In this 5-day devotional, designed specially for teens, you’ll explore real stories from the Bible where fear, doubt, and insecurity were met with God’s justice, courage, and unshakable promises. Through honest reflection and practical faith, discover how God can turn your fear into hope, strength, and purpose.
ABS Armed Services Ministry
Day 1
Scriptures: Genesis 4:13-15, Psalms 79:10, Jeremiah 7:13-15, Romans 12:19, Revelation 11:17-18
Hope Over Evil
“This punishment is too hard!” Cain said. “You’re making me leave my home and live far from you. I will have to wander about without a home, and just anyone could kill me.” “No!” the Lord answered. “Anyone who kills you will be punished seven times worse than I am punishing you.” So the Lord put a mark on Cain to warn everyone not to kill him.
Genesis 4:13–15 (CEV)
Jealousy, anger, rage, murder—it all started in the very first generation, brother on brother, and continues today. We get angry. We fight. We kill. And the world cries for justice.
God will answer. He will not let evil go unpunished. Someday, his justice will right all wrongs. And yet, he is also merciful. We know this because of the story of the first murder. Adam and Eve’s son, Cain, got mad at his brother, Abel, and killed him. When God spoke with him, Cain remained unrepentant. So why are we studying Cain this week? Seems like he’s not a brave warrior that we should emulate. In God’s Word, there are some stories that teach us what to do… and some that teach us what not to do.
God punished Cain by sending him away from his homeland. Cain felt this punishment was too hard. The murderer feared someone would murder him. So even in bringing justice, God showed mercy. He placed a mark on Cain so no one would kill him.
With so much evil in this world, it can seem hopeless, unless we look to the God who made us. We must allow him to take revenge, trust him to carry out justice one day, and thank him for his compassion in saving us from the punishment we deserve. Then we find hope.
SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING
God stands for justice. If you find that hard to believe, check out Exodus 14:26-28; 1 Kings 18:40; Esther 7:9-10; Acts 12:21-24. Highlight or circle what comforts you in each verse. (Yes, we can do that in our Bibles!)
INSPIRATION
“If you take care of yourself and walk with integrity, you may be confident that God will deal with those who sin against you. Above all, don’t give birth to sin yourself; rather, pray for those who persecute you. God will one day turn your persecution into praise.”
— Warren Wiersbe, American pastor, Bible teacher, and author
Day 2
Scriptures: Judges 6:12, Joshua 1:5, Judges 7:15, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Hebrews 13:5-6
Coward to Conqueror
The angel appeared and spoke to Gideon, “The LORD is helping you, and you are a strong warrior.”
Judges 6:12 (CEV)
We tend to think heroes are always brave or that somehow, they were born with uncommon strength. And we feel like we are not equipped with that strength.
Gideon knew he was no hero. He was a coward in a weak country. He was trying to hide his food supplies from the enemies who were obliterating his country when an angel came to him. “The Lord is helping you, and you are a strong warrior,” the angel said. Gideon’s first reaction was to argue about both parts of the statement. He did not think the Lord was with him or his people. And he did not see himself as a mighty warrior.
When Gideon finally believed that the Lord was with him, he gave God control of his life. He chose obedience. In time, God used him to lead a small army into battle. They defeated their enemies because they had the Lord on their side.
As a teenager these days, you are called to be brave in many ways. You may not feel like you have enough strength. You may be overwhelmed by the hardships of your circumstances or the attacks of the world.
But God is with you. If you give him control of your life, he can give you the courage to fight, from coward to conqueror. With God behind you, you got this!
SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING
Are there areas in your life where you are hiding? Do you wish you could be braver sometimes? Ask God to help you stand up for what is right. Write out a prayer to God. Tell him what you’re feeling now. Ask him for a task you can do today!
INSPIRATION
“Today is what the Lord has prepared you for.”
—Mark Dever, contemporary American pastor and author from Washington, D.C.
Day 3
Scriptures: Genesis 32:28, Job 42:1-3, Job 42:5, Matthew 7:7-8, Romans 8:38-39
Finding God in the Struggle
The man said, “From now on, your name will no longer be Jacob. You will be called Israel, because you have wrestled with God and with men, and you have won.”
Genesis 32:28 (CEV)
You tried to have a good attitude and trust God, but this year of high school is just hard. Or you couldn’t be on the team because you missed tryouts. Or you and your parents are having a hard time seeing eye to eye.
So, you get mad. At life. At God. You wrestle.
Jacob had his own struggle. He had heard the Lord’s voice telling him to move back to his homeland, and he obeyed. But going home meant facing his brother, Esau. The last time they were together, his brother had promised to kill him. And now it looked like he was going to do it. Esau was on the way with 400 warriors—not exactly a welcoming party.
