Lift up the shield of faith

“Hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” Ephesians 6:16 NLT

Pay attention to what Satan is shooting at you: “fiery arrows!” He knows that if he can light the fires of worry and anxiety within you, he can immobilize and defeat you. And notice what God has given you to protect yourself: “the shield of faith.” But you have a part to play: “Hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil.” A shield won’t help a soldier while it’s on the ground, or even at his side. He must lift it up to cover himself from attack. The same goes for you. When the devil attacks you with unpleasant circumstances and thoughts that cause you to worry and be afraid, you must immediately lift up the shield of faith. Faith in what? Yourself? No, faith in the faithfulness of God! At times your faith in God may falter, but His love and care for you will never falter. “Faithful is He Who is calling you [to Himself] and utterly trustworthy” (1 Thessalonians 5:24 AMPC). How do you lift up the shield of faith? By saying, “Lord, I trust you in this situation!” Jesus talked back to Satan in the wilderness by saying, “It is written,” and you must learn to talk back to Satan too. God’s Word is a protective shield that the devil’s arrows cannot penetrate. When you hold it up like a shield, it’s effective against anything he tries to do in your life. Satan’s fiery arrows can come from any direction, from both your friends and foes. So you must lift up the shield of faith.

Bible in a year: Matthew 19 and Mark 10