“Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all of the fiery darts of the wicked one.” Ephesians 6:16
Are you weary from the daily battles that are occurring in your life? Do you feel vulnerable and open to attack spiritually, mentally, emotionally? Maybe you feel physically bombarded with one ailment or illness after another.
We are not supposed to fight these battles alone or unequipped. The good news is that God has provided for us the exact tools that we need. So how do we go about protecting ourselves from the “fiery darts” that the book of Ephesians warns us about? What should be our plan of defense?
Call to Action
- BE COURAGEOUS – Joshua 1:9 tells us “Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” If God is for us who can be against us? Your Heavenly father is a Mighty Protector!
- BE EQUIPPED – According to Paul, we are expected to take action! We can’t just sit around and wait for the enemy to retreat. Taking up a shield requires commitment on our end! We have to know where the shield is and we have to be willing to pick it up. If we are going to fight a battle we need to be properly equipped. Our firmly rooted faith (which includes prayer) is what serves as the ultimate protection.
- BE in COMMUNITY – Another way we protect ourselves is by knowing who and where the enemy is. In what direction should we be facing in order to adequately quench the darts? You may be familiar with the story of the Persian king, Xerxes, and his conquest of the Ancient Greek states. Even though the Greeks were considerably outnumbered, they gave Xerxes much more of a fight than he expected because of their strategy of the phalanx formation (think of a very close or dense line of soldiers with their shields interlocked) and their incredible devotion to standing united. We need to surround ourselves with friends and family who are willing to interlock their shields with ours and stand unified with us as we fight our battles.
Trust in the protection that the Lord provides!
“He is a shield to all those who take refuge in Him.” Proverbs 30:5
Tracy LaBreche