Jesus is the bread of life. — One Voice, One Witness

An introduction to the painting ‘Daily Life’

50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. *(John 6:50)*

Recently, I created a painting for the glory of God. It’s ‘Daily Life’. I’ll share more details later here, but first I want to explain the meaning behind this work.

While creating this painting, I considered the reality of spiritual warfare, suffering, persecution, trials, and temptations we often experience in our world.

The truth is that our daily life in Jesus is something like studying at “the spiritual defence academy of Christ”. 24/7… Training after training. Lecture after lecture. Test after test.

Sometimes it gets really tough, but in the same way, the happiest days come and bring us smiles, joy, ease!

There are also various seasons in our lives, yet in every stage, we are faced with a choice — to put on the armor of light (Romans 13:12). Exactly!

And so, the aim of my painting is to tell everyone that the only way to overcome our diverse seasons is by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ, His light, and His love!

Jesus is our Bread from heaven, and we must hold on to His Word always — it’s our ‘Daily Life’.

A Solder of Jesus‍: Good Soldiers Fighting the Good Fight

Honestly, I think we should thank each other for our service together, fellow soldiers of Jesus. That’s what the apostle Paul calls us — those who are enlisted to serve Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:4; Philippians 2:25). Let’s see what else the Scripture tells us about it and what it comes with.

As we simply know, being a soldier requires regular training to develop certain skills.

Some soldiers are trained this way — they endure extreme tests and exercises so they can remain strong on the battlefield, and survive. Pretty much the same way it works for us as soldiers of Jesus — we experience trials, tests, and hardships in order to get stronger, better, wiser, more like Christ. Here’s what 2 Timothy 2:3 says:

3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

The Bible also tells us that our fight is not physical, but spiritual. And we, as soldiers of Jesus, are called to overcome spiritual darkness:

12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

But most important is that good soldiers do not fight in a worldly way. As a good soldiers of Jesus, we are meant to fight the good fight:

11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:11-12)

Without a doubt, we are called to follow the life of Jesus by spreading the good news that brings eternal life.

The Armor of God: What It Actually Means to Us in Daily Life

Good soldiers of Jesus are instructed to equip themselves with The Whole Armor of God described in Ephesians 6:10-20.

This passage tells us — ambassadors for Christ — to put on:

the belt of truth; the breastplate of righteousness; the shoes of the gospel of peace; the shield of faith; the helmet of salvation; the sword of the Spirit.

After spending some time studying Ephesians 6:10-20, I came to the conclusions about what the whole armor of God actually means to us in daily life:

believing and trusting in Jesus Christ;
leaning on HIM only;
praying always with all kinds of prayer;
holding on to the Word of God;
keeping God’s commandments;
staying away from sin;
serving God by accomplishing His assignments;
doing good;
being selfless and caring for others;
showing love;
knowing the truth of the Bible;
being always ready to preach in peace and love;
boldly speaking and proclaiming the gospel;
blessing those who oppose;
forgiving, just as Christ forgave us!

The whole armor of God is essential to us. It is the foundation of our faith. And it truly serves as protection for us in battlefields.

Ephesians 6:11 and 6:13 provide the reason why we need it:

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

And, almost identically, a second time:

13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God,that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

It’s important to note that, to win the battle against the devil, we do not need to do anything else but simply put on the whole armor of God and stand. Simply stand, which means that God Himself is already protecting us! We just need to believe and take up His armor.

To summarise, putting on, or taking up the whole armor of God means:

always having faith in Jesus Christ, always living by God’s Word, praying continually, lovingly trusting and relying on God, serving Him, boldly preaching, doing good — then we may be able to stand firm in the evil day!

The Battlefield: Readiness at All Times

The truth is that life is a constant battlefield. Every day, we or our loved ones face spiritual warfare.

As good soldiers of Jesus, we must be prepared to fight the good fight by wearing the whole armor of God at all times. We represent Jesus day and night, in every moment, and we should always be ready to withstand, for we do not know when an attack or challenge may come. And there are others who may need our help as well!

Here’s what the Bible says:

8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

The enemy is after our souls always. The devil seeks to deceive us, weaken us, and turn us away from Jesus through his lies, for he is the father of lies (John 8:44). The enemy schemes against us and desires to lead us to destruction. And we must admit — he does his work well, he is persistent. But do not be deceived! Scripture calls us to be sober and vigilant, which means to stay alert, watch carefully for danger or threats.

This is the reality of our daily life — constant preparation for battle test, as if we were students at this “spiritual defence academy of Christ”. Yes, we have to do our homework, exercise, learn, practice and then pass our exams. This is like a true academic curriculum! This is a full submission to God. This is a real lifestyle, and even grounded in love and for love — it requires time, training and efforts.