Jacob did all he could, sending ahead gifts, and his flocks, to try to convince Esau to change his mind. Jacob took his family to a safe place, but he didn’t stay with them. As he waited through the night, alone and anxious, a man came and wrestled with him. Jacob believed this was God appearing like a man. Jacob refused to let the man go until he blessed him, and he did. And Jacob’s name was changed to “Israel” which means “a man who wrestles with God.”
God blesses those who seek and obey him. He helps them work through their doubts, fears, and frustrations. Jacob’s father and grandfather knew God personally, but Jacob still needed to figure his faith out for himself. He searched for God and found him. You can, too.
SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING
In what ways do you need the Lord’s blessings? What doubts or frustrations do you wrestle with? Write them in a journal or on some paper, pray about them, then put a reminder in your phone to check back in a month. Record what the Lord has done to help you, so far.
INSPIRATION
“There are times when God only releases his blessings on us after a season of prolonged and even painful wrestling with him.”
—Jon Bloom, American author and staff writer at desiringGod.org
Day 4
Scriptures: Numbers 14:24, Numbers 13:30, Joshua 14:11, 2 Timothy 1:7, 1 John 5:4-5
Trusting the Promise Maker
But my servant Caleb isn’t like the others. So because he has faith in me, I will allow him to cross into Canaan, and his descendants will settle there.
Numbers 14:24 (CEV)
Caleb stood on a hill, looking over the land. His eyes and heart couldn’t get any bigger. Finally, his people would have a home—a good land where they could live in freedom.
He had been here some forty years before. He and others had gone in to spy out the place. Amazing! They found grape clusters so big that two people had to carry each one. But when they brought the report back, the other spies cried about big warriors—giants—defending the land. Caleb attempted to talk sense into them: didn’t they serve a God bigger than any man, any army? But they only tried to shut him up, and they threatened to kill their leaders.
God stepped in, saving them. The people’s doubt of the Lord’s promise and power was sin. Their punishment was to not receive the blessing of the land.
So, they turned back to the desert and wandered for decades. Day after day, traveling, scraping by, failing, dying, until all of Caleb’s generation, except Joshua, was gone. Then, God fulfilled his promise that Caleb and all his descendants would live in the land. At the age of 85, with the strength of his youth, Caleb led the charge. His men took the hill country and finally settled into a home. He saw his grandkids play in peace.
Does something God has promised you seem out of reach? Keep your eyes on the Lord. Let his Spirit guide you. Then hold on for his blessing.
SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING
Have you ever found yourself in a wilderness season, wandering and waiting for the Lord to guide you? Pick a day this week to go for a walk by yourself. Talk to God about all your fears, doubts, and desires. Then allow some space for the Lord to respond. He longs to hear from you and has things he wants to share with you, too…
INSPIRATION
“We like to control the map of our life and know everything well in advance. But faith is content just knowing that God’s promise cannot fail. This, in fact, is the excitement of walking with God.”
—Jim Cymbala, American author and pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City
Day 5
Scriptures: Judges 5:2, Isaiah 40:29-31, Isaiah 64:8, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Philippians 4:13
When Others Say You Can’t
We praise you, LORD! Our soldiers volunteered, ready to follow you.
Judges 5:2 (CEV)
Not spiritual enough, smart enough, strong enough. Not an adult, not wealthy. Wrong gender. Wrong personality. Wrong status. Just … not enough.
All of us come to obstacles in our lives that make us question ourselves. We find some excuse—or all kinds of excuses—for why we cannot succeed. Then we even get mad at God for making us this way. But what if God made you like this on purpose? What if the thing you think is a weakness is an opportunity for God to work?
Deborah faced an impossible challenge. Her people faced an army that far outmatched them. The Canaanites had 900 iron chariots, the tanks of the day. For 20 years her people had been oppressed, living in fear of attack. What could a woman do in those times? She listened to God. And she volunteered, with nothing held back.
God told her it was time to fight, that he would help them defeat the enemy. Deborah told Barak, the commander, to gather the army. But he refused to go into battle without her. So she agreed. She trusted the Lord and went to war. And God gave them success. Deborah and Barak sang the victory chant, telling everyone how God won.
What obstacle are you facing? Can’t see how God can help you conquer? Volunteer. Sign over your life to him, with no holds. Then watch him use you.
SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING
That battle you are facing? Imagine for a minute how it will feel to conquer it. Now write a victory chant giving God the glory. Check out Judges 5 if you need some ideas.
INSPIRATION
“Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God.”
—William Carey, a missionary from England in the early 1800s