CWW Week 13 - Day 5 - The Armour Of God
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The Armour Of God
Scripture:
Ephesians 6:16 in the New King James Version (NKJV) reads:
“Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”
This verse is part of Paul’s exhortation to believers to put on the whole armour of God to withstand spiritual attacks.
Paul emphasises the importance of faith as a shield that protects us from the attacks of the devil. Just as a shield guards a soldier from arrows and projectiles, faith acts as a defensive weapon against the spiritual assaults and temptations orchestrated by evil forces. By trusting in God and relying on His promises, we can extinguish the flaming arrows of doubt, fear, and temptation that seek to undermine our faith and relationship with God. This verse underscores the central role of faith in spiritual warfare and encourages us to cultivate a strong and unwavering trust in God’s protection and provision.
We know we are locked in a battle between good and evil. We have already talked about the battle being won or lost based on our choice of sides. Isn’t it hard when the edges get so blurred that we often find ourselves venturing into enemy territory without realising it?
Doubt is a very effective weapon employed by the forces of darkness to undermine our footing and destabilise us. The shield of unwavering faith is our main defence against the corrosive and eroding power of doubt.
I have seen God move in miraculous ways in my life with one incredible miracle after another and yet I still harbour doubts on occasion. Even now as I write I am asking God, “Why me Lord? I know nothing compared to the scholars who write about you.” Yet as I write God is answering; ‘Why not you?’ See how He often gives us the answer in another question?
Once again I am able to add another word to the list of those which we often wish were not at work in our lives. Words like pain, fear, shame and guilt. To this list I now add doubt because I, at this moment, have realised that doubt is God’s way of pushing us to question our faith. He wants us to have an enquiring mind. If pain is the mechanism for warning us that we are damaging our physical body and shame and guilt are warnings that we are damaging our character, then doubt warns us that our faith needs attention.
This journey of character development is a torturous one but what are the options?
In recent days my armour has been tested. I am living in a world of constant battle as many awaken to the forces of darkness being arrayed against us. Many public figures in the battle have made a constant reference to God in there outpourings and often in ways that show me that they don’t know Him. Pieces of scripture blended in to spiritualism and the power of self are turned into a cocktail of philosophical notions that clearly confuse and distort. In a public “live” event last week I shared a screen with a prominent social media influencer who said that he thought that “Jesus was not coming again but that He was already here and alive in all of us.” The same courageous man uses the symbol 8:32 on his shirt which references John 8:32; Know the truth and the truth will set you free.
That truth is that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father but through Him. Jesus said that he will return for His people and that we know not the hour of His coming.
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” (John 14:6, ESV)”But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36)”For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:27, NIV)
I could not let this pass without declaring my position on this and I challenged his statement in love. I know this man is close to seeing truth. I know that when and if he does that He will be powerful in his witness for God. It turned into a harrowing twenty minutes live on camera, but I could not know what I am learning and let it pass unchallenged.
Why? Because I love the man enough to risk my friendship with him by sharing my truth with him. What should I do? Let him carry on believing something that may be costly or love him enough to tell him that he is going down the wrong path in my view?
As he returned fire I stood shod in the shoes of the knowledge of the gospel (see yesterday) and firmly behind the shield of my faith knowing that I may lose his friendship and light the fire of rage of more than half the audience. The armour of God is of no power without the shield of faith.
If Jesus died for the unbelievers as well as the believers then the faith in that gift and it’s associated promise must be shared at all cost.
Questions.
- How strong is your desire to have an unshakeable faith?
- What do you think your view of the future may be if you stood with the shield of faith?
- What are you going to do today to get that shield?
Prayer.
Dear Lord, Papa God.
Strengthen me that I may stand under your banner holding the shield of unshakeable faith. Give me the unquenchable desire to bath in your word and have the confidence to expel the doubt that corroded my mind from the attacks of the evil one. Fill me with a love strong enough to risk relationships out of others centred love and compassion. Take me and mould me in your purpose for my life as unworthy as I feel Papa. For this is my prayer in your precious name Lord. Amen.
Graham Hood.
