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•A Prayer When You Need Practice Trusting God•By Anthony Valente👉 “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit…” (Ephesians 6:16-18a)My faith swings back and forth like a pendulum. One minute I trust God to see me through my challenges, and the next I fear the worst. In the morning I’m full of faith while I read the promises of God in my Bible, but by 4:00 pm God’s faithfulness seems like a distant memory, and anxious thoughts fill my mind. Most of us can relate to having faith one day and losing it the next. During Sunday morning worship, we sing and believe God moves mountains and works miracles. But on Wednesday as we run our kid to the emergency room or work late to meet a deadline, worry sets in again.We can take encouragement from Paul’s instruction in Ephesians 6: “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith.” It reminds us faith is something we can put on, or practice, during every difficulty we could possibly experience. The image of a soldier taking up his weapons speaks of practice. A soldier’s skill grows over time as he trains to prepare for battle. In the same way, our faith grows little by little, through constant exercise. Our knowledge of Scripture and our ability to apply it to our own situation grows through practice.Like a soldier needs continual training to maintain peak performance, we need a regular workout of daily Bible reading and prayer. It prepares us to meet the challenges of each day and grow stronger over time. When we feel worried and anxious, we can exercise our faith muscles by reminding ourselves of God’s promises and turning worried thoughts into prayers. Friend, you may be trembling with fear, eaten with worry, or ridden with anxiety, but you can practice trusting God today. You can practice by reading your Bible (the sword of the Spirit) and rehearsing God’s promises in your mind. Even if you don’t consider yourself a prayer warrior, you can practice by praying for one minute right now. And if you find yourself trusting God one moment and panicking the next like me, don’t beat yourself up over it. Draw near to God and confess your doubt. Trust Him to cleanse you from sin; rest in His love for you. Then turn your focus away from yourself and your worries and towards God, the all-powerful One who can do far more than we ask or imagine. Let’s take up the shield of faith today.Let’s Pray:🙏 Dear Lord Jesus, I come to You, the Author and Finisher of faith, and I confess I struggle often with fear, doubt, and worry. Lord, examine my heart and help me recognize my own anxious thoughts so I might surrender them to You. Forgive my unbelief and teach me to trust You. You are a merciful God, faithful to Your children, always abounding in wisdom and steadfast love.Give me the grace and discipline I need to read the Scriptures each day and take up the shield of faith. Speak to me through Your Word and strengthen my mind against fear and anxiety. I pray Your peace would put my anxious thoughts to rest. Teach me to pray as I lift up my concerns to You, one by one. Father, empower me to take up the shield of faith today even if I’m not sure I have it in me to believe. Lord, I choose to believe Your promises, and I will practice trusting You by rehearsing Your goodness and love in my mind.In Jesus’ name, AMEN 🙏 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.(Proverbs 3:5-6)It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans.(Psalm 118:8)Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.(Hebrews 13:8)May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.(Romans 15:13)And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.(Isaiah 26:3)Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.(Psalm 37:4-6)And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.(Proverbs 16:20)Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.(Isaiah 41:10)Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.(Philippians 4:6-7)“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?(Matthew 6:25)“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”(Psalm 46:10)Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.(James 4:8)For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.(Hebrews 4:12)Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. And the people of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry ground, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.(Exodus 14:21-22)When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”(John 8:10-11)(pic verse)For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,(Ephesians 2:14)Artist 👨‍🎨 I Am With You Always - David Delfeld