“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood . . . ” Ephesians 6:12a (NKJV)
We have been in ministry for many years. We started soon after we were married. My wife, Edna, and I learned that we needed Bible
and ministry training, so we attended a small Bible Institute in Alaska outside of Palmer. Then we started ministry in her home village.
The Lord led us soon after to Anchorage. We led a Native ministry for many years, where the above verse became very real to me when I encountered opposition. Surprisingly, the opposition came from Christians who were close to me, but who caused me to question whether or not the Lord had really placed us there. I remember the opposition coming just before I was about to lead worship—two times that I can remember, it came with very abusive language.
It caused me to think that I was not doing things correctly. Then, as I met with the Lord, He showed me in His Word the truth of what was
really happening. He showed me Ephesians 6:12. As a light dawned, instead of becoming angry, I began to pray for those who opposed me. It created in me a whole new train of thought—that the opposition didn’t come from flesh and blood, but from our enemy.
I was then able to look at those who opposed us with love, knowing now that the enemy was trying to discourage us. We turned them
over to the Lord and continued, with the Holy Spirit’s leadership, in the ministry the Lord had provided for us. Talk about a victorious life after being enlightened by the Spirit!
Lord, help us to depend on You when even those who are closest to us try to discourage our work for You, and to love them even when they are unknowingly opposing Your work. Let it be so.
– Don Shugak
Council Fire is a collaboration with Intertribal Life Ministries and Native Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.
The Council Fire Daily Devotional Book Set is available on the Intertribal Life Ministries website.
Learn more about Council Fire at councilfire365.org