Equipped: Ephesians 6 Devotionals to Empower and Make You Victorious in Everyday Struggles

by Ruth L. Snyder, Patricia Anne Elford (Editor)

Spiritual warfare is real. Most people are not aware of how they’re being attacked. Many don’t know what they can do about it. In Africa, people believe in spirit beings. Witch doctors cast spells. People dance barefoot over red-hot coals without being burned. Spiritual warfare is obvious.In other cultures, the spiritual battle is not so evident. Still, it is very real. Homes are divided by discord and divorce. Parents are overly busy. Children are lured into drugs and sex-trafficking. Churches are complacent and powerless. Is there hope? Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10 NIV). Equipped takes a detailed look at God, at our enemy, and at our response. Everyday struggles happen, but you can be victorious. Read. Become aware. Put on your armour. Stand firm. Pray.

162 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 23, 2018

About the author

Ruth L. Snyder was privileged to spend the first 10 years of her life in southern Africa where her parents served as missionaries. From there her family moved to Canada, settling in Three Hills, Alberta. Ruth enjoyed her years as a "staff kid" at Prairie and is grateful for the biblical grounding she received there. She now resides close to Glendon (the pyrogy capital of Alberta, Canada) with her husband and five young children. Ruth enjoys writing articles, devotionals, short stories, and Christian fiction. She is a member of The Word Guild and The Christian PEN. Ruth currently serves as the President of InScribe Christian Writers' Fellowship.

Ruth's children have taught her many things about living with special needs. She is a strong advocate and spent several years serving on the local public school board.

Ruth loves her job teaching Music for Young Children. She is fascinated by children's imaginations and enjoys helping young children learn the basics of music through play.

In her spare time, Ruth enjoys reading, crafts, volunteering in her local community, photography, and travel. Several years ago, Ruth and her family traveled through 28 States in 30 days! Find out more about Ruth and her writing at http://ruthlsnyder.wordpress.com

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Equipped
By Ruth L. Snyder
I have been reading this devotional in the evening as I put my boys, 8 and 4 years old to bed. God, Our Enemy, Our Response, and Our Armor are the 4 sections of this book. They are relevant and helpful in acknowledging a very important part of our faith, spiritual warfare. Our God is real but so is our enemy. It was a good read to remind me and teach my kids about putting on the armor of the Lord. We prepare for many parts of our life by studying and training, let us not forget that there is a spiritual battle to equip ourselves for as well. I have enjoyed this book and reading it as a family has been good even though it is geared for adults. There are many highlighted sections of wisdom gleaned as I page back through this book.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Kathleen Friesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I read of this devotional, the more I love it. Author Ruth L. Snyder draws on and shares her own experiences, from her childhood in Africa to life as a wife and mother in Canada. She uses these examples to point us to the truth of God’s word, showing how to grasp and use the armor promised in Ephesians 6 to not only endure but triumph.
I appreciate the author’s transparency and wisdom, and her emphasis on reading and using the Holy Bible and prayer is a reminder I need daily. Equipped fills the need for a devotional that is both simple and deep and deserves five stars. Highly recommended.

[Tracy Krauss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical, encouraging, and easy to understand. This is an excellent book for those who want to gain more understanding about the importance of prayer.

