Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: EPHESIANS 6:10-17

Have you ever been deceived? Confused, lied to, twisted around, and pulled into a pit of despair? We all have. Deception is one of the enemy’s favorite tactics.

The devil is “the father of lies” (John 8:44). He tells us we aren’t good enough—that God couldn’t possibly love us. He uses the world’s voices to shout lies like: “Make straight As at school, join every club that will have you, and dress like a model—then you’ll be worth something.”

We start to believe these lies and pursue things like popularity, good grades, trophies, or experiences above all else. We forget that true value comes from Jesus, our Creator and the one who has already done everything needed for us to be in relationship with Him (Ephesians 2:8-9).

The good news? God’s truth protects us from the devil’s lies. In Ephesians 6, the apostle Paul uses armor to describe the way truth protects us: it reminds us of all we have in Jesus. As Christians, we are called to wear “truth like a belt” (verse 14). Just like no Roman soldier would go to battle half-dressed, we can’t fight the devil’s lies if we aren’t clothed in God’s truth. The truth of the good news of Jesus is our protection, our shield, and our sword in the midst of any struggle. Once we know Jesus, no lie can separate us from God’s immense love for us (Romans 8:38-39).

We can talk with Jesus about any lies we’re dealing with. We can ask Him to replace the lies with His truth, trusting His Holy Spirit to show us what lies we’re believing and lead us to the truth of God’s Word. Jesus is the one who can drown out the enemy’s lies. • Sharon Rene

• Are you aware of any lies you’ve been believing about yourself? Sometimes, even when we recognize lies, it can be hard to stop believing them. Consider taking a moment to write them down and give them to God. This may not makethelies go away, but it’salwaysagood first step.

• Can you think of any truths from the Bible that refute these lies? Consider writing these down and thanking God for them

• If you can’t find a Bible passage to refute a lie you’re believing, who is a trusted Christian in your life— such as a camp counselor or pastor—who can help you find some verses?

[Jesus said,] “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 (CSB)

READ: ISAIAH 43:19; 61:3; EZEKIEL 37:1-14; PSALM 107:20

Draw near, Lord
I’m waiting for You
To do a new thing,
A God-thing.
Bring beauty only You can
From these dust and ashes.
Open the grave and
Breathe Your life
Into me
Over me
All around me.
Restore my hope and
Resurrect these bones to
Praise You once again. • Kelly Hope Parke

• One of the Scriptures that inspired today’s poem is Ezekiel 37. When the Israelites were saying, “We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone” (verse 11), God spoke to the prophet Ezekiel, showing him a valley covered with dry bones. Then the Lord said, “Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!” (verse 5). And that’s exactly what happened: the bones became living people! This passage points forward to Jesus, the one who died on the cross and came back to life so that people who were dead in their sins (that’s all of us) could be forgiven and made alive. If you’ve put your trust in Jesus, this is your story too. You have the Holy Spirit, the breath of life, in you. And when Jesus returns, He will raise you from the dead to live forever with Him on the new heavens and new earth. For more about this good news, see our "Know Jesus" page.

• Is there anything in your life right now that feels like those dry bones—things that seem hopeless and beyond repair? Consider taking some time to talk to God about whatever is on your mind. You can be honest with Him about how badly your suffering hurtsand how much you long for Him to bring hope. Remember, Jesus is with you, and nothing can separate you from His love. (Romans 8:38-39)

• Why is it never foolish to hope in Jesus? (Hint: read Romans 5:5; Hebrews 4:14-16; Revelation 21:1-5)

“This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!” Ezekiel 37:5 (NLT)

READ: 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17; GALATIANS 5:13-23; PHILIPPIANS 2:13

Last night I accidentally let a popsicle melt on my desk. It dripped down onto my manuscript, and fifty pages of a book I was writing were ruined.

The amazing thing about all this is that I wasn’t the least bit upset. It truly astonished me that I felt no anger or frustration over it. God must have been working in me again, because this surely wasn’t the old me. The old me would have cried out something like, “Forget it—it’s not worth it. I’m going to quit writing this!” (Although I wouldn’t have quit.)

How God does it, I don’t know. I don’t feel anything going on inside. A light doesn’t flash and display the words “I’m different today.” But somehow, in God’s own timing, I am being lovingly changed, little by little, into the image of His Son. The fruit of the Spirit is beginning to blossom in my soul.

