 And ·also [in addition to all this; or in all circumstances] use the shield of faith with which you can ·stop[extinguish] all the ·burning arrows [T fiery darts] of the Evil One. 17 ·Accept [Receive; or Take] the helmet of salvation, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the ·word [message] of God. 18 Pray ·in [or in dependence on] the Spirit at all times with all ·kinds of prayers [L prayers and requests], asking for everything you need. To do this you must always be ·ready [alert] ·and never give up [L with all perseverance]. Always pray for all ·God’s people [T the saints].
19 Also pray for me that when I ·speak [L open my mouth], God will give me words so that I can tell the ·secret[mystery] of the ·Good News [Gospel] ·without fear [confidently; boldly]. 20 ·For this Good News […for which] I am an ambassador in ·prison [L chains; 3:1]. Pray that I will speak ·it [or for him; or in him] ·without fear [boldly; confidently], as I should.
-- Expanded Bible (EXB). The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
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I am going to read this three times slowly and take each verse in slowly as I do and I will try to ponder each word, phrase, sentence, etc., as I do. I want to take it all into my mind and heart. This is how I will spend the next couple of hours.