[Lila Diller · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. How is the writing style or quality of the writing? Nice and conversational, like over a cup of coffee.
2. What do potential readers need to know most about the topic? It's not a deep-dive Bible study into Ephesians 6. It's more of a collection of short devotional chapters. It begins with the doctrinal foundations of Whose side we're on and who is an enemy. Then it shares some of our response choices and finally ends with descriptions of each piece of the armor of God.
3. Was the material well-researched and logically organized? I appreciated the consistency of the format, with the four different parts clearly marked, and each chapter/devotional with a “Think About It” section and a “Prayer.” Several of the “Think About It” sections made me think about my own life in a way I hadn't yet.
4. Did you agree with the thesis? “The choice is ours. We can continue on in complacency, pretending there is no battle. Or, we can put on the armour God provides and be victorious. I pray that this book will inform, equip, and motivate us all as Prince and Princess Warriors of the King of Kings.” (p.8) This book informs us of the battle and calls us to fight it, equipping us with the right tools. So yes, I agree with the thesis, and I think it accomplishes the goal.
5. Is there humor or personal narrative in the book? There is not much humor, a little, but mostly inspiration. There is a lot of personal narratives. The beginning of almost every devotional includes a personal story from the author's life, usually from her time as a missionary kid in Africa or from her experiences as a parent of a special needs child.
6. What spiritual truths did you glean from the book? We don't battle against flesh and blood. It's a spiritual warfare. But we have all we need to stand firm against the weapons of the evil one.
7. For whom would you recommend this book? Any Christian wanting to resist temptation or stand firmer against the world.
8. Who will not like this book? Only those looking for a step-by-step guide of how to use the armor of God, maybe.
9. Why did you give it the star rating you did? I enjoyed many aspects of this study, but I was a little disappointed that my expectation wasn't met of being a little more practical. However, it had a lot of Greek definitions and doctrinal teachings for the newer believer. I also loved most of the personal stories, something you don't always get from in-depth, academic Bible studies.
10. Favorite quotes: There are so many!
“According to Bill Bright...a new Christian described this conflict as a dogfight between a black dog (sin) and a white dog (obeying God). When asked which dog wins, he answered, 'The dog that wins is the one I feed and the dog that loses is the one I starve.” (p.75)
It had so many of my favorite verses: 1 Peter 1:3-6; 1 Peter 5:8; Numbers 6:24-26; James 1:13; 2 Corinthians 12:9; etc.
“It is so easy to slip into half-truths and false inferences. Help me to diligently put on the belt of truth in my life.” (p.96)
“In our prayer life, sometimes we are so focused on the talking part of praying that we rush ahead without listening for the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit.” (p.115)

[Val Robson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is entitled "Equipped: Ephesians 6 Devotionals to Empower and Make You Victorious in Everyday Struggles" which I mistook as being six devotionals, one for each chapter in Ephesians, and thus an in depth study and devotion on the whole of Ephesians. I quickly realised that it is in fact based on v10-18 in Ephesians 6 where we are encouraged to put on the full armour of God to withstand the devil. It is in fact 33 devotionals based on this subject in general. Each devotional starts with a bible verse (not Ephesians in general) followed by a personal story from the author, often about being a parent of special needs children or about her life in Africa. There is then a bit of delving into the passage with references to other parts of the Bible. Finally there is a 'Think About It' and 'Prayer' section.

If you want a devotional for a month this is fine but it wasn't what I was hoping for so isn't really for me at this stage. It may be something I come back to at some point,

With thanks to NetGalley and Creativity Publishing for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sherri Geisler Locke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not yet actually finished it. The title to me is a little misleading. I am not sure how 6 devotionals come into it. It is divided into four parts that are each divided into subsections with a total of 33 subsections then several afterwards type helpful information things. Overall I like it. I am doing the subsections one a day so it will be a little over a month long for me to get through it unless I decide to double up a few days. So far I like the way I am doing it. I would be interested in other devotionals by this author. I like her take on things. And some of the money from the book is being donated to help stop human trafficking. I would recommend this to others. HAHAHA I finally figured out I was reading the title wrong after I looked at a few other reviews for it. It isn't that there are 6 Devotionals in it it is that it uses Ephesians 6 as its basis. I am not sure how I did a weeks worth of these without realizing that but now I feel slightly stupid lol

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Joel Gass · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a light, easy read. Styled as a devotional, Equipped offered a mostly biblical "how to" in regards to living a better life now. I fount it to be more of a encouraging book and not a devotional about growing closer to God. There were some nice aspects to it, but over all it was just another "you need more faith" devotional. Faith is a gift from God. God is sovereign. I do enjoy the armor of God. I would have liked to have seen more encouragement in digging in the Word, praying, fellowship and breaking bread. Those are the things that build closeness to God.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be inspiring. Ms. Snyder uses a lot of personal experiences to make it relatable. She recommends journaling to help you organize your thoughts and even offers suggested prayers. I believe this book makes an excellent addition to any devotional library.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Elizabeth McDaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This devotional is both interesting and educational in its study of empowerment. The book was full of biblical references and prayers to strengthen your relationship with the Lord as you overcome your struggles.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredibly inspiring book that has helped me with my walk with the Lord. Well-written with great biblical-based discussions that I have found extremely supportive.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marjorie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though The Bible is the first and final authority for christian instruction. This book is necessary reading for simplifying and equipping believers for spiritual warfare.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.