This time the particular fruit was patience, or maybe it should be called longsuffering. Whatever you call it, it was something not evident in me yesterday, and it certainly wasn’t something I brought forth from myself. It’s God’s work. • Sharon Roberts

• If we’ve put our trust in Jesus, believing in His death and resurrection, He lives in us through the Holy Spirit. As the Holy Spirit works in us, He produces fruit in our lives: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Have you ever been surprised to see one of these fruits pop up in your life? What was that like? Consider taking a moment to praise Jesus for this!

• As we grow in our faith, Jesus has so much patience with us. He loves us, and He knows that we will continue to struggle with sin until the day He returns. And He wants to help us. So when we fail, we can confess our sins to Him and rest in His sure forgiveness (1 John 1:9–2:1). He won’t give up on us. He keeps walking with us, forming us more and more into His perfect image (2 Corinthians 3:18). Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus in prayer, confessing any sins that come to mind and resting in His patient love.

I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (CSB)

READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-7; HEBREWS 4:14-16; 1 PETER 1:22

When I was growing up, my grandma was always ready for visitors. She’d often have homemade cookies that she would plate up for us, along with a glass of cold milk. Or if she didn’t have any baked, then she would get out a package of cookies and serve them up.

She welcomed us warmly, and our visits always ended with a hug.

Those were some special times, and looking back now, I think she gave us a good example of pure love, like God offers us.

God is always ready for a visit. He always welcomes us. He is always prepared for us to sit and talk for a while. God meets us with comfort and love.

You never have to feel like it’s a bad time to go to God. You never have to worry that He won’t be prepared for your prayers. Just like a loving grandparent, God is always there for you. He will always hear you. He will always love you.

If you ever begin to doubt God’s love for you, then consider the most loving person in your life—and know that He loves you even more than they do. He wanted so badly to become your Father that He went all the way to the cross and grave for you! Jesus died and rose again so you could be forgiven and adopted into God’s family. That means, if you’ve put your trust in Jesus, God is your heavenly Father. So remember, you are His priceless creation, and you are infinitely special to Him. He always wants to hear from you. • Bethany Acker

• Do you have someone in your life who is always welcoming and ready to visit? This is the kind of love God has for you! He is always eager for you to “visit” by drawing near to Him. Can you picture God this way? Consider taking some time to draw near to Him in prayer, and receive His warmth in whatever way you need it today—whether it be sharing in your joy, comforting you in your pain, listening compassionately as you process frustration, giving wisdom and direction in your confusion, covering you with forgiveness as you confess your sins, or something else.

[Jesus said,] “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

READ: PSALM 34:18; MATTHEW 11:28-30; HEBREWS 4:12-16

Sometimes, I feel like a disco ball. Everyone thinks I’m the life of the party, that I’m always happy, having fun. If they looked a little closer, though, they’d discover the truth: I’m mostly broken, spinning in the dark, reflecting so many chaotic emotions that I feel like I just might crash.

If that resonates with you, know you are not alone. God’s Word warns us that big, glittering smiles could hide a great deal of pain—sometimes our own. While we may be able to fool the people around us—and even ourselves on occasion—God is not deceived. He knows the griefs we carry. He knows each one of our broken pieces. And while He can shine light that brings joy, whimsy, and laughter into even the darkest of places, He is not interested in us spinning through the dark, putting on a show. He wants to heal us, to make us new, to give us purpose even when we are in pain. He wants our lives to rotate to the rhythm of His grace.

And that grace is revealed in Jesus. God loves us so much that He took all our pain, sin, and brokenness on Himself on the cross. Then He rose from the grave, making the way for us to be with Him forever. When Jesus returns, all the chaos will be over, and we will be completely healed, whole, and restored. In the meantime, He’s with us in our pain—bringing hope and help.

People around us may not be able to see a difference between spinning in chaotic brokenness and having faith in Christ’s redemption of the brokenness. They may only see us as the cheerful life of the party they’ve always seen, simply because they’re not privileged to deeply know us. But God notices all the deepest truths of you, and He sees how you’re coping. You can bring all your brokenness and chaos to Him, trusting Him to redeem it somehow, to heal it. You don’t have to carry the burden of making everyone else happy, especially when you’re struggling. You can release your burdens to Jesus, and rest in His love. • Abigail Aswegen

• Do you ever pressure yourself to be happy for everyone else? Because of Jesus, we can slowly let down our guard, be honest about our brokenness, and rely on Him to bring healing.

• When you feel the chaos inside of you ramping up—whether it’s anxiety, emotions, or pressure—how can you step back, slow down, and recenter on Christ? Who are trusted Christians in your life who can come alongside you and help you do this?

Laughter can conceal a heavy heart, but when the laughter ends, the grief remains. Proverbs 14:13 (NLT)