The next verse tells us:

9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. (1 Peter 5:9)

So here, the Bible tells us that we all face the same hardships, and at the same time, it calls us to resistthe devil and remain steadfast in faith. To resistmeans to oppose, declare against, confront. And for us this means to pray in Jesus’ name and command him to flee:

7 Therefore submit to God.Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

These actions may require us to speak up boldly using our real voice, not only praying in our mind. We also must to hold on to our faith. Faith changes everything. Submission to God changes everything. Prayers and the Word of God changes everything.

The Word of God

An Essential Part of Our Armor

For us, soldiers of Jesus, it is extremely powerful weapon to be used against the devil, as the Bible describes:

12 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)

What a powerful verse! Yes! The word of God is our power and strength! Our weapon! The Word of God — Scripture — is a key part of our armor.

The Bible is the main student’s book, filled with all the necessities we need to understand to overcome our daily tests. All the lectures, all the guidance, and all the holy wisdom are in the Bible — gained through studying it, reading it, speaking it, researching it, loving it, living it, and sharing it. And most importantly: the LORD, our holy Professor, speaks through it!

The Word of God should be used with confidence and trust — as our double-edged sword. As we see in Matthew 4:1-11, quoting what is written in Scripture holds protectivepower, and Godly truth serves as ammunition. In this story, Jesus was tempted by satan, but He stood firm in this battle simply by knowing Scripture and speaking it out loud — each time the devil tried to deceive Him. Here’s how the battle ends:

10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan!For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” (Matthew 4:10)

Jesus simply spoke God’s Word, and commanded him to flee — “the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.” (v.11)

Jesus set the perfect example for us in resisting the devil and winning the battle, therefore let us always keep it in mind! Even our Lord Jesus was tempted and since we are not greater than our Teacher, we too are and will be tempted, which is why we must know our weapons well too.

In the same passage, in Matthew 4:4, Jesus also tells us:

4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”

Eventually, the Lord tells us that God’s Word is essential for us, as bread alone is not enough to sustain our existence. We need His Word to truly live! God’s Word is like food for our spirits, minds and souls. We need to fill them daily, just as our bodies need bread daily. We need Jesus daily.

Jesus is the bread of life.

35 “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. (John 6:35)

The truth is that our Bread — Jesus is the onlyweapon against the enemy! Jesus is the only true medicine that brings lasting healing. On the cross, Jesus defeated the devil and all his forces! All! He conquered death too! Forever! Jesus shed His blood so that we could be saved and protected, so that we could have life. He proved His love for us:

8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

His undeniable love provided us life-saving surgery and offers critical care in the midst of our combat zones! Yes, fellow soldiers: through every moment of spiritual attacks, loneliness, anxiety, confusion, sense of being unworthy, and every other hardship, Jesus and His love remains with us! He is always with us! (“I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5)

With HIM — we are safe:

7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:7)

Jesus is on our side in every situation and season of life. Jesus provide us protection 24/7, and He will save immediately:

4 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;

So shall I be saved from my enemies. (2 Samuel 22:4)

Let’s praise the Lord! He is worthy! Jesus is enough! Jesus is everything!

Life might not get easier by following Jesus, but you will find light, peace, deep peace and real purpose! It fills you, it brings you back home, and you know that what was missing has now been found. Forever.

And if we could view our challenges as beneficial, they would not be so upsetting!It is very veryimportant to understand that our sufferings points to a deeper meaning beyond the pain. Because the outcome is always victorious, even if it is not seen immediately. God’s creation has purpose in everything and everything that is happening in our lives is necessary for our edification! Amen.

About the Painting

Materials: acrylic paint on canvas | Techniques:layering, brushwork, hand-painting | Size: 80x60x4 cm

‘Daily Life’ is intentionally composed with one part representing the heavens, and the other: the daily experience of life on earth. The heavenly side is shown in bright, light tones to reflect holiness, while the city side is darker, symbolising the weight of everyday challenges.

Mountains and green colours serve as a reminder of God’s care and sovereignty over the landscape, vegetation and ecosystems. In this work (as often in the Bible), mountains represent a place of safetyand a sacred meeting place with YAHWEH.

The two realms are connected by a line that comes from heaven to the table at the centre of the artwork, representing our prayers and dailydependence on God.

The table is set with only bread and wine, reminding us that Jesus is enough. It speaks of Salvation, God’s Word, and the Lord’s table.

As the bread is connected to heaven, it reminds us that God provides all things, including food for the mind, spirit, and soul. This moment of connection points us to the words of Jesus Christ in John 6:50-51:

50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

Amen!

Viewed from different angles, the table forms a 3D perspectives, reflecting how each of us carries a unique story and identity in Christ throughout life.

The soft illuminating effects in the artwork symbolise the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and point to Jesus as the source of our light.

Fluorescent colours in the background represent the intensity of the experience of heaven meeting earth.

And my handwriting elements simply act as my signature.

All glory to Jesus! Love never fails! Let’s love one another!

Amen.