Are you fighting a spiritual battle right now? Are you feeling like you’re drifting from belief in God and his promises for you?

Don’t give up.

The Christian life wasn’t meant to be easy. We need to actively wage war, in Jesus’ name, against “the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world – and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms,” as Ephesians 6 tells us.

We need to “put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes we might be able to stand our ground”.

We need to stand with “the belt of truth buckled around our waist, the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with our feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”

“In addition to all this, we need to take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Remember who you are and what you have in Christ.

We also need to surrender every aspect of our life to Jesus – not just our Sundays, but our Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

A living relationship with God demands all of us, just as he, in Christ, gave his all to us.

But we need his help to turn from our old ways.

Heavenly Father,

I pray now for all who have drifted from you. Who find themselves on a path away from your plan and purposes for them.

I pray that you would draw each and every one of your lost children back, into your tender, loving embrace.

May their decision to return to you not just be an emotional one, but one which involves their will and their everyday life choices.

Give them a heart to serve you again, and live their lives for your glory – not the ways of this world which will never satisfy as you do.

Thank you that “not all those who wander are lost” – and that you will always welcome us home, no matter how far we’ve strayed.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen