Ladies and Gentlemen, this means war. Starting a business or ministry is hard, and I am thankful I did it when I was younger because it consumed me… well, it still consumes me but on different levels. When I first started I had no time for anything else in my life, resulting in a laser focus on my business for the first five years. When new clients start a Christian product or ministry, I like to be upfront and tell them that they will get slaughtered emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and financially. If at the end of the day we feel like God is calling us to do it – after being aware of the fight we are about to begin – we should do it. Then we must get ready for the ride, and make sure we’re suited up and ready for battle.
War isn’t pretty, and the enemy sure isn’t playing fair. Businesses who are seeking after the Kingdom have a special contention around them because they have the potential to impact eternities. The devil will do anything to rob the destiny of our businesses, so as we start up our business, remember, every day will be a fight. The good news is we have all the weapons and strategies we need for this battle. Ephesians 6 inspires its readers like a classic war movie, with the consistent message to stand firm and rely on God’s mighty power.
“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.” – Ephesians 6:14-17
I have learned over the years that getting battle-ready means prayerfully considering how I am going to react to the world around me. After all, life is 10% of what happens to us and 90% of how we react to it. I love being mentally prepared and preparing for adversity, especially when the world is front-loaded with fear, doubt, anxiety, and stress.
It might sound strange, but getting in the habit of emotionally putting on the armor of God every morning by asking the Lord how we are going to kick Satan in the teeth today will prepare you for exponential growth. I love to plan a process- both literally and spiritually. Putting on the armor of God means asking how am I impacting the Kingdom today with inspiration and empowerment? What is one thing you can discern the enemy wants to throw at you in this season? Cover these questions with prayer, ask for God’s guidance, wisdom, and strength to stand firm against the enemy’s schemes. Prayer is powerful and has the ability to change things, yet we so often don’t utilize this weapon to its fullest capacity.
Today let’s pray bold and audacious prayers. It’s far too easy to play things safe and relies purely on our own strength. Remember fear and faith cannot coexist! God is inviting us today to step into greater gifting of faith – If our dreams, goals, business aspirations do not scare us, they probably aren’t big enough. With God in the commanding seat of our war room and our armor tightly fastened, we are ready for the road ahead of us. God won’t lead us anywhere He can’t sustain us. Be strong, courageous, and ready for the adventure of a lifetime – it’s waiting for you. Let’s win big with the vision God has called us to accomplish so that we can hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
