Command 36 : Ask in Faith | Day 252

Take Up Your Shield of Faith!

High on the fortressed city wall were lines of archers with their dreaded weapons. Marching toward the wall was a Roman army with orders to conquer this stronghold. As they approached the wall, the archers who were defending the city prepared to unleash their fury: sharp arrows that were coated with a combustible substance and set afire. These flaming missiles not only would pierce their victims but would continue to burn, causing excruciating pain and death.

The well-trained soldiers responded with a maneuver that made these treacherous arrows completely ineffective. They lifted their shields above their heads and interlocked them, forming a protective covering that stopped every fiery dart!

We cannot prevent Satan's fiery darts from being shot at us, but we can make them ineffective by using the shield of faith.

The shield of faith is an essential part of every believer's armor. Paul emphasized this when he wrote: “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Ephesians 6:16). What is the shield of faith? It is composed of portions of Scripture that the Holy Spirit applies to our lives to address specific needs. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word [rhema] of God” (Romans 10:17).

Jesus demonstrated this principle when Satan hurled "fiery darts" of temptation at Him in the wilderness. (See Matthew 4:1-11). He immediately identified the twisted truth that Satan was using to attack Him and used Scripture as His defense. As Jesus quoted the Word of God to Satan, saying, "It is written ...," these truths not only were His defense but also became His weapon of assault, because the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit (see Ephesians 6:17).

The size of our shield of faith and the degree of our effectiveness in using the sword of the Spirit are determined by the amount of God's Word we have engrafted into our lives.

We can enlarge our shield of faith and our skill in using the sword of the Spirit by listing the temptations that Satan hurls at us and the Scripture we can use to refute them.[2] For example:

• Temptation to lie: “Lie not one to another ...” (Colossians 3:9). Satan “... is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).
• Temptation to lust: “... Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matthew 5:28). “So he that goeth in to his neighbor's wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent” (Proverbs 6:29).
• Temptation to be discouraged: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9).

Before writing in our journals this week, let's evaluate whether or not we have faith that expects God to act, and then record specific answers to prayer that we have had. We can also record examples of temptations that have been conquered and how the Holy Spirit has made the truths of God's Word a reality in our lives. As you continue to study, memorize, and meditate on the Word of God, may your faith in the One Who is infinitely greater than your biggest need increase.

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